Eleven students of the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), Awantipora, have decided to stay away from the university’s first-ever convocation, for which Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani was invited, to protest against the “growing communalism in the country.”

The university has now postponed the convocation, scheduled for October 20, without citing any reason.

“Our decision to abstain from the convocation is just to awaken the people at the helm of affairs about growing communalism. This protest is not against the Union Minister per se, but against all communal forces, irrespective of their religion,” Khursheed Majid, who has completed masters in business administration from the varsity, told The Hindu .

Khursheed, along with 10 other students, wrote to the Vice-Chancellor, IUST, declaring their protest.

“We register our protest against the current state of uncertainty and insecurity in J&K, by staying away from the maiden convocation of the University, for which the Union HRD Minister has also been invited,” read the letter.

The letter was shot off on Monday when Zahid Rasool Bhat, a Kashmiri trucker who died in an attack by a mob in Udhampur, was laid to the rest. “As conscious citizens, we are appalled and anguished to see the innocent citizens being attacked by extremist elements that are associated with particular political and religious groups, or enjoy their patronage,” said the letter.

The students accused the Central government of “adopting an ambiguous stand towards this insecure atmosphere prevalent in almost the whole of India.”

“Since the HRD Minister is a representative of the Central government, we deem it unjust and inappropriate to receive our academic honours through her,” it added.

Eleven students

from Kashmir will stay away from

the convocation