Education Minister talks tough, asks protesting students to attend classes

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 21

Education Minister Altaf Bukhari on Saturday warned that the government may be forced to shut the educational institutes in the Valley if the students continued their protests against the rape-murder of a minor girl from Kathua district.

Bukhari said there had been enough protests as it was an “emotional issue” and “children have given enough vent to their emotions”. “I am appealing for the last time to students to return to their classes and not come on the roads. If you (students) come on the roads, you will be treated as rowdies. There have been enough protests. Now, let the court do justice,” Bukhari told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Srinagar.

“If the situation remained the same, we will be forced to close educational institutions and students may be losing their education forever. And, nobody should tell us why they are not being reopened. The security of the students is our prime concern and that is why we will close educational institutes,” the minister said.

Students across Kashmir have been holding protests demanding justice for the eight-year-old girl who was raped and murdered in Kathua. Many students have been injured in protests.

As a precautionary measure, the government has been frequently closing schools, colleges and universities to prevent more protests.

The minister said the government would devise a strategy to maintain law and order in the educational institutions.

On the protests by former BJP Minister in support of a CBI probe into the rape and murder of the girl, Bukhari said: “Everyone has the right for campaign. We are not able to stop children. They have their viewpoint. Everybody has their viewpoint. It is a democracy and the government has taken the line. We will not succumb to any pressure tactics. There will rallies for and against. And, the court will give justice.”