The standoff between Jamia Millia Islamia University administration and protesting students continues, even as the university has issued a “final warning” directing students to immediately vacate the Gulistan-e-Ghalib Building and Ghalib Lawn on its North Campus.
It has also announced that classes for all courses will be conducted online until further notice. The university has warned of disciplinary and legal action if students fail to comply with the order.
The latest order comes amid a dispute over an agreement announced by the university administration following negotiations with protesting students. another group rejected the announcement, arguing that the university had not provided a definite timeline for approving the students’ union constitution and conducting elections While one section of students had initially called off the agitation. In return, the students were asked to publicly apologise for alleged defamatory statements and offensive social media posts against the university administration and remove the related content. However, a section of protesting students has refused to withdraw the agitation, insisting that the university must provide a concrete date for the student union elections. They have also reiterated their demand for the resignation of the Proctor and the Security Adviser. The students have been pressing for three key demands: restoration of student union elections, resignation of the university’s Proctor and Security Adviser, and revocation of suspension and show-cause notices issued during the protest.
Ritik Kumar, a postgraduate Political Science student from Munger in Bihar, told NDTV that he had been on hunger strike for the past two days and that the students’ primary demand was a definite date for the elections.
