Imran Shah
Kishtwar, (DD): A formal complaint has been submitted to the Higher Education Department of Jammu & Kashmir, alleging serious violations of college bylaws by the Principal and faculty members of Government Degree College (GDC) Kishtwar for allowing politically affiliated events within the college auditorium.
The complaint, filed by Advocate Sheikh Nasir, accuses the college administration of permitting and participating in events organized by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) on July 23 and 24, 2025, respectively—both of which, the complainant alleges, featured sitting MLAs delivering partisan speeches.
“These events were clearly political in nature, featuring provocative remarks and targeting rival parties, all within an academic institution that is supposed to remain neutral and apolitical,” Nasir stated in the complaint addressed to the Commissioner Secretary, Higher Education Department, with a copy marked to the Director Colleges.
Nasir highlighted that Principal Basharat Iqbal, along with faculty members Prof. Vikram Singh and Prof. Satish Kumar, were present during the ABVP event, implying either tacit approval or direct complicity in violating established norms.
The complaint also calls for:
Immediate disciplinary action against the college principal and involved faculty.
A thorough inquiry into how such politically affiliated events were approved despite existing bylaws explicitly prohibiting them.
“If unchecked, this kind of political misuse of academic spaces can disturb the educational atmosphere and promote unrest among students,” the complaint warns.
The Higher Education Department is yet to issue a formal response. However, the incident has sparked debate across academic circles in the region, with many questioning the growing politicization of campus spaces in Jammu & Kashmir(DD)