Students of Government Degree College, Kishtwar in Jammu on Wednesday hoisted the Indian flag on top of the main entrance of the college premises after they were denied immediate permission by the college Principal to do the same inside the college campus. The administration was, allegedly, scared of communal repercussions.
According to students of the college, on April 22, written permission was sought from the college Principal to hoist the National flag on campus. They claimed that instead of granting permission the college authorities tried to persuade them and convinced them that the move may spark communal tension in the area. But the students argued that when Pakistani flags are hoisted atop various buildings in Kashmir no action is taken.
As college students persisted the college authorities sought some time to discuss the matter with the senior faculty and district authorities in the area. "Day before yesterday, students come to us demanding that national flag should be hoisted somewhere in the college building. They also wrote to us. I assured them that a decision would be taken after consulting staff and following rules, but they insisted that we must take a decision within one or two days," said Pawan Kumar Sharma, Principal.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday large number of students, holding national flags in their hands assembled in the college premises and demanded permission from the authorities to allow them to hoist the Tricolour.
As the deadlock continued, a large number of students shouting slogans climbed the front gate of the college and hoisted the Tricolour.
"Today they protested and hoisted the national flag at the college gate. We have demanded adequate police security at college gate," said the principal. "Some outsiders were also present in the protest. However, whenever the national flag will be hoisted, the state flag of Jammu and Kashmir will also be hoisted along with it," said Sharma.
A court order that said all government buildings and cars in Jammu and Kashmir must use both the national and state flag was suspended on January 1, 2016. On December 18, 2015, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court had said the state's flag - red and white with three vertical stripes and a plough - must be used on government property along with the Tricolor.
