A hunger strike by a group of students from Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) entered its sixth day on Monday. The students are demanding that elections be conducted to form a students' union.
They claimed that the university's administration was looking for an “escape route” by stating that its hands were tied since the matter was sub-judice.
The students alleged that the university was trying to “hide its negligence” of not following the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations and demanded that the administration produce the order of the Delhi High Court that has put a stay on the ‘holding of an election of students’ union’.
The protesters said that the student who had filed the writ petition regarding students’ union election, is no longer a student of JMI and therefore the responsibility lies with the university administration to give proper information to the court that the petitioner, Hamidur Rahman, is no longer a party to the matters which have been affecting the presently enrolled students of Jamia.
Reacting to the demands, Vice-Chancellor Talat Ahmad appealed to the “handful of students” sitting on dharna asking for union election to call off their protest and come for talks to resolve the issue that was sub judice.
97th Foundation day
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the two-day Talimi Mela — to mark the 97th Foundation Day of Jamia — Prof Ahmad, while expressing happiness over the success of the event, regretted that some students were sitting on a dharna and giving a bad name to it despite being aware that the matter is in court and the university is helpless.
Stating that since the matter is pending before the High Court, the university cannot take any decision as it will amount to contempt of court. He advised the students not to make it an ego issue and come for talks to resolve the matter.
He also urged senior professors to talk to the students and convince them to call off their dharna in the larger interest of the university and come for talks.
