STIR AGAINST RECRUITMENT POLICY: Protesting students may raise pitch tomorrow

STIR AGAINST RECRUITMENT POLICYProtesting students may raise pitch tomorrow Archit Watts/TNS

Jammu, November 14
This Wednesday when a number of VVIPs like the Dalai Lama, LK Advani and Ghulam Nabi Azad will be here in Jammu and its nearby places, the students who have been agitating against the state government’s new recruitment policy may hold a protest demonstration. Though the administration has already started making arrangements for the smooth visit of the three VVIPs, intelligence inputs have been suggesting that students will also come out on the roads to protest against the state government on that particular day.

The student community has been lodging protest demonstrations across the Jammu region for the last fortnight, demanding revocation of the policy. They also attempted to gherao the secretariat on the first day of the Darbar reopening here on November 9.

A senior police officer told The Tribune that November 16 would be a very hectic day for them and they have already alerted cops to thwart any kind of protests on that day.

“All kinds of precautionary measures will be taken for that particular day, because three dignitaries will be coming to Jammu and its nearby places. Cops in civvies and patrolling parties have been given special directions for that day,” said the officer.

Besides maintaining law and order, the security agencies will also be maintaining a strict vigil to thwart any possible attempt by militants and their sympathisers, he added.

Meanwhile, students’ associations have started conducting secret meetings.

“We had already shown black flags to the state government on November 9. But, it does not mean that we will not gherao any minister or MLA of the Congress-NC government in the coming days. This time we will not give any such call in advance, as the last time the police had used brutal force on our activists,” said Suresh Ajay Magotra, chairman, Youth of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. “If the government can stoop to any level to play with the future of youth, why can’t we take the bull by the horns?”