Jamia Staff Slam 'Objectionable' Slogans; Campus Shifts to Online Mode
Over 1,500 Jamia Millia Islamia staff and officials slam objectionable slogans on campus walls as university shifts to online mode.
In a major escalation of tensions at Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), over 1,500 teaching and non-teaching staff members, alongside the university's top leadership, have voiced their strong condemnation over the defacement of campus walls with slogans described as highly objectionable. The unrest, stemming from student demands for the restoration of student union elections, has led the university to transition to online mode to maintain order.
Staff and Administration Unite Against Vandalism
On Saturday, a massive gathering took place at the university’s Ansari Auditorium lawns. The meeting was attended by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Mazhar Asif and Registrar Prof. Md. Mahtab Alam Rizvi, who joined faculty and staff to discuss the deteriorating situation on campus. The participants expressed deep dismay over incidents of vandalism, asserting that the writing of offensive slogans undermines the academic sanctity and the 106-year-old legacy of the historic institution.
The gathering unanimously passed two critical resolutions:
- Call to Vacate: Employees urged protesters to immediately leave the protest site and end their agitation to restore peace, specifically calling for the vacation of the Ghalib statue lawns, which they claimed had been illegally occupied despite Gate No. 18 being the designated area for protests.
- Restoring the Campus: Faculty and staff resolved to repaint the defaced walls and cover slogans that they termed detrimental to the nation’s integrity, security, and sovereignty.
Concerns Over National Integrity and Student Futures
The university administration warned that such provocative slogans could cause "irreversible damage" to JMI’s global reputation. Prof. Mazhar Asif and Prof. Md. Mahtab Alam Rizvi expressed grave concern that these actions could negatively impact the credibility of all students, potentially jeopardizing their future employment, placements, and opportunities for higher education.
Teachers, many of whom have served the institution for decades, stated they could not allow the university to be "held to ransom" by a small group of individuals. They also highlighted the spread of misinformation and falsehoods by students on social media, which they believe further damages the institution's standing.
The Conflict Over Student Union Elections
The current unrest is centered on the demand for the revival of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU), which was suspended in 2006 following a history of violent clashes, attacks on faculty, and frequent class disruptions.
A seven-member high-level committee of professors, formed on October 18, has attempted to mediate the crisis. Committee members noted that the current administration has taken unprecedented steps to resolve the two-decade-old issue, including the notification of a JMISU Constitution Draft Committee on October 21—a move they claim no previous Vice-Chancellor or Registrar had initiated since 2006.
Failed Negotiations and Escalation
Despite these efforts, the administration claims the protesting students, some of whom are on a hunger strike, have remained unrelenting. In an attempt to ease tensions, the university issued a notification on October 21 stating that disciplinary actions initiated against protesters between October 12 and October 21 would be reviewed.
However, the university reports that these gestures failed to bring students to the negotiating table. Instead, the administration observed that protesters remained adamant and further escalated the situation by inviting regional and national leaders to the campus.