A conversation on #NITSrinagar with Shilpi Tewari
- In Interviews
- 12:28 PM, Apr 19, 2016
- Myind Staff
As the news of students in NIT Srinagar facing harassment broke, a number of folks from different walks of life decided to pay them a visit, thank them and lift their spirits. Shilpi Tewari, an architect by profession, was also one of the many who decided to visit Srinagar. She was the first one to reach there and speak to NIT students and give them an Indian flag and show gratitude to them. We caught up with Shilpi and asked her about her experience. Below we produce the transcript of our conversation with her.
What prompted you to go to NIT Srinagar to show solidarity with the students there?
Thank you Team Myind.net for expressing interest in the #ChaloNIT initiative. I have been reading articles on your website regarding NIT Srinagar regularly. Congratulations to the team for following the story in detail.
I was watching the video in which NIT Srinagar students were voicing their demands in front of MHRD officials. The loudest cheer and support came when they asked for their tri-colour back from the police. It was such a simple yet heartfelt demand that I instantly felt the urge to give them the flag personally. When I tweeted the wish, Tajinder Bagga along with others expressed that we should go to Srinagar. Though the decision to go to NIT Srinagar to support the Idea of ONE India was a very spontaneous one, I believe it was the result of emotions that were built right from the time of pro Afzal guru event at JNU where vicious anti-India slogans were heard and media hailing Afzal Guru’s sympathizers. Add to it NITsrinagar students beaten up after hoisting the Indian flag and media taking hardly any note of them. Though some sections of the media criticized the police for brutal action, no one hailed the students or supported their cause like it happened in JNU.
It was clear that if the nation wanted to show solidarity, we had to reach Kashmir.
Do tell us about the road journey you undertook.
We were about 150 of us from 12 states travelling in a bus and few cars. We embarked on our journey after taking blessings from Rakabganj Gurudwara and we were lucky to have a few dignitaries flag off our caravan. While we crossed the states of Haryana and Punjab we were welcomed enthusiastically at about 10 places by youth carrying flags and slogans of Bharat Mata ki Jai and Vande Mataram that kept resonating throughout the journey. We were taking all these good wishes to NIT Srinagar with us.
So a whole bunch of well-wishers had started from Delhi but only you managed to reach Srinagar first. How did that happen? Was the state government not very keen on allowing any outsiders inside the campus.
It's wasn't me but the National Flag that reached NIT Srinagar and it carried the good wishes and support of not only the 150 #ChaloNIT participants but also those who may not have joined us but their thoughts were with the students and the Idea of One India.
I was just fortunate enough to be the messenger.
On reaching J&K border, the bus carrying most of our participants was detained but four cars managed to go through. One of the car was mine. Police saw me and my friend Karan in the car and signaled us to carry on. Phew! That was some relief. Those detained at the border protested massively and refused to go back till they were assured in writing that the police will make sure the flag reaches the students.
The next check post was at Jammu where the police identified two more of our cars and detained them at the nearby police station for the entire night. The remaining two cars got separated. We stayed back in Jammu and the other car went ahead to Udhampur. A twitter friend called Ashish, who I had never met before brought us home cooked Kashmiri food at about 2am at night. Nothing has ever tasted better. We are forever grateful to him and his family.
The next morning, I couldn't make up my mind if I should return or go forward. I called my friends in the bus who informed me that they had left for Amritsar. That made me even more anxious. I felt unsafe and alone. Karan, a very apolitical person and not particularly very keen to take undue risk, left the decision to me. I knew I wanted to carry on but I needed that little push which finally came from my husband. He told me to go visit Srinagar and let God take care of the rest.
We kept crossing check posts like general tourists and reached Srinagar. However, each time I saw a policeman I found myself murmuring Om Namah Shivay and Jai Mata di. Now I say this in jest but at that time I told myself that I must remember to say the same in better times too.
