J&K student in Mewar varsity held for social media post; JKSA asks for 'leniency'
Strongly condemning Qayoom’s actions, Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Association, however, urged authorities to show him leniency 'considering his immaturity and lack of political awareness'
An FIR has been filed against a student from Jammu and Kashmir in Rajasthan and “all the possible punishments have been initiated against him over an objectionable post he had made on social media".
The Chittorgarh police arrested a BPharm student from Mewar University, Sohrab Qayoom (21), for allegedly posting some objectionable comments as a story on Instagram, said the police according to media reports. Qayoom is currently in judicial custody.
Expelled from University
After a local resident complained, an FIR was subsequently lodhged at the station on January 25. The student Qayoom was booked under IPC sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.,) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs).
Mewar University director Harish Gurnani told the media that “all the possible punishments have been initiated” against Qayoom.
Qayoom, who hailed from J&K’s Rajouri area and was enrolled at the University under the Indian Army’s Special Scholarship Scheme, (launched as part of Operation Sadbhavana for providing educational opportunities to underprivileged students), was expelled.
Humanitarian grounds
However, the Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Association (JKSA) strongly condemning Qayoom’s actions also requested home minister Amit Shah and chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma to consider his case on "humanitarian" grounds. The association wrote to Shah and Sharma, urging them to show leniency to Qayoom “considering his immaturity and lack of political awareness”.
The association said that they did not want to justify his actions but they believed the charges brought against him could have “severe consequences” on his academic and future prospects. “Unequivocally” condemning the student’s actions, they urged all Kashmiri students to refrain from writing provocative content on social media.
The association urged the authorities to drop the FIR against Qayoom since it could ruin the young student's future. They felt that he needed to be given an opportunity for rehabilitation. According to the association office-bearers, Qayoom’s actions may have stemmed from "immaturity rather than malice", and pointed out that they believed in "reform and redemption”.
Further, they pointed that the arrest may damage the young student's academic and career prospects and result in an irreversible damage to his life.
