'Administrative exigencies' prompts Rajnath Singh to cancel Jamia Milia Islamia visit

The visit of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to inaugurate a newly-constructed hostel for Kashmiri women students at Jamia Milia Islamia, scheduled on Saturday, has been postponed due to some "administrative exigencies", officials said on Friday.

The plan for the hostel, with 135 rooms and 400 beds capacity, was first conceived in 2012, when a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Jamia and the Ministry of Home Affairs to attract more girl students from the Valley. 

The state government borne the funds for its construction initially that were later reimbursed by the Ministry.

According to officials at JMI, there are a high number of students from Kashmir studying at Jamia and most of them have to go through a tough time for looking an accommodation in the nearby area. "It will be really encouraging for them if they will get accommodation within the campus," a senior University official said.

Meanwhile, a section of Kashmiri students at the University held a protest Friday over the invite. "Our conscience does not allow us to welcome those who purport to be the representatives of the people of J&K but have been consistently trying to make people change their aspirations and succumb to the demands of the Indian state," the students said in a statement.