New Delhi, Oct 27: The protest demanding restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU) entered its 16th day on Tuesday, with students refusing to call off their agitation despite the university’s decision to hold elections within 15 days of the approval of the union’s constitution.
The protesting students have demanded a definite date for the polls, which have not been held since 2006, and a clear timeline for approving the constitution.
Raising slogans against the administration, the students on Tuesday opposed the shifting of classes to online mode and the closure of campus facilities amid the ongoing agitation.
“Jamia Administration with the help of Delhi Police is doing everything other than giving students a notice that confirms the Students Union Election. We reject campus closure! We reject online classes! Not an inch back! Restore JMISU!” the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), Jamia, said in a social media post.
Students also claimed that all gates and entry points to the university had been sealed off. In a statement, the student groups alleged that security guards, along with the university’s security adviser, were “handing over” students to the police at the campus gates, leading to “arbitrary” detentions and arrests.
They also claimed that the closure of the library and other campus facilities, alongside the shift to online classes, had caused difficulties for students, particularly women.
The groups demanded the immediate restoration of the JMI Students’ Union and the resignation of the chief proctor and security adviser, while urging people to extend support to the protesting students by providing essential supplies, including food and drinking water.
The agitation continued a day after the university issued an order stating that student union elections would be held within 15 days of the approval of the union’s constitution.
The order also revoked suspension and show-cause notices issued to students during the protest and provided for an inquiry into the conduct of security staff during the agitation.
However, students said the decision did not address their key demand for a definite timeline for approving the constitution. “Our first demand was that student union elections should be revived, and dates for polls be declared,” Rehan Khan, one of the students on an indefinite hunger strike, had said on Monday.
The university had also directed Khan to vacate the protest site immediately, warning of legal action in case of non-compliance.
According to the university’s order, the protesting students had agreed to issue a public apology at a press conference over statements, actions or social media posts deemed defamatory by the administration.
It also directed that such posts be taken down and said the protest would be called off following the issuance of the order.
On Monday, scuffles broke out between protesting students and paramilitary personnel as security was tightened on campus. Police personnel prevented students raising slogans against the administration from entering the university after classes across all courses were shifted online amid tensions.
Online classes will continue till November 8, after which the university will review the situation, according to a notice issued on Monday.
Representatives of NSUI, AISF, SFI, AIDSO, AISA and DISHA have called for meaningful dialogue between the administration and students and stressed the need to restore democratic spaces on campus.
The university had earlier announced the formation of a committee to draft the JMISU constitution and said disciplinary action initiated against students over protest-related issues would be reviewed. (PTI)
