Says Govt committed to address basic issue of Kashmir
Minister of Education, Naeem Akhtar, today said that government is not “simply doing anger management” in Kashmir but is committed to address the basic issue of Kashmir which cannot be brushed aside.
Akhtar was speaking at teachers’ conference at Women’s College M A Road, here.
“I assure you the situation will not remain same. And, once the situation normalizes, our government will take steps to address the basic issue,” Akhtar said.
Akhtar said the examination of 10th and 12th classes will be held as planned. He said he mourned the killing, blinding and maiming of children and equally mourned the “precious academic time that has been lost.”
“I am overwhelmed with a sense of defeat,” Akhtar said in an emotional tone. “These children who got killed don’t even know what they are doing. They are getting killed while running after a mirage. I am not able to help. I am immensely a helpless person,” he said.
Coming down on the resistance leaders for their “protest strategy”, Akhtar said, “There is no example in the world where a nation has empowered itself by inflicting harm on itself. What kind of strategy is this to fight a war? Here we are disempowering ourselves intellectually, economically and physically.”
“Those kids who should have been in schools are enforcing curfew in villages and cities,” he said.
Terming himself as one of the most “unpopular leaders” Akhtar expressed his disappointment about the disruption in academic calendar. “We should have been reaping the benefits of several initiatives which halted because of the disruptions. I find myself as a sorrowful man. I have achieved nothing,” he said.
“I know many of you must have issues with me. I get abused on social media and everywhere. This tragedy has broken my heart but not my courage. I will put forward my word so that it may find some resonance among you.”
Terming Syed Ali Shah Geelani as the “absolute head of resistance movement”, Akhtar in a surprising move asked the audience to read his Wullar Kinaray. “Everyone should read his (Geelani’s) book wherein he has documented his struggle right from early childhood. Despite immense hardships he never gave up the dream of education and the best of his days were spent as a teacher,” Akhtar said.
“Similarly, Mirwaiz too overcame his personal struggle and completed his PhD as an accomplished scholar. He never stopped his journey of education come what may.”
“I am firm believer that these leaders are not against education and it is some third unscrupulous element that has caused the disruption of education,” Akhtar said.
“It is somebody else who burns schools and exploits children by terming them as soldiers of freedom. Even our religion has kept children and women out of war.”
Akhtar said that education is coming back on rails and normal activities like teachers training will resume within a week. The conference was attended by hundreds of school and college teachers.