AHMEDABAD, 18 April — Citing “unsafe” centers for secondary board examinations starting today, a Muslim group late Tuesday asked students belonging to the community to boycott the exams for Grade X and Grade XII even as Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi assured them of adequate security.
Complying with the demands of the parents of majority Hindu community the state Education Department has shifted the exam centers from eastern walled city to the Hindu-dominated western parts where the Muslim students are scared to go to take their exams. Fearing for their lives at least 10,000 Muslim students of Ahmedabad were boycotting the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations.
A meeting held here under the aegis of “Affected Citizens of Ahmedabad” resolved the “minority community shall not participate in the Grade X and Grade XII exams beginning today. A press release on their behalf and signed by M.H. Jowher appealed to the minority students to “boycott” the exams. “The Gujarat State Education Board has allotted risky and unsafe centers ..,” the release said, adding despite repeated representations the centers have not been changed.
The meeting “unanimously resolved that in view of the insecurity, grave threat perception and recurring violence... the minority community shall not participate in the examinations”, the release said. The release, however, said in the event of authorities responding to concerns suitably, a committee of seven people have been authorized to chalk-out further course of action.
Meanwhile, according to an official release, Modi appealed to the students to appear for the examinations “without any tension”. He said strict action will be taken against those who would try to disrupt the examinations.
The state government was expected to file an affidavit in the Gujarat High Court yesterday, detailing the security and transportation arrangements it has made for the appearing students.
This follows three petitions filed by Syed Munir Ali, Syed Hamid Ali and Muhammad Husain Shaikh of Baroda on Tuesday, seeking alterations in the present schedule of examination centers. Petitioners appealed to revert to the original schedule.
