SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that slapping of sedition charges against Kashmiri students in Meerut by Uttar Pradesh government for allegedly cheering Pakistan team during a cricket match that India lost was “unacceptably harsh punishment” and should be reversed.
“I believe what the students did was wrong and misguided but they certainly didn’t deserve to have charges of sedition slapped against them.
“I believe the university did what it had to, to control the situation, but this action by the UP government is uncalled for and should be reversed,” Omar wrote on Twitter.
Omar said slapping sedition charge against Kashmiri students was an “unacceptably harsh punishment” that will ruin the future of the students and will further alienate them.
“Have just spoken to CM UP who has assured me he will personally look in to the matter of the Kashmiri students in Meerut,” he added.
Omar, however, said the students did not commit any illegal act, irrespective of the team they were cheering for.
“Finally while what the boys may have done in Meerut is misguided, it certainly isn’t illegal, regardless of who them (sic) were cheering,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the students “should introspect their actions as they had been selected under the Prime Minister’s special scholarship scheme.”
“The sad fact is that some of these students are recipients of the PM scholarship for Kashmiris. Perhaps they need to introspect,” he added.—PTI

KR Desk