The controversy surrounding an english teacher, arrested for setting a graduation-level paper with questions on stone-pelters and "atrocities of security forces" since June 11, is getting bigger with each passing day in Kashmir.
While a Srinagar court remanded the Gandhi Memorial College lecturer, Noor Muhammad Bhat, to police custody for six days on Saturday, a lecturers’ body has condemned the action against the teacher. The College Teachers Association is holding a meeting on Monday to discuss the issue.
On Wednesday, a paper for Bachelor of Arts examination asked students to write an essay on 'If stone-throwers are real heroes?' and translate a paragraph with alleged atrocities of security forces on students, women and youth in the five-month long unrest.
"The police action against Bhat is unwarranted. If the lecturer has committed any offence, the case should be referred to J&K's Higher Education Department not to the police," said College Teachers Association president Tariq Ashai.
Ashai said that the lecturer set up this paper in the month of August when stone pelting, killings and curfew was the common debate in the Valley. "It was the current topic at that time," said Ashai.
{{/usCountry}}Ashai said that the lecturer set up this paper in the month of August when stone pelting, killings and curfew was the common debate in the Valley. "It was the current topic at that time," said Ashai.
{{/usCountry}}"We have already taken up this matter with the senior government officials," said Ashai.
Meanwhile, the english lecturer, booked under Section 13 and 153 Ranbir Penal Code for inciting, aiding and abetting unlawful activities, was produced before the court, which remanded him to six-day police custody.
The english teacher was arrested from his Fateh Kadal resident late on Thursday night after Kashmir University had formally lodged a complaint against him for "framing an objectionable" question paper.