Inside Jamia protest: What drove students to rise in dissent today. Read the full report here.
Hundreds of Jamia Millia Islamia students protested and gheraoed Security Advisor Office on Thursday. The students said the peaceful Jamia protest was “against the crackdown on student activism, campus democracy and the violation of student dignity on September 19”. During Jamia protest, students demanded immediate termination of Security Advisor Syed Abdul Rashid.
“The Call for Office Gherao was called by the joint platform of the student organisations and students of Jamia Millia Islamia as the main culprit of the brutality which happened on September 19 was not terminated in spite of several memorandums given by student bodies with a given deadline. On that day, the students were dragged and assault by the authorities for exercising their democratic right to protest, calling for an independent judicial enquiry into the Batla House Encounter,” said a release issued by students group behind the call for Jamia protest today.
Security was also stepped upped outside gate number 7 where students were seen protesting raising slogans: “Down with the admin-hooliganism! Down with Security Advisor! Student Unity Long Live!”
The Jamia administration routinely wields physical force, intimidation and disciplinary action against any democratic voices on campus, but yet again, the students refused to back down, said the students. Several students joined the office gherao call today, it said.
Students said they have put several demands to the administration and they are:
“1. Immediate resignation of the Security Advisor Syed Abdul Rashid, at whose behest assault of students was carried out.
“2. Unconditional public apology from the members of the proctorial team involved in the manhandling of students along with independent enquiry and strict action against said members of the proctorial team responsible for manhandling students.”
The students gathered at the Hygienic Canteen at 4 pm and marched towards Office of Security Advisor where the guards stopped students outside the gate and didn’t allowed students to march towards office premises, said students.
“The students demanded presence of Security advisor but the Security Advisor fled the place earlier as per the guards. Students demanded presence of any representative of Administration, especially Chief Proctor but none showed up. Students made their demands clear that until the Security Advisor isn’t terminated and other demands aren’t followed up, the students will continue Office Gherao on next working day on 4:00 pm and continue so until their demands aren’t met,” said students.
The students reiterated that they will continue to fight for campus democracy and justice.
“We continue our struggle against hooliganism of Administration. We continue to procession against Security Advisor who is currently the greatest threat to security of common students. We continue to fight for our right to debate and dissent,” said the release.
