UoH J-K students reject Eid lunch offer from liaison officer

The students from Jammu and Kashmir in the University of Hyderabad (UoH) rejected a proposal for a lunch on the occasion of Eid with an official of the J-K administration in protest against the restrictions imposed in the state, a student leader said on Tuesday.

Hadif Nisar, president of Jammu and Kashmir Students Association in the UoH, cited newspaper reports that the state Governor had designated some liaison officers and allocated Rs one lakh to host a lunch for students from J&K who are studying in universities outside the state.

"We got a message from the Dean, students welfare, of the university before Eid that a liaison officer on behalf of the government is coming who wants to have lunch in the campus with the Kashmiri students. We said we don't want government's lunch," he said.

They rejected the offer as they are not able to communicate with their families back home in view of the "restrictions" imposed on communication, he said.

An official of the UoH said the Jammu and Kashmir administration had appointed liaison officers in different states who handle issues like tourism and investments into the state.

They also interact with J-K students living outside the state.

The rejection of lunch offer by the J-K students was conveyed to the liaison officer concerned, he said.

The liaison officer, however, apparently had an informal meeting with a group of J-K students over tea on Monday in the university, he added.

Eid was celebrated on Monday.