Gujarat daily labels Kashmiri scholar as ‘spy’

Internal politics in Kutch University mars Adil’s career
VC assures full support, vows to sue newspaper ‘Sandesh’

The ‘internal politics’ for the vice chancellor post in Kutch University, Gujarat has cast its shadow on career of a Kashmiri research scholar.
It is an intricate situation for Adil Hussain of Shopian district after the race for VC post in the university, where he is pursuing his doctorate, dragged his name into a serious controversy.
A Gujarati newspaper labeled him as a ‘spy’ only because many people were lobbying against his research guide for the vice chancellor post.
The news report in a Gujarati daily ‘Sandesh’ has questioned his visit to mountainous regions in J&K in connection with field work for his doctoral thesis.
Now, Adil fears for his life after the issue popped up in the Gujarat media. His family is also forcing him to quit his PhD halfway due to apprehensions that security agencies may harass him.
A local daily in Kutch had labeled him as spy in a news report and accused him of visiting border areas in the garb of research for his PhD.
However, Adil said he had visited the mountainous areas along with an international delegation of geologists as a part of research tour.
Prof Mahesh G Thakkar, Head Department of Geology at Kutch University told  that the newspaper had published the slanderous report at the behest of university officials who wanted to malign the image of the department.
Prof Thakkar, who is Adil’s research guide, said he (Prof Thakkar) was one of the probable candidates for the post of next vice chancellor. “Many people in the department are against me. So they have started a slanderous campaign against me and dragged Adil’s name. He is a genuine candidate and has no affiliation with any bad activity. I am in his support and he should join college as soon as possible,” he said.
Vice Chancellor of the University Prof B S Patel assured full support to the student.
“He is a bright student of our university and we will always support him. We are also in touch with local police to register a complaint against the newspaper who had dragged name of the university and the genuine student,” he said.

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