Srinagar, Feb 27 (IANS) The J&K Students Association (JKSA) said on Friday that it has sought Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s intervention in the alleged harassment of Kashmiri students at a Kurnool nursing college.
“The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Friday wrote to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, seeking urgent intervention over reported incidents of harassment, verbal abuse, denial of Ramzan (Sehri & Iftar) arrangements, hijab restrictions, and violation of the fundamental rights of Kashmiri students at the Government College of Nursing, Kurnool.” JKSA national Convenor Nasir Kheuhami said.
In its letter, the association stated that around two dozen Kashmiri students pursuing BSc Nursing at the Government College of Medical Nursing, Kurnool, have raised serious complaints. Many are young women studying under the Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme (PMSS) through AICTE counselling.
The reported situation has created fear, humiliation, and mental distress, adversely affecting their academic performance and overall well-being, it said. Khuehami said the students have alleged that they are being targeted on the basis of their Kashmiri identity and religion and subjected to systematic discrimination and harassment.
Despite being regular boarders, they were reportedly questioned by the administration as to why they chose the college if they were “so much into Ramzan and religious practices”, in remarks the association described as hurtful, discriminatory, and unbecoming of an educational institution.
The association stated that when the students sought basic arrangements for Sehri and Iftar during Ramzan, their request was denied and allegedly trivialised. When they attempted to arrange meals from outside, college authorities reportedly prevented them from bringing food onto the campus.
The JKSA said the students have neither been provided appropriate arrangements nor granted reasonable flexibility to observe fasting, causing emotional and physical hardship during the holy month.
The representation further alleges that the administration told the students that if they were so inclined toward religious observance, they should not have joined the college.
They were reportedly discouraged from fasting and asked to remove their hijab. The JKSA termed this a direct violation of their fundamental right to freely practice and profess their faith, stating that the incidents have fostered fear, insecurity, and mental distress, adversely impacting their academic performance and overall well-being.
The association said that Kashmiri students are being singled out, pointed at, and subjected to verbal abuse, including being called “dumb”, “senseless”, “idiots”, and even “terrorists”. It described such language as degrading, traumatic, and unacceptable in any academic environment.
The students have also conveyed that they were questioned for wearing the hijab and pressured to remove it, and discouraged from observing religious practices; actions the association said directly violate their fundamental rights.
The association alleged that the college administration has been systematically humiliating and targeting young female students, thereby denying them their fundamental rights.
The students were reportedly threatened with suspension for asserting their religious rights and pressured to vacate the hostel without valid justification, allegedly on account of their identity and religious observance.
Khuehami said such actions amount to discrimination based on religion and regional identity and constitute a serious misuse of institutional authority, violating constitutional guarantees under Article 25 (freedom of religion), Article 15 (prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, sex, or place of birth), and Article 21A (right to education).
In its letter, the association expressed anguish that students from Kashmir, who left their homes to pursue higher education in Andhra Pradesh, are facing humiliation and trauma. It said the psychological and emotional toll is profound and that the incident sends a troubling message to girls from minority backgrounds about their place in educational institutions.
The association also highlighted Andhra Pradesh’s long-standing reputation for pluralism, inclusivity, and support for students from diverse regions, noting that Kashmiri students have traditionally felt welcomed in the state, and cautioned that failure to address the matter could undermine this legacy.
Urging immediate intervention, the JKSA requested the Chief Minister to order an impartial and time-bound inquiry, ensure protection from harassment or academic penalties for practising their faith, and facilitate Sehri and Iftar arrangements during Ramzan so that students can observe the holy month with dignity and continue their education without fear.
The association expressed hope that the state government would take prompt corrective measures to uphold constitutional values and reassure students and their families, reiterating that educational institutions must remain safe and inclusive spaces for all.
The Vice Chancellor of CT University in Punjab was terminated from service on February 24 after Kashmiri students said he had misbehaved with them and questioned their right to observe the Ramzan fast.
–IANS
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