Jammu Kashmir National Front chairman and senior Hurriyat leader Nayeem Ahmad Khan Thursday said that politicizing National Institute of Technology (NIT) issue is India’s conspiracy to defame Kashmir.According to KNS correspondent, Khan said in a news conference here that India is trying to portray the wrong image of Kashmir and its people. “India is at war against Kashmir. The way NIT issue has been politicized clearly indicates that India and some Indian news channels are trying to defame Kashmir,” he said.He said that despite the fact that non-local students thrashed local students, forced them to raise slogans like ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, pelted stones on police and ransacked the buildings of NIT as well, India is blaming Kashmiri’s for such incident.Asking Union HRD Minister, Smriti Irani is this a way handling the educational institution, Nayeem said, “At a time when Kashmiri students are being harassed and thrashed by local goons and college authorities outside the state, why a team was only sent to Kashmir to look into the matter. Why didn’t you send any team to outside the state where Kashmiri students were harassed,” Nayeem asked Irani.“It were Kashmiris who rescued and opened their doors for NIT students in 2014 flood. Why is India ignoring the facts? Why don’t they think over it?’ Nayeem asked.
Appealing NIT students to concentrate on their studies, Nayeem said, “Students should concentrate on their studies for which they came in Kashmir. Have they come to concur Kashmir? Have they come to raise tri-colour in Kashmir or to pursue their studies,” he questioned?Terming tri-colour as unacceptable in Kashmir, JKNF chairman said, “Kashmir will never unfurl tri-colour as we have seen bitter face of India’s democracy. Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute and is the most militarized zone. Despite facing lot of hardships, we have never raised tri-colour nor will raise it,” he said.He said that Kashmiris are being dubbed as terrorists and are being called as communalists, which we are not. “Yes, we are fighting for freedom. We don’t support occupation of Indian forces in Kashmir but we are peace lover as well. We are fighting against India, based on commitments,” he said, adding that such is the situation in Kashmir that policemen are now labelled as ‘Pak agents’ but when they were killing innocent youth in 2008 and 2010 agitation , they were patriots for same ‘patriot’ people.Holding India responsible for militancy in the Valley, Nayeem said, “It is India who is pushing our youth to militancy. We don’t have any objection if India want to close NIT but will never tolerate defaming Kashmir,” he said.Demanding impartial probe in the harassment of Kashmiri students outside the Kashmir, Nayeem said, “We want safety of Kashmiri students who are studying in NIT and outside the state as well.” (KNS)