Gurdwara, NGO come to students’ rescue

Amarjot Kaur

Tribune News Service

Mohali, February 18

More than 40 Kashmiri students took refuge at Gurdwara Singh Shaheedan, Sohana, here on Monday. While the gurdwara authorities allotted four rooms to the students, Khalsa Aid, an international non-profit aid and relief organisation, made arrangements for their commute to Jammu.

Heaving a sigh of temporary relief, mainly on the Mohali DC’s word of assurance about their safety, the Jammu and Kashmir Student Organisation has mobilised over 160 students from Mullana in Ambala and Dehradun to Jammu. While boys are putting up at the gurdwara, about 10 girls have been allotted a room in an undisclosed residential area in Mohali.

The students, who arrived here from Dehradun, shared terrifying tales of ostracism by the locals and how they were locked up in their rooms for two long days. 

“Some 200 Kashmiri students study at the BIFT Group of Institutes in Dehradun. We were locked up in our rooms, fearing the protesters who raised slogans against Kashmiris and reached here famished,” said a 24-year-old Muzamil Ahmad. His friend, Shahid Sultan, 27, claimed that the atmosphere of animosity enveloped the university campus on the day of attack. 

He said: “Some landlords were very helpful, but in some cases they weren’t. A group of friends were kicked out by their landlords. We condemn the attack too, but how are we responsible for it? Why are we, as innocent students, being subjected to this backlash?”

While the students have been demanding the government to decrease the airfare, their pleas have fallen on deaf ears. In this crucial moment, the volunteers of Khalsa Aid are ensuring that the students are dropped to Jammu safely.

“We have provided the students with three tempos for Jammu and two buses for students coming from Uttarakhand. We stand for humanity. No other organisation has come for their help so far,” said Amarpreet, a volunteer with Khalsa Aid. Meanwhile, a member of the Jammu and Kashmir Student Organisation said he had a word with the Mohali DC. “We were assured protection, but the maximum relief we sought was from the gurdwara authorities and Khalsa Aid,” a student said.