Protest after Friday prayers to show solidarity with students: Resistance leaders tell people

Jammu/ April, 17: The joint resistance camp on Wednesday called for an hour-long peaceful protest after Friday prayers to express solidarity with students.
Terming the use of force against students and crackdown on Kashmir colleges as “worst form of state terrorism”, the joint leadership of Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik called upon the people to stage an hour-long peaceful protest after congregational prayers on April 21.
Meanwhile government has attached the Principal of Government Degree College Pulwama following the assault on students by forces this week that evoked widespread students’ protests and condemnation across Kashmir.Divisional Commissioner Kashmir has been directed to inquire into the incident that led to student  protests across Kashmir.
Reports said  Principal, Professor Abdul Hamid Sheikh, has been attached to Director Colleges yesterday “till pending inquiry” and Divisional Commissioner Kashmir will inquire into the incidents that led to protests and submit the report to the department within seven days, sources in the Higher Education Department said. A senior most teacher of the college will replace him as head of the college. Official sources said  “no reason” has been given for his attachment.
The principal was not available for comments.
Meanwhile, the college has submitted the information about the sequence of events that led to the assault of students which provoked students to protests and clashes.
At least 54 students were injured in the college in clashes between students and forces in Pulwamaon Saturday. Though the police had said that students of the college pelted their vehicles with stones, the college authorities had said that police barged into the college premises assaulted the students.
The principal had “pleaded” before the police not to barge into the premises. However, his pleased were not “listened to”.
On Monday, widespread protests were held by students of universities, colleges and higher secondary schools, forcing the government to shut down educational institutions for two days. However, the protests continue Wednesday in Sopore, Baramulla, Kangan and Bandipora.