Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, July 2: Continuing their protest against enhanced duration of the B Ed/M Ed courses from Jammu University, the students and faculty members of private colleges of education across Kathua district staged a dharna, here today.
The dharna was also joined by members of the Forum of Recognized Colleges of Education (FORCE) and representatives of some social organizations and prominent citizens.
Carrying banners and placards with slogans against alleged discrimination with Jammu in respect of B Ed/M Ed courses duration, they raised slogans in support of their demand for parity with the Kashmir University, where duration of the same courses is one year only.
While addressing the protest dharna, former Minister Harbans Singh, who is also president of FORCE, strongly criticized the Government decision of adopting different yard sticks for admission eligibility for colleges located in Kashmir province and Jammu province. The FORCE will stand by with the demand of students of Jammu province to have same duration of these courses both in Kashmir division and Jammu division, he stressed and criticized the role of Jammu BJP leaders who are maintaining a deafening silence over this anti-students decision of the Government.
Th G S Charak, former Minister and president Dogra Sadar Sabha, warned the State Government that in case the decision of duration of B Ed/M Ed, B Pd/M Pd in respect of colleges affiliated to JU is not rolled back, students of Jammu province would have no option other than to resort to agitational path. “It is unfortunate that the students of Jammu province are being discriminated when both the universities are functioning under the same Chancellor and Pro-chancellor,” he said.
R S Chib, former Minister and patron FORCE, alleged that the present BJP-PDP Government had crossed all limits of discrimination against the Jammu region and it was really shameful that there was a deliberate attempt by the Department of Education to divide the students community on the regional basis. He described it a dangerous move of the Government to have different criteria for B Ed/M Ed, B Pd/M Pd for Universities of Jammu and Kashmir.
Others who, addressed the protest dharna, included Prof Ram Murti, president Kathua Vikas Manch; Master Dayanand Sharma, president Brahmin Sabha; Prof S P Suri, Gandhrarv Singh, K K Bakshi, Swami Ji, Kuldeep Wahi, M S Katoch, Arun Kumar, Rajinder Kumar and Pankaj Dogra.
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