IndiaTomorrow.net
New Delhi, Nov 2: On the assurance from the Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) to resolve the issue of restoring the Students’ Union at the campus, students called off their nine day long hunger strike on Thursday. Students are hopeful that in a meeting with the administration scheduled on Monday, varsity will allow to hold union elections in the campus. Students however said that they will continue their struggle till their demands are met.
On Wednesday a delegation of students met VC along with other administrative officials. Admin has scheduled another meeting on Monday to talk on legal points and assured students that varsity will hold union elections if the students’ delegation ensure them no legal hindrance that amounts contempt of court as the case is sub-judice and pending in Delhi High Court.
One student, Meeran Haider among those who were sitting on hunger strike, was admitted in Holy Family hospital on Tuesday due to health deterioration. VC Prof Talat Ahmad personally met him in the hospital on Tuesday. He asked to call off the strike and send a delegation to meet the students.
Meeran Haider said, “We have called off our hunger strike but by other democratic means our struggle will continue. We hope on the next meeting with admin, it will accept our demand of restoration of students’ union.”
Restoration of students’ union and holding elections annually are the 12-year-old demands of the Jamia students. Some students had started to observe the hunger strike on 25th November alleging that the university administration is showing apathy towards their issues and that is why they need students union. While the university says the case about students union is pending in the court and so it cannot restore the union before the final verdict.
Students said that their common issues included lack of hostels, fee hike, scholarships, placement, delay in results etc. They say the administration should focus on these issues but since there is no students’ union, the varsity is not concerned about resolving their issues.
SIO calls for nationwide support
Extending its support to reinstate students’ union in Jamia Millia campus, Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) on Thursday gave a nationwide call to get support from various other central universities, so that the university holds students union elections.
In its statement SIO said, “JMI still is trying to hide the struggle of its own students. Admin is yet to open its eyes towards the demand for democracy. Instead of conducting students’ union election, JMI trying to side track the issue by giving excuses like ‘’ the matter is sub-judice. If the JMI Admin is sincere, they should be ready to file an affidavit in court saying that they will reinstall union election in JMI. We demand JMI to settle the matter as soon as possible by restoring campus democracy through restoration of students’ union.”
Syed Azaharuddin, national media coordinator of SIO while addressing a press conference at Press Club in New Delhi said, “There must be a students’ union to address issues of students. We want Jamia Admin to give an affidavit that they have no objection for holding union elections. Then whatever courts will decide we will obey.”
“We have given a national call to get support from various other central universities for restoration of students’ union in Jamia,” Azaharuddin added.
Besides him Jaseem PP, national secretary, SIO of India, Shariq Ansar, general secretary, Fraternity Movement along with JMI students also featured at the press conference.
