KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
KCSDS on Friday expressed anguish and concern over the “rising” incidents of burning of school buildings in the valley in which 25 schools have already been reduced to ashes.
A statement issued by the Srinagar based civil society group said, “KCSDS warns all those elements whether agents or social miscreants who are involved in these mysterious dastardly acts of far reaching consequences, to desist from the shameful criminal acts.”
“As if brutal killings, blindings and maimings, destroy operations of crops and homes and mass arrests were not enough that the educational institutions responsible for enlightening, edifying and civilising young generation have to be burnt down to erase the foundations of enlightening and nurturing the young minds,” the KCSDS statement said.
“It is a recipe for the complete devastation of the young generation. The government must depoliticise the opening of schools and conducting of exams. It must listen to the voice of students in massive protest demonstrations against holding of exams in November. One fails to understand why government is hell bent on conducting exams when the students have studied nothing in schools for four months till now. Why is government determined to prove that it has declared a war against the young generation in particular and is not going to budge an inch from the announced dates? Heavens are not going to fall if exams are conducted from first March and BOSE to expedite the evaluation of papers and the declaration of results without wasting much time. Because, even if government insists on holding exams in November, students cannot resume their next academic year before March- April. On the one hand, state government says it is there for the service of the people and on the other leaves no stone unturned to oppress, terrorize, coerce and tyrannize our young generation,” the KCSDS statement added.
The statement further said, “on one hand, government says it is there only for governance and on the other it is fighting people on behalf of the Indian state and tries to ‘normalise the situation’ by conducting exams. The young generation who need more care and consideration than any other section of population is being victimised on all fronts.”
“So the first step for the government to take must be to make a retreat from the announced dates for exams. Second step should be to identify and deal sternly with those who are behind the mysterious burnings. Third, the localities and the neighbourhoods in which schools are situated should take initiatives to protect the schools from being vandalised or burnt as these are invaluable public assets for our children. The task can be undertaken by Mohalla committees or Masjid committees,” the KCSDS observed.
