Protest by Jamia students

Student groups on Tuesday accused the Jamia Millia Islamia administration of using violence against students who were protesting against showcause notices issued to five of them, a charge denied by the varsity.

The university administration said a scuffle broke out between two groups of students and the administration did not have any involvement.

According to All India Students' Association, on the afternoon of October 22, thousands of Jamia Millia Islamia students marched to the vice-chancellor's office against the show cause to five students of the varsity.

The five students were issued notices for allegedly "disturbing the normal functioning" of the varsity, after they demonstrated against an event on campus in which there was a participant from Israel.

 

Since then, the students had been on an indefinite strike and on Tuesday, which was the ninth day of the strike,students had gheraoed the vice-chancellor office against the administration.

"In the evening, dozens of hired goons violently attacked the protesting students in which many students got seriously injured while security guards watched all this happen silently," the AISA alleged.

According to another student group, Pinjra Tod, students blockaded the gates surrounding the VC office.

"The administration launched goons who assaulted students with belts, glass pieces and flower pots, manhandled and groped women students while security guards and office staff stood quietly shielding the attackers," they alleged.

The administration also alerted the Delhi Police to take care of the 'law and order' situation in the university, they claimed.

They said an overwhelming number of students have occupied the VC's office and blocked the Delhi Police from entering the campus premises.

They also demanded the immediate resignation of the Chief Proctor for the "brazen assault on Jamia students".

Meanwhile, the university administration, in a statement, said the showcause notice to five students was issued for indiscipline and they were asked to reply to the notice.

"Instead of replying, they burnt the copies of the notice and also boycotted the disciplinary committee meeting where they had the opportunity to present their case, " the varsity administration said.

For the last two days, a number of meetings of protesting students with university authorities, Jamia Teachers' Association and Alumni association were held, they said.

Protesting students were pursued not to create law and order situation and disturb the academic environment of the university, the varsity said.

On Tuesday, a group of students backed by some student organisations gheraoed the Vice-Chancellor office, laid seige to the office complex and physically blocked all the gates of exit, the varsity said.

A group of senior teachers and officials of the university met the agitating students and listened to their concerns patiently and requested them to lift their siege on the administrative complex, the varsity said.

Teachers also assured them that their demands given in the memorandum will be discussed at the highest level but they refused. Teachers also requested the students to send some of their representatives to talk but they refused, the varsity said.

A number of delegates who were attending a conference organised by English department on Mahatma Gandhi at Meer Taqi Meer Building were also not allowed to go out of the main administrative complex, the varsity said.

Teachers requested the students to allow the delegates to leave but they refused, it added.

When the students of English Department tried to help the delegates to take out their vehicles, the protesting students physically stopped them, they said.

"A scuffle broke out between the group of students. The protesting students damaged vehicles parked in the complex where they have laid the siege, " they said. Police said they were called in put they stood at the gate of the campus but did not enter the University.

"No one was detained and we have not received any complaint in this regard," a police official said.