Jamia Millia Islamia students gathered at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday, February 20, to protest the suspension of 17 students for participating in campus demonstrations, calling the action arbitrary and unjust.
The protest, supported by student groups such as Fraternity, AISA (All India Students Association), CRJD (Chhatra Rashtriya Janata Dal), SIO (Students Islamic Organisation of India) NSUI (National Students' Union of India), SFI (Students' Federation of India), AIRSO (All India Revolutionary Students Federation), AIDSO (All India Democratic Students' Organisation), and JNUSU (Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union), demanded the immediate revocation of the suspensions and an end to what they see as a broader clampdown on student activism.
The university recently suspended two PhD scholars for allegedly organising Jamia Resistance Day on December 15, an event marking the anniversary of the 2019 anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests. Their case is set for review by a disciplinary committee on February 25. Protesters argue that these actions are part of a systematic crackdown on dissent within the campus.
Addressing the gathering, student leader Anjan Azad emphasised that the issue extends beyond Jamia. “If we look at the past five years, every major resistance has started from here. Back then, we fought to protect secularism; today, we are fighting to save democracy. Jamia has always stood for core values and shown the way forward. That is why students from across universities, civil society members, and progressive democratic groups are standing in solidarity,” he stated.
The demonstration itself faced obstacles, as authorities initially denied permission for the protest.
“Except for ABVP, all student organisations are standing with us. First, we were denied completely, and then we were given just an hour to protest,” Azad said.
Amidst these developments, Jamia students are now preparing to take legal action against what they describe as unjust disciplinary measures. “We have reached out to our legal advocates, and they are drafting a petition, which will be filed soon. The petition will challenge the memorandum, the suspension letters, the campus ban, and the breach of privacy — all on constitutional grounds. We are also demanding ‘Walls of Democracy’ on campus, as we currently have no space to express ourselves — even posters are not allowed,” Azad added.
