Shopian: The Siraj ul Uloom school in Shopian on Saturday negated reports of any “pressure” by the army or police for holding Republic Day function on January 26.
Last year, this educational institution had appeared in news when the Jammu and Kashmir Police accused it of brainwashing its students towards militancy. The allegations were refuted by the school management then.
A police case under FIR number 06/2021 has been registered at police station Imam Sahib under sections 153 and 505 IPC against two media outlets, The Kashmir Walla and The Kashmiriyat, for reporting that the army forced the school management to hold a Republic Day function.
The news portals quoted chairman of Siraj ul Uloom, Muhammad Yousuf Mantoo, as saying that he was under pressure from the army to hold the function in the school premises.
On Saturday, a clarification was issued by this educational institution which reads, “On 26th of January, celebration of Republic Day took place in the vicinity of an educational institution Jamia Siraj Ul Uloom at Imamsahib Shopian. Local people, students and ad,ministration participated in the ceremony.
“There was not any compulsion on behalf of any army personnel and police. The celebration ended with peace and pleasure.
“The news item appeared in news portal Kashmiriyat and Kashmir Walla regarding pressure for organizing such events and the hand of security agencies is negated as being a totally baseless allegation,” the clarification added.
According to sources, the army’s 44 Rashtriya Rifles’ local unit and the institution together have filed a case against the news outlets.
Editor-in-chief of The Kashmir Walla magazine, Fahad Shah, on his Twitter handle wrote that his organisation has ample evidence to prove their news story regarding the incident. “An FIR has been filed against @tkwmag for reporting story of Shopian school pressured by army to hold republic day function. @TheKashmiriyat reported same later and they are also in FIR. I as editor of @tkwmag stand by our reporting as we have ample evidence to prove so. Support,” Shah wrote.

Reader correspondent