Scholars Call for Dialogue Amid Ongoing Protests at Jamia Millia Islamia University
Scholars and activists respond to ongoing protests at Jamia Millia Islamia, advocating for dialogue and resolution of student demands.
New Delhi, October 26 (Daily Kiran) : Students at Jamia Millia Islamia University continue their protests despite three of their demands being met. On Monday evening, students gathered on campus to voice their concerns, prompting a significant police presence outside the university.
The protests have intensified following the discovery of controversial posters on campus and the filing of FIRs against Congress MPs, including Imran Masood, for unauthorized entry into the university. This situation has drawn reactions from various intellectuals and social activists.
Zeeshan Khan, former social media chief of the NSUI, along with social and women’s rights activist Syeda Hamid and Urdu literature scholar Siddiqur Rahman Kidwai, shared their thoughts on the matter. Kidwai noted that such confrontations and poster campaigns are unprecedented at Jamia. He emphasized that the student and teacher unions have historically resolved issues through dialogue, without resorting to violence or hostility.
Syeda Hamid criticized the university administration’s vague responses to the students’ demands. She stated, “The responses provided are evasive. There should be a clear timeline for action on these demands.”
In support of the movement calling for the reinstatement of the student union, documentary filmmaker Sameena Mishra, a descendant of the university’s co-founder Dr. Zakir Husain, also spoke out. She expressed her deep personal connection to the institution, recalling how her two years as a student shaped her worldview and understanding.
The Jamia administration has stated that discussions are ongoing to maintain peace on campus, while students insist that protests will continue until their demands are addressed concretely.
