PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday (November 29) strongly criticised the invocation of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) charges against seven students of Kashmir University who are accused of raising anti-India slogans following the ICC World Cup final match.
On Police invoking UAPA charges against 7 students of Kashmir University for allegedly raising anti-India slogans after ICC World Cup final match, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, ” A game must be considered as a game, it should not be made a crime. Even our PM was smiling when… pic.twitter.com/r3XPWP4tM7
— ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2023
Calling the action “draconian”, Mufti said: “This incident demonstrates that the BJP has even criminalised the spirit of sports in Kashmir. It’s ironic that the people who celebrated the collective humiliation of the people after dismembering J&K can’t tolerate Australia’s superior game on the day to be cheered. In which young students were arrested under the draconian UAPA for simply cheering on a good game. This is when the country’s Prime Minister [Narendra Modi] congratulated Australia on its victory,” as reported by The Hindu.
Earlier on Tuesday, Mufti called the arrest of seven university students “shocking” for allegedly raising objectionable slogans and celebrating India’s World Cup loss.
The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister also asked Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha of the union territory to look into the matter.
Disconcerting & shocking that cheering for a winning team too has been criminalised in Kashmir. Normalising slapping of draconian laws like UAPA on journalists, activists & now students reveals the ruthless mindset of the establishment towards youngsters in J&K. Hearts & minds of… https://t.co/GtOHr9KI7O
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) November 28, 2023
The arrested students are students at Kashmir’s Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST). The students were arrested after police launched an investigation into a complaint filed by a non-local student alleging that his college mates harassed him and shouted offensive slogans after India lost the final match and the cup to Australia.