New Delhi [India], October 26 (ANI): Protesting students of Jamia Millia Islamia have rejected the university administration’s notice, asserting that their 14-day-long agitation will continue until all their demands are met, including the restoration of the students’ union and a definite timeline for elections.
The students also clarified that those observing a hunger strike would continue it, dismissing reports claiming that they had accepted the administration’s assurances and called off the protest.
Countering media reports claiming that students had accepted the administration’s assurances and withdrawn their protest, the students said such accounts were based on the administration’s version of events and did not reflect the position of the protesting students.
The students maintained that the notice did not provide a clear commitment to the restoration of the students’ union, which remains the central demand of the ongoing agitation. They also confirmed that students observing a hunger strike would continue it until their demands were fulfilled.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the notice, the protesters said it contained vague assurances and failed to specify a timeline for approval of the students’ union constitution or provide a clear roadmap for conducting union elections.
They further pointed out that the notice did not address their demands for the resignation of the Proctor and the Security Adviser.
“We firmly believe that general assurances and ambiguous statements cannot be treated as fulfilment of our demands. The administration must issue a clear, written commitment with a proper timeline addressing all outstanding concerns, particularly the restoration of the students’ union and a definite timeline for the electoral process,” the protesting students said.
They asserted that the administration must take concrete and time-bound decisions on all outstanding demands, adding that the issuance of a notice alone could not be considered a resolution of the protest.
The students reiterated that the agitation would continue until the administration provided a written commitment on the restoration of the students’ union, announced a definite timeline for elections and addressed their other demands.
“We will not accept vague assurances or an unclear notice that leaves the central issue unresolved,” the protesting students said.
The students and their representatives also rejected claims that the protest had been called off, maintaining that the administration’s notice did not adequately address their concerns.
They said the agitation would continue until all their demands were fully addressed through concrete decisions with a definite timeline.
Earlier, Jamia Millia Islamia on Monday announced that student union elections would be held after nearly two decades, following days of protests and a hunger strike by students demanding the restoration of an elected students’ body on the campus.
In an order dated October 26, the university administration said the elections would be held 15 days after the approval of the constitution of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union. However, the announcement failed to end the agitation, with protesting students alleging that the order did not provide a definite timeline for the approval of the constitution or the conduct of elections.
The students’ union was dissolved by the university administration in 2006, and the announcement marks a significant development in the long-standing demand for the restoration of elected student representation at the university.
The order was issued by Registrar Prof. Mahtab Alam Rizvi after the competent authority considered a demand letter submitted on October 26 by students on a hunger strike and their delegates.
“The Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union Election will be held 15 days after the date of approval of the constitution of the students’ union of Jamia Millia Islamia,” the order stated.
The developments came after days of campus demonstrations and a hunger strike, with students pressing the university to restore the elected students’ union and provide a clear timeline for the electoral process.
The latest order has brought the administration and protesting students closer on several demands, but uncertainty over the constitutional approval process continues to threaten a resolution of the impasse. (ANI)
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