Asif Iqbal Naik
KISHTWAR
In a significant development, members of civil society in Kishtwar district in Chenab Valley cutting across party lines on Friday threatened mass agitation over the future plan of Jammu University to close all the University Campuses other than Bhaderwah and Kathua Campuses due to “callous” attitude of Jammu University.
As per the details available with Kashmir Life, several people from civil society called on Director Kishtwar Campus Dr Shoaib Anayat Malik who showed their resentment towards the growing reports about closing of Kishtwar University campus due to non-providing of funds by the University management.
The angry members also took on Director Kishtwar campus for his conspicuous absence from the Campus since last one year and rued his approach over keeping the people of Kishtwar into dark with regard to present status of Kishtwar university campus where employees are without salaries since months together after government failed to release Rs 50 lakh this year.
They warned the Jammu University authorities over any move to close the Kishtwar University Campus or shifting of existing courses from the university campus.
The University authorities also terminated the services of 10 class-fourth employees after eight years of their services recently due to non-providing of funds by the government and the University.
All the members demanded sanctioning of job orientation courses in Kishtwar University campus including BCA, BBA, MBA, MCA, M Ed and other courses presently being taught in Kishtwar school and colleges.
Reacting to the concern of members of Kishtwar civil society, Director Kishtwar campus assured all possible help to the civil society with regard to betterment of Kishtwar University campus. He said that he will communicate their concern and the matter to Vice Chancellor of Jammu University.
Later the members of civil society unanimously resolved to fight for the permanent establishment of Kishtwar University Campus and to fight any move of Jammu University with regard to closure of Kishtwar University campus and nominated retired ADC Kishtwar Raiz Ahmed Zargar as the Chairperson of the front that will lead the fight for “Save Kishtwar University Campus”.
The members also slammed Vice Chancellor of Jammu University for his “non-serious” approach towards dealing with the issues pertaining to Kishtwar University campus and other similar university campuses of Jammu region.
While talking to Kashmir Life, Zargar said that he accepted the challenge to lead the front with joint efforts.
“With support from all sections of the society, we will win the battle of saving the Kishtwar University Campus which came into existence some 8 years ago,” he said.
He said that successive governments sanctioned funds to the tune of corers of rupees for construction of infrastructure for university campus and rued the blocking of funds for Kishtwar University Campus since last two years.
He said that it is a matter of disappointment that despite having good representation of political class in the form of MLA Kishtwar Sunil Kumar Sharma (MoS), MLA Inderwal Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, MLC Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo and Firdous Ahmed Tak, such situation has arises wherein efforts are being made to shut the Kishtwar University Campus.
Among those who were part of the delegation that called on Director Kishtwar campus include Syed Ahmad Shah, Imtiyaz Zargar, Mehboob Qazi Farooq Dev, Dr Kuldeep Thakur, Dr Mansoor Qazi, Umar Malik, Sandeep Kumar, Javed Najar, Touseef Butt, Waseem Saroori.
