National law varsity demand set to echo in Assembly as BJP backs Jammu students
The demand has gained political momentum, with students of the University of Jammu, along with several social and political organisations, staging protests
The demand for the establishment of a National Law University (NLU) in Jammu is set to be raised in the Legislative Assembly, with Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma on Monday reiterating the BJP’s support for students agitating for the varsity.
Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly after the Lieutenant Governor’s address, Sharma said the BJP would press the demand both inside and outside the House. “There is no doubt that we will support the students. We met them on Sunday and their agitation for the establishment of an NLU in Jammu is completely fair,” he said.
Sharma said the issue was one of “rights and justice,” arguing that students from Jammu face difficulties pursuing legal education in Kashmir. “It is important that a separate law university is established in Jammu. We will fight for this demand in the Assembly and outside and ensure that the government grants a separate varsity to Jammu,” he said.
The demand has gained political momentum, with students of the University of Jammu, along with several social and political organisations, staging protests. The BJP has accused the Omar Abdullah-led Union Territory government of planning to establish the NLU in Kashmir.
Reacting to Sharma’s remarks, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary said the Leader of Opposition should first focus on the issue of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. “It has become a habit of the LoP to create ruckus. He should fulfil the promise of restoring statehood to J&K, which was assured after the Assembly elections,” Choudhary told reporters.
The Deputy Chief Minister also credited the Omar Abdullah government with restoring the Darbar Move, saying it brought much-needed economic activity to Jammu. “Some people allege discrimination against Jammu, but if that were true, the Darbar Move would not have been revived,” he said.
Choudhary further targeted the BJP over issues such as property purchases and employment by outsiders in J&K, and questioned the absence of vice-chancellors from Jammu in universities across the region.
Meanwhile, the issue of statehood was also raised by PDP MLA Waheed Para, who criticised the absence of any reference to statehood in the LG’s address. “The vision document lacks both will and direction. Earlier, the government surrendered on Article 370, and now even the word ‘statehood’ is missing,” Para said, adding that the BJP’s narrative continued to dominate J&K politics.
Para also flagged the issue of regularisation of daily wagers, saying the government was duty-bound to fulfil its promise to these workers.
