KARGIL, NOVEMBER 16, 2021: Executive Magistrate 1st Class Kargil (Tehsildar) has issued show-cause notices to the six student leaders for “provoking students of Girls Higher Secondary School against the administration” during a protest held on October 28 last month, reported the KNO on Tuesday.

A show-cause notice issued to Ali Murtaza, President of Student Education Movement of Kargil (SEMoK), reads that “It has made to appear to me by credible information that you have tried to commit a breach of the peace by provoking the students of Girls Higher Secondary against the administration and tried to create chaos, which may cause breach of peace and you are likely to commit breach of peace.”

“Therefore, you are hereby required to attend this court in person (or by a duly authorized agent) on 18.11.2021at 11:00 am to file show cause as to why you should not be required to enter into a bond for Rs 10,000/ that you will keep peace for a term of one year,” the show cause notice reads.

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Terming it baseless, SEMoK President Ali Murtaza said that he didn’t provoke the students of Girls Higher Secondary to protest.

He said the protest was held against the illegal encroachment of land of Girls Higher Secondary School on 28th October, which is being used for archery by some individuals while the matter related to land is ongoing for several years now.

“The protest was a peaceful march. No harm was caused. We had intimated Police Chowki Officer Kargil through a letter regarding the peaceful protest before it. The protest march started from GHSS and concluded at the DC Office during which two of us, including me (Murtaza) were detained by police,” KNO quoted Murtaza.

He said that they have received phone calls from the police who informed them that the cases under section 107 were registered against them for breach of peace. He termed it as a step to suppress their voices.

The six students who have been issued show-cause notice include Ali Murtaza president of SEMOK, Ahmad Qadri SEMOK Vice President, Farzana Batool SEMOK Member, Shazia Nazir president of All Ladakh Student Welfare Association Jammu, Hasan Hundarmani Spokesman of SEMOK, and Jammu Boys Hostel president Mohammad Hasnain.

Pertinent to mention that the Kargil Democratic Alliance in a statement had said that summoning student leaders to police station violates the basic constitutional rights of freedom of expression and liberty of thoughts in the democratic setup that values dissent. It said that Supreme Court of India has noted that dissent is a safety valve for a democracy and views from all should be taken constructively.

While condemning the action of local police, it said that this is not the way to deal with a democratic protest as peaceful demonstration is an elementary right in a democratic society. “This shows extreme authoritarianism by the authorities,” it said. (With inputs from KNTand KNO)