PROTEST OVER NEW RECRUITMENT POLICY: Admn decides to close gates of all colleges

PROTEST OVER NEW RECRUITMENT POLICYAdmn decides to close gates of all colleges Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 12
After adopting various methods to foil the protests of students, the local administration has decided to close the main gates of all colleges in the city. Students of the colleges and the University of Jammu are protesting against the state government for the past fortnight demanding the revocation of the new recruitment policy.

Sensing that the students may again try to ‘gherao’ the civil secretariat, the administration has decided to close the gates of the colleges. The administration had earlier foiled an attempt by the students to gherao the secretariat on November 9.

Following inputs that the students may try to hold a protest against the state government this afternoon, a large number of policemen were deployed in the city. Though the day passed off peacefully, some protests were reportedly held in colleges and the university.

However, the students said as it was a holiday in the university today, the strength of protesters was also less.

“The police has been using force to suppress our voice. Our leader Manik Sharma, who had held a protest outside the university, was arrested last night. Now, the police is not releasing him. We will continue with our protest. In the coming days, we will intensify the agitation,” said Talib Hussain, president of the All Gujjar and Bakarwal Students’ Association.

Though the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has stayed the implementation of the new recruitment policy till November 25, the students have been holding protests across the region.

Policemen stand guard outside Goverment MAM College in Jammu on Saturday. The main gate of the college is also closed. Tribune photo: Inderjeet Singh