Gujarat University has issued official notices to seven students from Afghanistan to vacate the hostel rooms immediately, with five already complying with the orders. The university’s action came in the wake of the recent attack on foreign students by a right-wing Hindu mob while the students were offering Taraweeh prayers on the hostel premises.
During the attack on 16 March, some international students suffered damage to personal property and sustained serious injuries, leading to their admission to the hospital. The students also expressed concern for their safety.
The students also requested the varsity administration to shift them in the hostel near or inside the university, but to no avail. The university didn’t respond to their repeated requests.
After the attack, two men were arrested by the Gujarat Police, based on the students’ complaint. However, action taken against them is yet to be known.
A delegation from the Afghan consulate visited the varsity following the orders of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Ahmad Waris Sakha, a representative of foreign students studying at GU told Maktoob, “All of them are staying in the hostel legally. They have a VISA and paid the hostel fees to the university for the next 6 months.”
The University has maintained that the students who have received letters to vacate the hostel are living on the campus despite completion of courses.
“Their presence is not required in the hostel to obtain any documents once their studies are concluded”, the university has stated in the letter.
Sakha said, “All the students are waiting for their degrees, transcripts, and process of their documentation to leave the country. The direct flights from India to Afghanistan are not functioning.”
“Only two Afghan students are staying in the hostel and 5 already live at their own expense outside the hostel’, said Sakha.
Sakha also said that they are yet to receive any compensation from the university for the property and personal destruction they incurred during the attacks on them while they were offering prayers.
“Some students’ motorcycles were broken and some of them sustained injuries. Who will pay for our loss? The district administration only called us once to take our statements and no action has been taken against the 200 people who attacked us while praying and the university is taking action against us only”, said the foreign students representative.
Maktoob tried to reach out to the university officials but no response could be obtained.
