University Action and Police Complaint

Jamia Millia Islamia has escalated its response to ongoing student unrest by lodging a formal complaint with the Delhi Police against Congress Lok Sabha MP Imran Masood, Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi, and other individuals. The university administration accuses the political figures of trespassing on campus and actively inciting unrest during a prolonged student agitation.

The protest, which has entered its third week, centers on the demand for the restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students' Union (JMISU), a body that has not held elections since 2006. As tensions have mounted, four students have engaged in a hunger strike spanning nearly two weeks, drawing significant support and opposition on and off campus.

Escalation of Campus Tensions

The situation on campus reached a critical juncture when university officials, including Vice-Chancellor Mazhar Asif and Registrar Md Mahtab Alam Rizvi, led a march of more than 1,500 teaching and non-teaching staff from the Ansari Auditorium lawns to Gate 7. According to administration accounts, staff members made repeated appeals over a two-hour period urging the protesters to call off their agitation, but the demonstrators refused to vacate the site.

Conversely, student bodies such as the Students' Federation of India (SFI) have strongly criticized the administration's handling of the protests. The SFI's Jamia unit alleged that university security officials attempted to forcibly remove the hunger strikers, dismantle their tents, and mistreat female students. Furthermore, student groups reported a heavy police deployment outside Gate 7, resulting in detentions and restricted access to the campus.

Administrative Measures and Dialogue

In response to the escalating security concerns, the university administration shifted classes online, closed campus gates and libraries, and urged students to stay away until further notice. University officials maintained that protests were restricted to designated areas like Gate 18, classifying the occupation of the Gulistan-e-Ghalib lawns as unauthorized.

Despite the friction, the university noted that a seven-member committee of professors has held four rounds of talks with the student body. The administration previously notified a JMISU Constitution Draft Committee and offered to review disciplinary actions linked to earlier demonstrations. However, student demands continue to include direct representation on the drafting committee, an immediate announcement of election dates, and the revocation of all disciplinary measures.