NEW DELHI: Following the overwhelming solidarity shown by Jamia Millia Islamia students through a class boycott and the submission of a memorandum to the Dean of Students’ Welfare, the seventeen suspended students organised a public gathering at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday.
The protest saw massive participation from students, civil society members, professors, and activists, all united in their demand for justice and the restoration of democratic rights on campus.
The memorandum, submitted earlier, had given the administration 48 hours to revoke the suspension notices and disciplinary actions against the students and withdraw the oppressive office memorandum issued in August 2022 and other related orders that stifle students’ rights to organize and express themselves.
One of the SFI leaders stated, “Despite the deadline, the administration has remained silent, refusing to engage with the students or address their concerns. This lack of response compelled the suspended students to take their struggle to the public, seeking broader solidarity and support.”
Sakhi, one of the suspended students, SFI Jamia President, and moderator of the event, highlighted how the administration has criminalized students for organizing reading sessions, cultural activities, and other gatherings. She emphasized that the August 2022 memorandum violates students’ fundamental constitutional rights to freedom of expression and assembly.
Professor Nandita Narain, extending solidarity on behalf of Delhi’s academic community, said, “Students are exercising their fundamental constitutional rights and responsibilities as citizens of a democratic India. They have the right to critical and scientific thinking, to question government policies, and to engage in meaningful dialogue. The teachers stand firmly with the students of Jamia in this fight.”