A protest that began on February 10 at the Central Canteen of Jamia Millia Islamia has ended after university authorities evicted the demonstrating students from campus in the morning. Several students were detained, claimed media reports. Since morning security has been upped at the campus.
Over 10 Jamia Millia Islamia University students were detained.
“We removed over 10 students at around 4 am after receiving a request from the university administration. Further, we have deployed heavy police security outside the campus to maintain law and order,” a police source said, reported ET. The daily reported: “Sharing a statement from the university, another police officer said that over 10 students had been detained and further investigation was underway.
Two students released videos circulating online, in which they described the early morning eviction. Protesting students said they were forced to leave campus on Thursday morning, after which the police detained them around 5 am and took them to different stations in South East Delhi, The Indian Express reported. While Delhi Police confirmed the detentions, they denied entering the campus, according to the report.
University’s statement
In an official statement issued by the university which was also shared with the media, it said: “A handful of students called for a protest, unlawfully gathering in the academic block since the evening of 10 Feb 2025. Since then they have not only disturbed the peaceful conduct of classes in the academic block of the university but also prevented other students from accessing the Central Library, attending classes at a time when mid semester exams are about to begin at JMI campus.
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“These handful of students have in the last two days vandalised university property, including the central canteen and also broken the gate of the security advisor forcing the JMI administration to take action. They have violated other university rules and found carrying objectionable contraband items. The university administration taking a strong view of the damage to university property and defacement of the wall and the obstruction of the classes, has taken preventive measures so that the university continues to conduct classes and other academic activities as normal.
“Despite the University administration has given open offer to discuss their demands in the committee, they refused to listen and talk to the administration including supervisor, head and Dean.
“Taking preventive measures, today morning the university administration and the Proctorial team removed the students from the site of the protest and they have been evicted from the campus. The police has been requested to maintain law and order situation.”
Protesting students’ response
SFI Jamia unit posted this message on the Instagram: “Jamia students who were peacefully protesting for the past three days have been detained by the Delhi Police in the middle of the night and their current location is not known. The student activists have been protesting in Jamia since Monday against the office memorandum released in 2022 which prohibits the students of Jamia to hold any kind of gathering inside the university without prior permission. The university admin instead of meeting the students, got them detained at the middle of the night by the Delhi Police.
Members of Left students’ groups backed by other groups have been protesting against the university’s show-cause notices issued last year to students who had organised a CAA-NRC observance day.
Students have denied these accusations.
“Jamia has turned into a space where any form of student engagement is labelled as misconduct,” a protesting student said. “The administration has been arbitrarily issuing show-cause notices, pressuring students to conform, and shutting down any attempt at collective action,” a statement issued by SFI said.
“The administration responded with a forceful eviction of the demonstrators. Following the eviction, university authorities called for police assistance to maintain order on campus. The protest and subsequent crackdown have reignited discussions about student representation at Jamia, which has not held student union elections for nearly two decades. Many students argue that without an elected body to voice their concerns, they are left at the mercy of an administration that is unresponsive to their needs,” it added.
A student activist standing outside a police station released a video, stating: “The students participating in the sit-in protest to challenge the imposed DC and reclaim Jamia’s democratic spaces were forcibly removed from campus by guards and handed over to the police. They were detained without any prior notice from the police or administration.
“We were never informed that such action would be taken against us. This illegal detention happened without notice. Additionally, many protesting students have now received suspension and campus ban orders. At midnight, the administration issued suspension notices, followed by campus ban orders. The notices also contain threats of rustication and fines.
“We demand their immediate release and the revocation of suspensions and expulsion threats.”
Student leader Sonakshi told PTI that the protesters have four key demands: revoking the show-cause notices issued to the two PhD students, repealing the 2022 Office Memorandum that restricts protests on campus, scrapping the Rs 50,000 fine for graffiti and posters, and ensuring no future disciplinary action against students for participating in protests.
The disciplinary committee is set to meet on February 25 to review the role of the two PhD students in organising “Jamia Resistance Day” on December 15, 2024, an annual event marking the 2019 anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests.
