Students who cheered for Pakistan should be rusticated, sent back to Kashmir: Javed Akhtar

Javed Akhtar said that the Kashmiri students who had been suspended by their university in UP for cheering for Pakistan during a cricket match should be rusticated and sent back to their state.

Zee Media Bureau/Manisha Singh

New Delhi: In a comment which could ruffle a few feathers, Hindi film lyricist and social activist Javed Akhtar said on Monday that the Kashmiri students who had been suspended by their university in Uttar Pradesh for cheering for Pakistan during a cricket match should be rusticated and sent back to their state. Akhtar posted on the micro-blogging site Twitter - “Why the suspension of those 67 Kashmiri students who cheered Pakistan is revoked. They should be rusticated and sent back to Kashmir.”

Why the suspension of those 67 Kashmiri students who cheered Pakistan is revoked. They should be rusticated and sent back to Kashmir

— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) March 10, 2014

Sedition charges which were slapped on Kashmiri students in Meerut by Uttar Pradesh government for allegedly cheering for the Pakistani cricket team`s win against India, were dropped on March 08. The move was taken after political leaders like J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) slammed the UP government for slapping sedition charges on the students. The students were booked under section 124 A (sedition), 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 427 (mischief) of IPC after a complaint by university chancellor PK Garg. Earlier, Swami Vivekananda Subharti University in Meerut had expelled 67 Kashmiri students from the hostel after they had allegedly supported Pakistan cricket team against India in the Asia Cup match between the two sides and shouted slogans like "Pakistan zindabad" on March 02. The suspension which was indefinite and till further orders by the university is still in place. The match, which was a thriller, was won by Pakistan by one wicket. Pakistani batsman Shahid Afridi hit two back-to-back sixes to take his team across the finishing line. However, Pakistan went on to lose the final against Sri Lanka, who lifted the Asia Cup on March 08.