‘Save Our Future’: Massive Protest Erupts in Shopian Against Closure of Jamia Siraj-ul-Uloom
Shopian, May 7, KNT: Hundreds of students and parents on Thursday staged a massive protest in south Kashmir’s Shopian district, demanding the immediate reopening of Jamia Siraj-ul-Uloom, the prominent religious seminary recently declared an “unlawful entity” by the Jammu and Kashmir administration under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The protest was held in Shopian, where the institution is located. Protesters, including schoolchildren, parents, and local residents, assembled in large numbers and raised slogans demanding withdrawal of the government order and restoration of academic activities at the institution.
Many students were seen carrying placards with messages such as “Save the Future of Students,” “Reopen Our School,” and “Education Is Our Right.”
The demonstration comes days after authorities initiated action against the seminary over alleged links with the banned Jamaat-e-Islami organization. The administration had cited alleged legal, financial, and administrative irregularities while declaring the institution unlawful under provisions of the UAPA.
The move triggered widespread concern among families associated with the institution, which is considered one of the major seminaries in south Kashmir and caters to students from several districts.
Protesting parents said the closure of the institution has left hundreds of students uncertain about their academic future.
“We were shocked when the school was suddenly closed. Hundreds of students study here and many belong to poor families,” one protesting parent said during the demonstration.
Several protesters claimed the institution had proper academic affiliation and had been functioning openly for years without any adverse report against it.
“We fail to understand why students are being made to suffer. The institution has affiliation and has been providing education for years. The future of children should not become a casualty,” another protester said.
Students participating in the protest appealed to the administration to reconsider the decision and allow classes to resume without delay.
Some students said they had nowhere else to continue their education immediately and feared disruption to their studies, examinations, and hostel arrangements.
The protest remained largely peaceful, though emotional scenes were witnessed as parents and students demanded government intervention.
Locals said Jamia Siraj-ul-Uloom has long served as an important educational institution in the area, particularly for students from economically weaker sections who depend on the seminary for religious and formal education facilities.
The institution was recently declared unlawful by authorities following allegations of “covert linkages” with Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir, a banned organization. Officials had also alleged that the seminary promoted an atmosphere conducive to radicalization and had failed to comply with certain statutory requirements.
The action drew criticism from several political and religious leaders in Kashmir, while supporters of the move argued that any institution found linked to banned organizations must face legal scrutiny.
On Thursday, however, protesters in Shopian insisted that students should not suffer because of administrative or legal proceedings.
“We appeal to the administration to think about the future of the students and reopen the institution. Education should not stop,” a local resident participating in the protest said. [KNT]
© Kashmir News Trust (KNT). Unauthorized use without attribution is prohibited.
