Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Oct 24: Amidst the ongoing students’ agitation demanding union elections, Jamia Millia Islamia University authorities have found some objectionable graffiti on the campus walls.
Expressing deep resentment over incidents of vandalism and the writing of highly objectionable slogans – “Free Kashmir” and “Free Sharjeel Imam” Jamia’s faculty and staff stated that such actions undermine the academic environment and tarnish the dignity of an institution.
Over 1,500 teaching and non-teaching staff members of Jamia along with the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Mazhar Asif, and registrar participated in a meeting held on Saturday to discuss the future course of action and decided to this meeting held today to discuss the future course of action after the students rejected an appeal made by the committee last night, urging the students to call off their protest.
Jamia VC has expressed deep concern over the objectionable graffiti on campus walls that pose a threat to the country’s integrity and sovereignty and could tarnish varsity’s reputation. “These kind of objectionable slogans could adversely affect the credibility of its students, potentially having a negative impact on their future employment and placement prospects, as well as their opportunities for higher education,” VC said.
The University authorities decided to move the classes online. The university said the decision was taken as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety and well-being of students. The university in a notification said, “All deans/ heads/ directors and faculty members as well as bonafide students are hereby directed to adhere to the online class schedule and ensure regular participation in academic activities. All faculty members are requested to make the necessary arrangements for conducting classes through online platforms and to provide students with the required academic support and learning materials.”
The agitation at Jamia began on October 12, with protesters demanding an official notification announcing a schedule for the students’ union elections. The last elections were held in 2005, and the union was dissolved in 2006. The protesting students maintained that their primary demand was restoration of an elected student body, while the university administration has formed a committee to draft a new union constitution.
The protest saw unrest on October 17 when authorities tried to remove demonstrators from the Ghalib lawn near Gate No 7. Several student organisations have since supported the agitation. Amid these developments, the university administration has condemned slogans like “VC go back” written on the campus walls and said it was trying to identify those responsible.
In the meantime, the officials said some CCTV cameras had been tampered with and their wiring disconnected or damaged in areas where the slogans appeared. Officials said the campus security has been tightened, with students being checked before being allowed entry into departments and centres.
Following the appearance of controversial slogans on the walls of the University, students have expressed outrage and initiated protests, demanding action. Chaos erupted after guards who had been monitoring the protesting students began moving in to remove tents under which the students had gathered, including some who had been on a hunger strike.
The registrar of the university alleged that the actions of two Congress leaders who visited the campus on Friday riled up the students and made them cannon fodder for political narratives.
Jamia Registrar Mahtab Alam Rizvi alleged the incident happened a day after Congress MPs Imran Pratapgarhi and Imran Masood sneaked into the campus by jumping over a wall and disturbed the campus environment. Rizvi added a complaint has been filed with the Delhi Police.
Reacting to the action taken by the guards, Pratapgarhi said the university administration, “intimidated by the movement of Jamia’s brave students, had to concede defeat in the face of the students’ unity when it tried to forcibly remove the students who were on a hunger strike.” “The dictatorial Jamia administration will have to realize that this time, every attempt to intimidate the students will fail. If needed in support of the students, I will return to Jamia again,” he added.
The protest on the campus began on October 12. Earlier in the day, the AISA, students wing of the CPM, had alleged that the Jamia administration cracked down without any provocation on students who have been on a hunger strike. The administration has refuted the allegations.
However, some students of the university alleged that the contentious slogans were planted at the behest of the university authorities. “We strongly condemn those slogans. Our demand remains simple and clear: hold student union elections,” they said. “The university administration is putting on a dramatic show of trying to persuade us to call off the strike. Today, professors and security personnel tried to dismantle and remove our protest tent,” they added.