Central University Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) in Delhi is once again in the headlines. Students protested on campus, prompting the university administration to send notices to some students. Despite this, the protests didn’t cease, leading to the suspension of 17 students. Several students were also detained by Delhi Police, who later released them.
Students have accused the university administration of posting personal information such as photos, departments, and mobile numbers of some protesting students at the gates. Among those whose names were displayed and suspended are Sonakshi Gupta, Sakhi, Jyoti, Saurabh, Hazrat Parvana, and Fuzail.
Sociology department final-year student Sakhi shared with aajtak.in, "We started protesting at Jamia Central Canteen on February 10. On the night of the third day, we received a suspension notice and were taken into custody. Our parents were contacted, causing them to worry. We protest only to make our voices heard, and it is our constitutional right. Yet, stopping the protest is an attempt to silence us."
Source: aajtak
The detained students were accused by the university administration of vandalism and creating disturbances within the campus. Two of them had previously received show-cause notices for organizing a protest.
According to the administration, the protesting students damaged university property, including the Central Canteen, and broke the gate of the Security Advisor’s office, forcing the administration to take action.
In an official statement on February 13, JMI administration claimed, "A handful of students have caused damage to university property, including the Central Canteen, over the last two days. They've also broken security gates, forcing Jamia's administration to act. This morning (February 13), the university administration, along with the proctorial team, removed students from the protest site and expelled them from the campus, requesting the police to maintain law and order."
Student Sonakshi Gupta states, "We are accused of violence, yet we weren’t present where it occurred. If the administration accuses us, they should provide CCTV proof."
Jamia student Priyanshu argues, "The administration is entangling student issues. Hundreds of CCTV cameras are installed at Jamia, capable of capturing everything. We advocate for freedom to speak and express our concerns within the university. We want the Vice-Chancellor to listen and engage with us to find a resolution."
Sonakshi Gupta adds, "Before the protest, we attempted to speak with the proctor, but our voices weren’t heard. They tried to intimidate us by involving our families through police complaints, yet we didn’t stop the protest, which led to our campus ban."
She continues, "At the police station, students were mistreated, and they obtained signatures on papers without explaining their purpose."
Uttara, a sociology department student, describes, "During the protest, I fell asleep, and when I awoke, I was roughly pulled by guards and forcefully placed on a police bus."
Jamia student Zeeshan recounts, "On February 14, we discovered lists containing personal information, including mobile numbers, of suspended students displayed at the university gates. The students viewed this as a breach of privacy and violation of fundamental rights. They questioned whether the university would take responsibility if any harm befell those whose personal information was revealed."
Priyanshu explains, "Female students whose photos and phone numbers were posted are receiving threatening calls."
Source: aajtak
However, the university released a new statement denying responsibility for such disclosures and emphasized their swift action to remove the images. It sternly condemned these acts aimed at tarnishing the 104-year-old institution's reputation, committing to legal action against those spreading false and defamatory information.
Recently, student protests at the campus connected to a 2019 incident. On December 15, 2019, Jamia's library witnessed alleged police brutality during which students claimed unnecessary force was used. (Read more here:
).
Jamia student Zeeshan Ahmed reveals, "This time, on December 15, a Sunday, citing campus maintenance, the administration announced the library’s closure. Consequently, the protest occurred on December 16, resulting in show-cause notices to four students and disciplinary committee investigations into Ph.D. students Saurabh and Jyoti."
Source: aajtak
The administration on February 9 issued another notice prohibiting protests on campus without permission.
Source: aajtak
Students once again protested against the February 9 notice, demanding its retraction and the committee investigation’s withdrawal because peaceful campus protests are their democratic right. They state, "If we can’t raise our voices here, where else?"
Zeeshan Ahmed describes, "During the protest, washrooms were locked, electricity was shut off, and though female students were present, no female guards were. Another notice from the administration deemed the protest illegal. On February 13, around 5:30 AM, protesting students were handed over to the police."
Later, on the evening of February 13, the administration issued another notice, which entailed:
Suspension of over 15 students to be revoked.
Investigations against students due to protests to be withdrawn.
No academic or administrative action against students.
Protests are our democratic right and shouldn’t be curtailed.
A senior Delhi Police official clarified that Jamia administration reported some students protesting on campus and handed them over to the police, who didn’t enter the campus. The students were briefly detained and then released, while allegations of police misconduct were unfounded.
