NEW DELHI: Several students of Jamia Millia Islamia have been served show-cause notices by the university administration for taking part in a protest on December 15 to mark the anniversary of the 2019 police action on the campus during demonstrations against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The December 15 agitation was organised to commemorate the police crackdown of 2019, when Delhi Police personnel entered the Jamia campus amid protests against the CAA, an incident that sparked nationwide outrage. The crackdown left several students injured, and at least one student permanently lost his eyesight.

According to students, there was no disruption of academic activity, and the gathering was conducted without violence or damage to university property.

They reiterated their opposition to the CAA, which they believe is discriminatory on religious grounds and inconsistent with constitutional principles.

The notices, issued days after the event, seek explanations from the students for allegedly violating the university regulations by taking part in what the administration has termed an “unauthorised gathering.”

The issue of show-cause notices has drawn sharp criticism from students and campus groups, who allege that the move is intended to intimidate students and discourage dissent. Many have argued that penalising students for peaceful protest undermines democratic values and restricts freedom of expression within educational spaces. Student organisations have called on the university administration to withdraw the notices.

“The protest was meant to honour those who suffered police violence and to reaffirm our commitment to constitutional ideals,” said a student who took part in the gathering, requesting anonymity.