More than 26 schools have been set ablaze by unknown people in Kashmir since July 8 unrest.
Two schools, including a Jawahar Navodya Vidyalaya (JNV), were damaged since Saturday in mysterious fire incidents in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, police said on Sunday.
More than 26 schools have been set ablaze by unknown people in Kashmir since the unrest began after the killing of Hizbul Mujahedeen poster boy Burhan Wani in an encounter at Bambdoora village on July 8.
Latest being the Central Government-run Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Aishmuqam and Government Higher Secondary School in Kabamarg. More than 12 lakh students are sitting home since schools and educational institutions are shut across the Kashmir Valley following the unrest.
The frequency in torching the schools has increased after the Mehboba Mufti government decided to conduct the class X and class X11 board exams in November.
Separatists have accused the government of trying to portray normalcy by conducting the exams at a time when hundreds of students have been blinded and thousands of students have been arrested.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti however hit back, accusing some people of using school-going children for their vested interests by keeping them away from schools in order to raise the arm
"Since common people have realised the futility of the gun, forces averse to peace are now instigating youngsters to violence with stones... Certain people have utilised school-going children for their vested interests by keeping them away from schools," said Mehbooba while addressing the cadets at the attestation-cum passing out parade at the Sher-e-Kashmir Police Academy.
Mehbooba noted that some people are instigating poor children and misguiding them to violence. "Their only aim is that any reaction, if, leading to injuries or fatalities would become a fodder to prolong the turmoil, which has over a period of time only brought miseries to the people," she said.
Hurriyat Hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who is one of the three leaders of Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) leading the current unrest, has set five conditions for restoring education in the Valley. Those include releasing all people including students, withdrawing the cases against them, stopping police vigil, putting an end to the barbarism, night raids and allowing peaceful demonstrations.
"It will help in creating a conducive and peaceful atmosphere", Geelani said.
Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Chairman Mohommad Yasin Malik, an important member of JRL who was released on Friday evening, however blamed Mehbooba and her education minister Naeem Akhtar for torching the schools,
"For their politics of normalcy these people have waged a war against students and have irked them severely. Mehbooba and Nayeem Akhtar are hell bent upon taking revenge from these innocent students and are pushing them to the wall. People who burned down temples in 1986 for removing Ghulam Muhammad Shah from chief minister-ship can do same to school buildings for their dirty politics," he said
Expressing disappointment and grief over incidents of schools being burnt in various parts of the valley, National Conference working president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah on said this was an abhorrent ploy to destroy the future of children.
In "Our schools hold the key to the self-reliance, dignity and empowerment of our future generation. These are clear, unambiguous attempts to rob our children of education and intellectual growth and there can be no doubt that these elements who attack our schools are the enemies of our children and the enemies of enlightenment. Hurriyat leadership should realize the costs of its reluctance and delay to condemn such behavior unequivocally," said Omar
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Mehboba Mufti")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}