Court grants bail to 17 Kashmiri students arrested after Mewar University protest in Rajasthan
JAIPUR: A local court in Rajasthan’s Chittorgarh district on Tuesday granted bail to 17 Kashmiri students who were detained following clashes with police during protests at Mewar University.
The students were arrested on Monday after tensions escalated on the campus, where protests had been ongoing for nearly 27 days over the alleged lack of recognition for the B.Sc Nursing course offered by the university.
According to police, the situation turned chaotic when some protesting students allegedly poured petrol on themselves and attempted self-immolation while security personnel tried to resume normalcy on the campus.
“The situation escalated when some agitated students allegedly poured petrol on themselves and attempted self-immolation. Police personnel intervened immediately to prevent any harm. During the chaos, several students scuffled with the police and were accused of obstructing government work and tearing uniforms, following which 17 students were taken into custody,” Gangrar Station House Officer Shyam Lal said.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the Gangrar court accepted the bail applications and ordered the release of the detained students.
The protests began after students alleged that the university admitted them to the B.Sc Nursing course without obtaining the required approvals from the Rajasthan Nursing Council and the Indian Nursing Council, leaving their degrees in uncertainty.
Students have been demanding clarity from the university regarding the recognition of the course and the validity of their academic programme.
Meanwhile, the issue has taken a political turn, with the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) announcing a protest at the district headquarters against the arrests.
Dr Mohammad Momin Khan, president of the All India Medical Students Association (AIMSA), Jammu and Kashmir, has also written to Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma seeking his intervention in the matter.
“The students have only raised their voices for their rights and clarity about their future. We appeal to the Chief Minister to ensure that no punitive action is taken against them and that their academic year is not jeopardised,” Dr Khan said.
The university administration has stated that the recognition process for the nursing course is underway at the Jaipur level and that the matter is currently pending before the High Court.
However, protesting students have expressed dissatisfaction with the explanation, especially after a fraud case was filed against the university’s chairman, Ashok Gadiya.
While the detained students have now been granted bail, uncertainty over the recognition of the course continues to remain a major concern for those enrolled in the programme.