Kashmiri students in AMU divided over participation in annual Sir Syed celebrations

AGRA: Fissures have erupted among AMU’s Kashmiri students after a Kashmiri student leader and former president of the AMU students’ union announced a boycott of the annual Sir Syed day celebrations, including the traditional dinner, on Thursday, to express their anguish over the prevailing situation in the valley
Talking to media persons, former vice president of AMUSU Sajad Subhan Rathar, said, how could the students think of celebrations when their families were living in "acute distress". He said most of the students still did not know how their loved ones were doing, 72 days after the lockdown in the Kashmir valley. He claimed that many students had told him that they would not participate in celebrations.
However, many Kashmiri students reached the proctor’s office in the evening to convey that they are not supporting Rathar and will participate in the function. Students said that Rathar‘s decision could have been motivated by political considerations. They maintained that Kashmir distress is not related to Sir Syed day celebrations in any manner.
Talking to TOI, Research scholar in Public administration Mubasshir Hussain Shah, who is also Kashmiri, claimed that no one would boycott the Sir Syed Day celebration on Thursday. He claimed, “Rathar’s decision was of his own and Kashmiri students will not support him”.
Another research scholar, Bilal Majid said, “Sir Syed Day is a very auspicious day highly revered and respected by the Aligh fraternity across the globe. Any person who has given this boycott call over the celebrations should be deemed purely personal opinion not the collective call of all Kashmiri students.”