New Delhi, Oct 25 An FIR has been filed against Congress MPs Imran Masood and Imran Pratapgarhi along with others on a complaint by Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) accusing them of trespassing on the campus and inciting unrest amid an ongoing agitation for student union elections, sources said on Sunday.
The university authorities had lodged a formal complaint with the Delhi Police against Congress Lok Sabha MP Masood, Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi and others.
Delhi Police have registered an FIR for alleged trespassing against the MPs, who visited JMI to meet protesting students, following a complaint by university authorities, a police source said.
The agitating students have been demanding the reinstatement of the students’ union and withdrawal of disciplinary action against them.
The Students’ Federation of India (SFI), Jamia unit, alleged that hundreds of police personnel detained students outside Gate No. 7 and that authorities were targeting those demanding the restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU).
In a social media post, the SFI described the situation as a crackdown on students. It demanded an end to the detentions and the restoration of the students’ union.
There was no response from police to the allegations.
The developments come a day after the university shifted classes across all courses to online mode, citing concerns over the safety and security of students amid escalating tensions at the protest site.
On Saturday, more than 1,500 teaching and non-teaching staff, along with Vice-Chancellor Mazhar Asif and Registrar Md Mahtab Alam Rizvi, marched from the Ansari Auditorium lawns to Gate No. 7 to persuade the protesting students to call off their agitation.
The university said the staff made repeated appeals for over two hours but the protesters refused to vacate the site. It alleged that some students pushed security guards, staff members and teachers, following which the staff withdrew.
However, the SFI’s Jamia unit alleged that university officials, including the proctor and registrar, along with the security adviser, attempted to forcibly remove protesters who were on hunger strike, dismantled their tents and dragged women students during the confrontation.
A student at the site had also alleged that police personnel were deployed in large numbers outside the campus, with students being prevented from entering and some being dragged away and detained. These allegations could not be independently verified.
The university’s online-class order also directed students to avoid visiting the campus, stating that its gates and libraries would remain closed until further notice.
The protest began nearly two weeks ago over the demand for the restoration of the JMISU, with students pointing out that elections have not been held since 2006.
Four students have been on an indefinite hunger strike, while PhD scholar Sanam has been staging an indefinite sit-in at the Gulistan-e-Ghalib lawns, according to the SFI.
The university said a seven-member committee of professors had held four rounds of talks with the students. It also notified a JMISU Constitution Draft Committee on October 21 and announced that disciplinary action taken or initiated against students over protest-related issues arising from October 12 would be reviewed.
The SFI, however, has demanded that students be included in the constitution-drafting committee, election dates be announced within the ongoing semester and all disciplinary action against protesters be revoked.
It has also sought the resignation of the chief proctor and security adviser over the alleged use of force against students.
The university has maintained that Gate No. 18 is the designated site for protests and that the agitation at the Gulistan-e-Ghalib lawns was an unauthorised occupation.
(PTI News)
