On the 13th day of the hunger strike and ongoing indefinite sit in at Ghalib Lawn, Gate 7, Jamia Millia Islamia, hundreds of teaching and non-teaching staff, and administrative authorities came out in force to create a ‘dialogue’ with the students on protest.
We students are concerned about this show of force by the admin during our attempt for peaceful dialogue with the admin. During the conversation the admin was unwilling to concede to the major demands put forth by the protestors. There were verbal assurances that the elections will be notified after the drafting of the constitution, and the administration was unwilling to move on the demand of the students for providing a deadline by when the elections will be concluded. The students had moved on from the demand for the election schedule and were demanding a notification of a deadline instead. During multiple meetings consecutively occuring, from the HLC to the Registrar to other authorities concerned, the admin repeatedly bypassed the demands of the students and kept insisting on students breaking their hunger strike, something the hunger strikers were unwilling to do without a final written resolution and conclusion on all major demands.
During a round of discussion with the admin, some members of the staff and guards started destroying the protest site. All shelter and belongings were being stomped over without the least concern for the students. This was nothing short of a betrayal of the democratic dialogue that we were insisting upon and engaged in. From there students were beaten and dragged in an attempt to clear the site as there were attempts by the admin to separately detain the hunger strikers under the guise of hospitalisation. Despite this betrayal we call upon the administration to immediately accept the demands of the Students and refrain from further attacks on the protest. We are Jamians, students of this University who wish for a vibrant campus with thriving democratic institutions. Our demands are in the best interests of this University. How can students themselves by treated as security threats to the university?
We continue to demand that
- the JMISU be reinstated,
- all disciplinary notices related to this protest be revoked and nothing further issued up to the date of conclusion of the protest, and
- The Chief Proctor and Chief Security Advisor resign, taking accountability for the events of 17 and 24 October
Students Representatives
