Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia has moved classes online after protesters, who have been demanding the reintroduction of student union election on the campus, clashed with guards today.
Chaos erupted after guards who had been monitoring the protesting students began moving in to remove tents under which the students had gathered, including some who had been on a hunger strike.
The registrar of the university in south Delhi alleged that the actions of two Congress leaders who visited the campus yesterday riled up the students and made them cannon fodder for political narratives.
The student protesters have been seeking, specifically, the restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU) which was disbanded in 2006 due to campus violence that led to academic disruptions.
Jamia Registrar Mahtab Alam Rizvi alleged the incident happened a day after Congress MPs Imran Pratapgarhi and Imran Masood sneaked into the campus by jumping over a wall and disturbed the campus environment.
Razvi added a complaint has been filed with the Delhi Police.
The protest on the campus began on October 12. Earlier today, the communist student group AISA alleged the Jamia administration cracked down without any provocation on students who have been on a hunger strike.
The administration has refuted the allegations.
Another issue that raised tension on the campus was the appearance of anti-national slogans on the walls of the university, after which the BJP demanded an investigation. The slogans were linked to Jammu and Kashmir.
In a letter to Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi on October 21, CPI(M) MP John Brittas highlighted the absence of an elected union for nearly two decades. He cited constitutional provisions guaranteeing freedom of speech and association, University Grants Commission guidelines on students’ entitlements and the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations on student elections.