The students observing the hunger strike say they resorted to this step as the university has not heeded to their representations in the last one and half years.
Ghazanfar Abbas, IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, Oct 26: Reinforcing their long pending demand for restoration of the students’ union in the campus, some students of Jamia Millia Islamia(JMI) have begun indefinite hunger strike – today was its second day. While students allege that the university administration is showing apathy towards their issues and that is why they need students union, the university says the case about students union is pending in the court and so it cannot restore the union before the final verdict.
The students observing the hunger strike say they resorted to this step as the university has not heeded to their representations in the last one and half years. They have also held some protests in the campus this October.
“The first memorandum from students was given to the administration in March 2016 demandingrestoration of the union. Students had then held a protest demonstration also. The Vice Chancellor does not listen to us while we have been facing several issues from students’ hostel tofee hike,scholarships and placement. On 5th October, we held a signature campaign among students too,” MeeranHaider, an M.Phil.student, told IndiaTomorrow.net.
Meeran Haider, research scholar, Jamia Millia Islamia
“Jamia is an autonomous institution; despite a case pending in the court it can take its decision. From Delhi University to JNU, there are students’ unions everywhere, but here our administration doesn’t want one,” said Haider, one of the students sitting on the hunger strike.
At present, there are three students on hunger strike whom IndiaTomorrow.net spoke to at the protest site in the varsity. About a dozen others are there in support. Students have a common point that there are numerous issues on which the administration should focus but since they have no students union, the varsity is little concerned to resolve them.They have also submitted a memorendum to the admin.
Mustafa Shamsi who is pursuing MA and also on hunger strike said: “We are demanding students’ union because from the marksheet issue to delay in result to placement there are several issues. Besides, most of the faculties are ad-hoc, not regular. There are around 17,000 students but hardly 2000 students get hostel here. In 2007-08, the fee of BA course was Rs 3700/- , today it is Rs 7500/-. The application form would earlier cost Rs 500/- and now it costs Rs1500/-.”
Mustafa Shamsi, MA student, Jamia Millia Islamia
“We need a platform from where we can raise our voices. Since students don’t have any platform, so the university admin is arbitrarily taking decisions,” he said.
He said that if the university did not respond to their hunger strike within 24 hours, they would continue it indefinitely.
“We have completed 24 hours of hunger strike and are waiting for admin’s reply. If it doesn’t take any clear stand we will continue our hunger strike,” Shamsi informed.
Imran Ahmad, BACA, Jamia Millia Islamia
Another student Imran Ahmad, BACA said: “For the last 12 years, there has been no students union here. There is a clear apathy from the administration over the demand though this is our fundamental right.”
University’s stand:
Clarifying its stand the Jamia administration has said that it is not against the union election but since a case over the issue of students’ union election is subjudiced in Delhi High Court, it can’t hold elections.
In February 2012, a writ petition (No.917/2012 titled “Hamidur Rahman Vs. JMI”) was filed in the Delhi High Court wherein the petitioner had prayed to direct the university for holding election. In the same month, a group of nine students had filed an application opposing any direct system of elections in the university.
In a written statement, A.P. Siddiqui, Registrar of Jamia said: “A group of nine students have intervened in the Writ Petition and filed an application dated 28.02.2012 praying to present their case in the larger academic interests of Jamia. In paragraph 9 of the said application, these students have opposed any direct system of elections in the Jamia Millia Islamia. This application was admitted on record by the High Court of Delhi.”
The university registrar further said: “Subsequently, on the direction of the High Court in February 2012, the Jamia Millia Islamia thereafter has filed an affidavit in April 2012. The High Court in July 2012 has given an opportunity to the Petitioner to file his response. The High Court in November 2012 has given another opportunity to file the response; but the Petitioner has failed to file his response and the Hon’ble Court put this matter as a Regular Matter in 2013.”
In its statement,Jamia has said that it is ready to consider holding students’ union election depending on the outcome of the case but the legal hurdle can only be solved in the Court by withdrawing the present petition by the petitioner as well as intervening group of students/applicants.
