Bengaluru: College in Bengaluru was reported to have been asked by the Internal Security Division (ISD) Karnataka police to collect details of students from Jammu and Kashmir, “maintaining the nation’s internal security in mind”.
According to the email from ISD to the famous institutional school principal in Kengeri, the college has been told to collect students’ details about the courses taken, permanent addresses, passports and visa data, participation in strikes / protests, and criminal records.
However, DG & IGP Praveen Sood, told TOI: “We have no intention or instructions like that.
But if there are officers asking this, it’s not true.” Calls and messages from TOI to the additional DGP (ISD) are not answered.
On February 8, the Association of J & K Students, the National Agency representing students from the region in all states, has accused that college throughout Bengaluru asked Kashmir students for personal details even though the information was collected during the entry.
Students from J & K say they see this as an action arising from their identity as ‘Kashmir’ and ‘Muslim’.
Haneef Khan, a fourth student from a college in North Bengaluru, said his teacher sent him a form that asked to determine whether he was ‘J & K or international students’.
“During the exam last week, a professor told me to submit the details of all my addresses in Kashmir, Bengaluru, etc.
When I asked why, I was told that for routine administrative work, but they were only looking for information from Kashmir students, but” said Haneef .
A member of the management of a college who came under the jurisdiction of the Taman Cubbon police station said: “Two police officers came to campus, we asked for the details of J & K students to give it in writing that we did not have students from the region on our campus.
We were not given The reason for the check.
“Amjad Khalid technique said his Kashmir friends who studied in other universities were being selected for personal data.
“I feel confused because my address is behind my ID card.
College takes all of these details during registration, so they don’t need to ask us to train them again,” he said.
When TII approached a college on this issue, a faculty member said the authorities collected data from all students for the purpose associated with NAAC evaluation.
He said the college only asked first year students for their details, and J & K students were focused because they “came through a special government quota”.
However, Nasir Khuisami, the founders and national spokesman of the J & K student association, said the ‘special quota’ was revoked by revocation of article 370 in 2019.
“There was a scheme that was ongoing since 2011 where scholarships were given to around 5,000 students.
J & J & K, but there is no special quota, “he said.