Jamia Millia Islamia Stir Enters Day 7 as Students Seek Union Revival
The agitation at Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi entered its seventh consecutive day on Sunday, with students continuing a hunger strike to demand the reinstatement of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU). Security personnel remained deployed outside the university, and the administration closed two libraries — the Dr Zakir Husain Library and the Old Library — citing “security reasons”.
The protest follows disciplinary action initiated by the administration against two protesting students. The university has denied allegations that students were “forcibly removed” from Gate No. 7 on Saturday. It says the students were asked to vacate a spot because they were protesting outside the designated area, Gate No. 18.
On Sunday morning, Delhi Police officials met the protesting students and requested them to end their stir. The students, however, continued their hunger strike at Gate No. 7. Two of the hunger strikers were reported to be facing serious health issues. Students were allowed to enter the campus only with a valid identity card, while the protesters claimed they were not allowed to leave the campus.
Students held a press conference from behind the university gates. “For nearly two decades, we have lived without a voice. The Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union — the highest body of campus democracy — has been dysfunctional since 2006. An entire generation of students has entered and left this university without a legitimate platform to raise their concerns,” said Neville, a protesting student.
The protesters say the process for obtaining permission to demonstrate at the designated site is difficult. “The rule for Gate No. 18 is that one has to seek permission for protests, which requires written permission to be signed off by department heads. It is a document that can be used against you, and departments don’t sign it, by design making it impossible to get permission,” Mr Neville said.
He added that the existing mechanism of writing to the Dean of Students’ Welfare was “a hollow formality that rarely produces any outcome”. Another protester, Saurabh, who joined from outside the campus, said students who speak up are punished. “Detentions and suspensions for raising our voices has prevented students from coming forward and putting forth their demands,” he said.
Among those on hunger strike is Ebin Basil, general secretary of the National Students’ Union of India’s Jamia unit. Mr Neville said doctors had advised Basil to end his fast. “His condition is a little critical now. He has been advised to be admitted to a hospital,” he said. Basil was rusticated for a year on Saturday, while Jasim Ali, a postgraduate student, received a six-month campus ban.
The students are also demanding the resignation of Chief Proctor Prof. Mohammad Asad Malik over the alleged use of force to remove them on Saturday.
The NSUI national president expressed support for the protest in a post on X. “Student unions are the first schools of democracy. Instead of suppressing the voices of students, they should be given the right to express their views and choose their representatives. This fight of Jamia’s students is not just about elections, but a fight for student rights, democracy, and the freedom of expression on campus,” the post said.
