Congress National General Secretary and incharge Jammu and Kashmir Syed Naseer Hussain (Image/X)
Jammu: Congress National General Secretary and incharge Jammu and Kashmir Syed Naseer Hussain on Saturday criticised the reported notice issued by IIM Jammu to students who did not attend a 'Deepak Lighting Ceremony' organised on September 17 to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday, saying political publicity should have no place in premier educational institutions.
The authorities of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu did not immediately respond to allegations that the institute had issued notices to students who missed the event.
"IIM Jammu has issued a notice to students who did not attend a mandatory Deepak Lighting Ceremony held on September 17 to mark PM Modi's birthday, asking them to explain their absence and warning of a Rs 500 fine for failing to respond.
"Why should attendance at Modi's birthday celebration be mandatory for students? Is this an academic responsibility at an IIM, or has Modi's publicity been brought into the campus as a compulsory exercise?" Hussain said in a post on X.
He said educational institutions should nurture independent minds, not compel students to attend political leaders' celebrations or threaten them with penalties.
"BJP's publicity stunts should be kept out of our premier educational institutions," the Congress leader said.
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