Five students at Jamia Millia Islamia continued their hunger strike for a 13th day on Saturday, refusing to end their protest until Jamia restores its students’ union.
The dispute has widened after disciplinary action against protesters, allegations of a crackdown and a row over “Free Kashmir” graffiti, even as the administration has appointed a committee to draft a union constitution.
Congress MP Imran Masood, who was briefly detained by Delhi Police on Friday evening while trying to meet the protesters, also rejected claims that such slogans had been raised at the protest. Samajwadi Party MP Mohibullah Nadwi was also detained outside the university, according to a report published on Saturday. Protesters also want disciplinary penalties withdrawn and the university’s chief proctor to resign over the treatment of students during the agitation. The university has also offered to review disciplinary action taken during the protest.
The indefinite protest began on October 12. On October 18, the administration appointed a seven-member committee to speak with students. It later set up a separate five-member panel to draft a constitution for the proposed union, with a deadline of December 20.
Student Jasim Ali Khan, who says he has been fasting since the first day, told ANI that the demands now go beyond restoring the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU). “Kashmir is an integral part of India,” he told ANI.
