Opposition criticises J&K administration for order asking students to attend ABVP rally in Poonch

Opposition parties and student associations on Friday criticised an order by the Jammu and Kashmir government directing school principals to send students and teachers to attend a tiranga rally organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in Poonch district, calling it “unacceptable”.

The ABVP is the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the parent organisation of the Centre’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. A tiranga rally is a procession where a crowd gathers to wave the national flag.

On Wednesday, an order by the additional district magistrate said that permission had been granted to the ABVP to organise the rally the next day to celebrate Republic Day. The permission was sought by Kanav Bali, the Poonch convenor of the organisation.

The order was sent to nine public and private schools. It directed the schools to send 40 to 50 students along with two teachers for the rally.

Several students and teachers participated in the rally on Thursday, The Wire reported.

Following this, the order issued by the additional district magistrate was widely circulated on social media.

In response, J&K Peoples Democratic Party leader Iltija Mufti said on Friday that the National Conference-led government in the Union Territory had made it mandatory for schools to attend the rally organised by the ABVP, an organisation which “normalises anti-Muslim bigotry”.

“Using education as a propaganda...

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