Kashmiri students run out of essentials, money; Khalsa Aid, J&K Students Assn extend help

TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY .

An article from Indian Express

As Kashmiri students are running out of essential items and money, in the consequence of two months of lockdown in Kashmir, the Khalsa Aid and J&K Students Association provided 150 Kashmiri students with groceries, money and other necessary items on Tuesday.

The organisations provided a 25-kg kit of essential items including rice, flour, cooking oil and soaps, among other items to Kashmiri students in Banur.

(Article continued in right column)

Question for this article

Is there a renewed movement of solidarity by the new generation?

(Article continued from left column)

Spokesperson of the association, Nasir Khuehami said, “We are in touch with Kashmiri students and in collaboration with Khalsa Aid, we are providing them with every necessary assistance. Since students have run out of money and are not getting any help from their parents and families in the Valley, they are barely able to pay their college and university fees, and are struggling to meet the expenses of other basic needs. Today, we distributed packets containing around five kgs of rice and 10 kgs of flour, along with sugar, cooking oil, salt and some other basic spices to the students, besides some other essential commodities.’’

Khuehami said, while Khalsa Aid was providing groceries and essential commodities to the students, the association was giving them monetary help. ‘’In most cases, it is only around Rs 1,000 a student, but in cases where the student is ill, we give more. Everyone here is facing financial issues following the restrictions imposed in the Valley. Students are not able to pay their room rent and are running out of money for day-to-day commodities,” he said.

Expressing his gratitude to Khalsa Aid, for helping the Kashmiri students in distress, Khuehami said, “These bravehearts showed real humanity by providing groceries and other essentials to hundreds of students in Banur and other areas of Punjab. Humanity is beyond communal differences.’’

(Thank you to Shreya Jani who called this article to our attention.)