Smriti Irani meets NIT Srinagar students, rejects demand for shifting campus

New Delhi: HRD Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday met a group of students from unrest-hit NIT, Srinagar, who put forward various demands including the shifting of the campus but she rejected the plea for shift. Emerging from the over two-hour meeting which ended late this evening, students said that while the minister rejected their “primary” demand to shift the campus by saying that Kashmir is an integral part of India, she assured them of support in addressing academic issues. [caption id=“attachment_2728302” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Smriti Irani. File photo. PTI[/caption] Irani also assured the group of 9-10 students that if any of the faculty or staff members of the institute has induldged in any wrong-doing, action would be taken as per the due process. “We spoke to the HRD Minister about the situation on the campus and she assured us to look into our demands. However, on the demand to shift the campus, she said Srinagar is an integral part of India, NIT won’t be shifted,” Ankit, a 3rd year NIT, Srinagar, student who was a part of the group that met the minister, said. NIT, Srinagar, has been at the centre of a row since 1 April when clashes had erupted out between outstation and local students on the campus following India’s defeat to West Indies in the World T20 Cup. The situation worsened on April 5 when outstation students tried to take out a march outside the campus but were stopped by the police, leading to violence including vandalism by students and lathicharge by police.