Srinagar: Minister for Education Syed Muhammad Altaf Bukhari on Wednesday said that the student community was most affected due to braid-chopping incidents, which have spread to all parts of Kashmir from past weeks.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of annual day function of SP higher secondary school Srinagar, Bukhari said the students were bearing brunt of the situation created out of these braid-chopping incidents.
“My concern this time is that students have to appear in exams and they get affected by prevailing situation in Kashmir. I appeal to people that they should not take law and order in their own hands,” said Bukhari.
He said government employees were also mistaken as braid-choppers and were beaten to pulp in Ganderbal who otherwise were delivering public services during late night hours.
“Yesterday, I received complaints about water scarcity in city areas and I immediately deputed AEE and JE of PHE department to Ganderbal as there was some problem in a canal there. The officers reached there during night and unfortunately people treated them as braid-choppers and were beaten ruthlessly,” Bukhari said. The education minister said braid-chopping was a concern for the government but people should not overreact to any situation in which innocent people bear the brunt.
“It (braid-chopping) is a concern for all of us till real culprits are identified and put to task. There are teams who are working but culprits are at large,” the education minister said.
He said government was making all efforts to restore peace in the Valley. “Why should government want to create law and order problem or keep these culprits in veil,” he asked.
He said JK Police and other intelligence agencies were working to identify the culprits and put them to task.
“But I appeal my students to keep calm as this is the time they should focus on exams and do well. Our future depends on them,” he said.
