The sedition charges against the Kashmiri students who cheered the Pakistani team during the India-Pakistan match on Sunday have been dropped by the Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday, IBN News reported.
The move was made after the Home Ministry sought a report from the state government and Omar Abdullah, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, spoke to his counterpart in Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav on the incident.
According to IBN News, the students against whom the charges were framed have denied of any wrongdoing. "We have committed no crime. We were cheering for Pakistan because they were playing well at that time," said Ajaz, expelled student from the Swami Vivekanand Subharti University
"We are labeled as terrorists. Do we have no career? We appeal to government to save our future," said another expelled student Muteeb.
The late night withdrawal of the sedition charges was made after Centre's intervention and scathing criticism from the political parties which forced the Uttar Pradesh government to drop the charges.
The Jammu and Kashmir government and the opposition had also come together on Thursday to decry the action taken against the students in Meerut.
"Sedition charge against Kashmiri students is an unacceptably harsh punishment that will ruin their futures and will further alienate them," Omar tweeted.
However, he maintained that the university's move was important to control the situation but action against the state government was unwarranted. "I believe the university did what it had to control the situation but this action by the UP government is uncalled for and should be reversed."
Other parties like the Bharatiya Janata Party and the People's Democratic Party also came out in support of the students, IBN News reported.
"They have been wronged. They should be taken back and cases against them withdrawn. This is height of intolerance," PDP spokesperson Nayeem Akthar said.
Claiming that they need assurance from the government, the students have now said that they are scared to return to the campus.
