New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI) The Congress on Monday said it stands in solidarity and support of protesting students of Jamia Millia Islamia in seeking political empowerment through the revival of their student union.
The opposition party’s reaction came a day after its two MPs were booked on trespassing and other charges following a complaint by the university registrar.
The protest began on October 12, with students demanding the restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU), whose elections have not been held since 2006, and the withdrawal of disciplinary action against protesters.
Congress general secretary, Organisation, K C Venugopal alleged that university authorities had adopted a heavy-handed approach and were “taking instructions” from the central government for “distracting and defaming the protesters”.
“The students of Jamia Millia Islamia are on hunger strike for 16 days seeking political empowerment – the revival of their Students Union – so that their demands and concerns find a democratic platform.
“The administration, however, is taking a heavy-handed approach. It has gone to extreme lengths of cutting electricity and water supply on campus, and has even shifted all classes online,” he said in a post on X.
The Congress leader said the entire college has been brought to a standstill due to the administration’s “stubbornness” in dealing with this genuine demand.
“While the administration is taking instructions from the Government of India and deploying a familiar toolkit to distract and defame the protesters, we all know that this is a matter of democratic rights, and nothing else.
“We stand in solidarity with the students and urge the authorities to accede to their demands,” he said in his post.
An FIR was filed at Jamia Nagar police station on October 25 against Congress MPs Imran Masood and Imran Pratapgarhi along with others, accusing them of trespassing on the campus and inciting unrest, following a complaint by Registrar Md Mahtab Alam Rizvi.
According to the complaint, Pratapgarhi allegedly entered the university campus on October 21 after breaking the lock of Gate No. 4A, while Masood entered on October 23 by scaling a boundary wall near Gafoor Nagar with the help of a ladder.
The FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) dealing with criminal trespass, wrongful restraint, voluntarily causing hurt, mischief, criminal intimidation, criminal conspiracy and common intention. Provisions of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, and the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 2007, have also been invoked.
Scuffles broke out between protesting students and paramilitary personnel at Jamia Millia Islamia on Monday as the students refused to end their agitation for restoration of their union elections despite the university issuing an order for the polls earlier in the day.
Some protesters were detained and security was beefed up as police personnel did not allow the students, who raised slogans against the administration, to enter the campus.
The university earlier on Monday ordered that students’ union elections be held within 15 days of the approval of the union’s constitution. It also revoked suspension and show-cause notices issued to students during the ongoing protest and provided for a committee to inquire into the conduct of security staff during the agitation.
However, the agitating students said it was not enough as the administration has not issued a definite timeline for the polls. PTI SKC RT
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