By God’s grace that very day students were given permission to go beyond their hostels and those who wanted to leave for home were being allowed to do so after due formalities. With the help of some online friends, I scribbled a letter of support and moved towards NIT. I called up about 8 students out of which 2 of them managed to come till the main gate. The media was on one of the gates but I had no intention to have the cameras running towards me hence I took the flag which was packed between two packets of mithai and stood alone obediently and quietly maintaining a fair distance from the security gate. Of course I could hear my heartbeat loud and clear. When I saw the students, I waived my hand in acknowledgment. I have no idea what came over the security officer’s mind that he asked me to come inside the campus in order to interact with the students.
I beamed, said a polite Thank You. Called my friend to join and we both walked in.
How did you find the atmosphere inside NIT Srinagar? What did the students tell you about their travails?
The day we visited, there was considerable calm inside the campus. There was heavier security inside than at the gates. I saw an ATM van stationed which meant that administration made sure students were facilitated with everything within the campus while restricting them to go outside in any circumstance. Students told us that for last couple of days they weren't allowed even in the campus grounds.
I asked one of them - ‘what made you do this’
He paused and said - ‘I think it was pent up emotions for past three years. Couldn't take it anymore. We were beaten brutally by the police"
The girls said they were scared, exhausted and disappointed. At that moment they didn't see much hope. I realized there was a little bit of communication gap also. They were not aware of decisions taken or the details of the ongoing talks.
While I arranged for transport to facilitate travel for few students to Delhi, the boys wondered if they could take me till their hostel to meet other students. I refused as I had no intention to break the trust that the security officer had inadvertently shown towards me or to create any further trouble for the students on a day which seemed like a breather for them after many days.
The objective of #ChaloNIT which was to reach students with a voice of support and give them back their national flag was fulfilled. That is all that mattered.
As I was about to leave the city, I received an acknowledgement email from NIT Srinagar students along with a picture of the Indian flag. They thanked the movement for the support. The words were so heartwarming that every moment during the journey seemed so worth it.
Image (Above): The Letter of Support
Cricket politics or politics around cricket is nothing new in Kashmir. Do you think it was wise for students of NIT Kashmir to first get into a scuffle and then rally around a Tri-Color in a place where this can be very dangerous and destroy the flimsy peace?
Honestly, I am not that aware of the connect between politics and cricket in Kashmir, though I am aware of the sensitivity of the state due to various extreme opinions. However, I don't see why the sensitivity should be found in a national educational institute whichever location it may be in. There are students from across the nation studying in the institute and raising the Indian flag or rallying around it within the campus. This cannot be by any stretch called dangerous or destroying peace. That in fact sounds extremely objectionable suggestion. And if the situation is indeed such, then corrective measures through dialogue and official events should ideally ensure that it doesn't remain so. Abstaining from Indian national symbols is not a solution. It may not happen overnight but now that we are more aware, hopefully the authorities will move steadily towards a healthy solution.
What do you think about the demands of NIT Srinagar students? HRD Minister has out rightly ruled out moving the campus outside valley. What is next for the students who have voluntarily left the campus?
I am actually quite glad that the Honorable minister of HRD, Mrs Smriti Irani, has not conceded to the demand of moving the campus outside the valley.
On all occasions that I met the students, whether in Srinagar or Delhi, I clearly expressed my disagreement on this demand of theirs. My reasons are not administrative or technical as it might be for others.
I support the student's right to hoist the Indian flag in the institute in order to assert the Idea of ONE India. How can I then support a demand of disowning the same land?
Conceding to any such demand is a wrong message and setting an extremely wrong precedent. The security concerns outside the campus are quite legitimate even in the long run especially considering the bias in the local news coverage. However, I see the students knocking the wrong doors for solutions for their security concerns. I hope the students realize this soon and get flexible in their demands, express their core concerns and let the relevant authorities find a solution.
I am very positive that in due time the students will be facilitated back to their regular studies with compassion which is most important.
They have played their part, raised the movement to another level. Now others will take it forward.
Thank you for speaking to MyIndMakers.
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