How Geelani’s resignation and J&K student quota by Pak is connected – Burning issues – Free PDF

Why in News

•  Pakistan has announced 1600 scholarship for Kashmiri students in all its professional colleges ,especially medical and engineering, throughout Pakistan and occupied Kashmir.
• Resignation of Syed Shah Geelani from Hurriyat Conference is related to irregularities in this quota for Kashmiri students.

Scholarships

•  Students from Jammu and Kashmir going to Pakistan for studies are broadly classified in two categories:

1. those applying for admission under foreign student seats through the ministry of education, Pakistan.
2. the students applying for admission under the scholarship programme.

Scholarships

•  Under the scholarship programme, the students are provided 100 per cent scholarship, free accommodation.
•  Approximately 50 students from Jammu and Kashmir gets these scholarship per year.
• This year Pakistan has proposed 1600 scholarships.

Eligibility for Availing Quota

•  The students, whose parents or close relatives have been killed by the security forces in Kashmir or have suffered at the hands of Indian forces, are given preference for seats under the scholarship programme.

Who Determines Eligibility

•  While there is a cut-off percentage for admission to various courses, the recommendation for the students under the scholarship programme is given by the separatist leaders.
• Applicants mostly need a recommendation from separatist groups such as the Hurriyat or terror group Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin-led United Jihad Council based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir’s Muzaffarabad.

Why Kashmiris Availing that Quota

•  The parents of Kashmiri students prefer medicine as a career for their wards, especially girls. As Kashmir has very few professional colleges, the students would move to foreign countries for studying medicine – first to Russia and now Bangladesh and Pakistan.
• Note: Although the Kashmiri students who rush to take up scholarships in PoK colleges, suffer the most because the degrees they get are not recognized in India.

Why Kashmiris Availing that Quota

•  Number of students going to Pakistan increased after Kashmiri students faced attacks in different parts of the country.

Motive of Pakistan as per GoI

• Security officials said the scholarship offer is a part of a larger plan by Pakistan’s deep state.
•  to radicalise young Kashmiris, incite them against India
• and create a large pool of sympathisers to its cause who could be tapped at a later date.

Security Concerns

•  There have been some instances where young Kashmiris crossed the border via Wagah-Attari border post to study and returned through the Line of Control, as terrorists

Resignation of Syed Shah Geelani and Quota

•  Hardliner Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani resigned last week as “chairperson for life” of the APHC. In his resignation letter, he accused Hurriyat representatives of corruption and cosying up to power structures in Pakistan
• He also nominated Abdullah Geelani, no favorite of Islamabad, as his successor.

Geelani’s Allegations

•  Geelani alleged that separatist leaders, especially in Pakistan, are demanding monetary benefits from the students before issuing them a recommendation letter and the basic criteria set by the Pakistan government is being flouted.
•  He also alleged lack of accountability within the Hurriyat and a rebellion brewing in the ranks.

All Parties Hurriyat Conference

• All Parties Hurriyat Conference is an alliance of 26 political, social and religious organizations formed on 9 March 1993, as a united political front to raise the cause of Kashmiri separatism in the Kashmir conflict.
•  According to the Hurriyat Conference, Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory and India’s control of it is not justified.
• It supports the Pakistani claim that Kashmir is the “unfinished agenda of Partition” and needs to be solved “as per the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Factions in AHPC

1.  Hurriyat Conference has three factions
2. Hurriyat led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani,
3. Hurriyat led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq based in India
4. Hurriyat led by veteran Ghulam Mohammad Safi based in Mozaffarabad, Pakistan.

Internal War Within Hurriyat

•  Hurriyat leaders in Srinagar have questioned the authenticity of Geelani’s resignation letter saying he is in a state of advanced dementia, and allege the letter is a fabrication by Abdullah Geelani.
• The APHC in Muzaffarabad brought out a “report” alleging that Abdullah Geelani had foisted himself on the elder Geelani.

After Effects of Geelani’s Resignation

•  Geelani’s exit from Hurriyat can have both positive and negative effect in Kashmir
•  Positive: The resignation can be seen as an example of the Hurriyat’s weakening stature
• Negative: but it could also open up opportunities to the new leadership that might, in order to prove itself worthy, be more aggressive than what the Hurriyat has been in the past couple of years.

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