Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI(M)) leader AA Rahim has written an urgent appeal to Prof Mazhar Asif, Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), expressing deep concern over the recent suspension of students and police action against them for participating in protests.
In his letter, Rahim criticised the disciplinary actions taken against students for "merely exercising their democratic right to protest," warning that such measures "raise serious concerns about the shrinking space for student activism and freedom of expression on university campuses."
The MP emphasised the importance of dissent and student politics in shaping intellectual and democratic spaces within academic institutions.
"Universities should be spaces that encourage free thought, constructive dialogue, and critical engagement rather than sites of suppression and fear," he wrote, adding that suspending students for peacefully voicing their grievances "undermines the very principles of democracy and academic freedom."
Rahim also raised concerns over the invocation of charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in what he described as a "university disciplinary matter." He further pointed out that JMI has lacked a duly elected students' union for nearly two decades, leaving students without a formal representative body to engage in dialogue with the administration.
"In such a scenario, student protests become the only avenue through which legitimate concerns can be voiced," he noted.
Highlighting JMI’s historical legacy as an institution that has stood for democratic values and the empowerment of marginalised voices, Rahim called the recent crackdown on student activism "a direct contradiction to this legacy." He urged the administration to immediately revoke the suspensions and uphold "the principles of academic freedom and the right to peaceful protest, which are fundamental to a thriving academic community."
The appeal comes amid rising tensions over student demonstrations at the university regarding the student union elections, as well as older show-cause notices issued by the administration against protesting students.
