HYDERABAD: The Jeay Sindh Mahaz-Riaz on Monday took strong exception to the Wednesday incident, which was sorted out and resolved the next day, in which a Rangers official was accused of passing offensive remarks on some students wearing the traditional Sindhi cap and chador (ajrak).

Chairing a meeting of his breakaway JSM faction, the party chief, Riaz Chandio, demanded withdrawal of all Rangers personnel stationed at various educational institutions of the province.

He called for the arrest of `those Rangers personnel who disrespected the Sindhitopiand ajrak.

It was on Wednesday when agroup of students wearing Sindhi top and ajral( were offended by alleged offensive remarks by a Rangers officer, Farooq Malik, when he along with some of his colleagues visited a Sindh University canteen. His alleged remarks did not go down well with them.

The students, belonging to the social works faculty, had purposely decided to wear the traditional topi and ajrak believing in rumours that some members of the paramilitary force had previously objected to such a dress.

It was reported that the alleged remarks led to an exchange of hot words between the students and the law-enforcers in the canteen. The matter was taken up with the SU administration.

Explaining his position, theofficer reportedly told the administration that he had regards for the Sindhi culture.

The offended students had accepted his explanation and offered regrets for getting offended.

The next day, a group of students wearing the traditional dress celebrated `Sindhi cultural day` on the university premises by holding a rally and dancing on the tunes of Sindhi folk songs.

However, JSM-R chief speaking to party activists at a meeting on Monday criticised Rangers men for their attitude. He said that he had asked Sindh`s intellectuals and writers to explain whether such an act by uniformed personnel stationed or visiting education institutions was tolerable.

Mr Chandio described the atti-tude as insult to the Sindh culture on the part of the personnel concerned.

`The people of Sindh want to see their institutions to remain educational institutions and not prisons and cantonments,` he said.

He observed that the state was intentionally vitiating the atmosphere at educational institutions, adding that an environment of harassment and fear was created among students. He demanded removal of the paramilitary force from all educational institutions of Sindh. He also demanded restoration of student unions and reduction in fees to enable the poor afford education of their children.

Mr Chandio also opposed appointment of teachers on administrative posts.