The dispute at Jamia Millia Islamia over restoring student union elections is refusing to cool down. On the university administration's complaint, Delhi Police have registered an FIR against three Members of Parliament, accusing them of entering the campus without authorisation and instigating students. At the same time, the students' organisation SFI has accused the police of detaining hundreds of students outside Gate Number 7, and videos circulating online show police personnel lifting girl students during detentions.
Why students are protesting
Student union elections have not been held at Jamia since 2006. For the past two weeks, students have been protesting to demand their restoration, and four students have been on hunger strike for 13 days. The protesters want a new constitution for the student body drafted with student representation, and election dates announced in this very semester.
The university says a seven-member committee of professors has already held four rounds of talks with students, and a committee was formed on 21 October to draft a new constitution for the student union. The students' side argues that the drafting committee must include students, and that is one of the sticking points.
FIR against MPs and detentions at Gate 7
According to the police complaint filed by the university, the three MPs entered the campus without permission and encouraged the protesting students. The university has also said some students manhandled teachers and guards. Separately, on Friday, Congress MP Imran Masood and Samajwadi Party MP Mohibullah Nadvi reached Jamia to support the students, and Delhi Police detained both leaders.
The SFI's Jamia unit has alleged that the proctor and security advisers removed the tents of hunger-striking students and misbehaved with girl students, and that police detained hundreds of students outside Gate Number 7. These are allegations from the students' side, and the university administration has denied wrongdoing, saying its staff tried to persuade students for nearly two hours.
Campus shifts online as protest continues
Citing security reasons, the university has shifted all classes to online mode from Saturday and advised students not to come to campus. The university gates and library have been closed until further orders.
On Saturday, a group of around 1,500 teachers and non-teaching staff led by Vice Chancellor Mazhar Asif and Registrar Mohammad Mehtab Alam Rizvi reached Gate Number 7 and spent about two hours trying to persuade the students to end the protest, but the students did not agree.
What protesters are demanding now
Beyond election dates, protesters are demanding that action taken against protesting students be withdrawn, and that the Chief Proctor and security advisers resign over the alleged use of force. The administration says Gate Number 18 is the designated protest site and that the sit-in at Ghalib Lawn is completely unauthorised.
