J&K Students Association writes to LOP Rahul Gandhi, seeking intervention against Jamia Millia’s repressive measures

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association on Saturday wrote to the Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, regarding the ongoing suppression of student protests at Jamia Millia Islamia, urging him to raise the issue with the government in the press and public forums.In a letter addressed to Rahul Gandhi, the association’s National Convenor, Nasir Khuehami, highlighted the escalating crackdown on students protesting against administrative high-handedness, arbitrary disciplinary actions, show-cause notices, suspensions, and the erosion of democratic rights on campus.

The letter said that The protests at Jamia Millia Islamia began on December 15, 2024, when students gathered to mark the fifth anniversary of the brutal police crackdown during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) movement in 2019. However, the university administration imposed a blanket ban on all student activities, restricted gatherings, and shut down essential university facilities, including the canteen and library, under the pretext of maintenance to prevent students from assembling.Despite these repressive measures, students proceeded with peaceful demonstrations, only to face retaliatory action from the administration.

Show-cause notices were issued against three PhD scholars—Saurabh Tripathi (Hindi Department), Jyoti (Hindi Department), and Niranjan (Law Department)—accusing them of disrupting campus activities. The administration also formed a disciplinary committee to initiate punitive action against them.Khuehami further elaborated that, In response to this suppression, multiple student organizations, including NSUI, AISA, SFI, CRJD, MSF, SIO, and AIRSO, launched a peaceful sit-in protest on February 10, demanding the immediate withdrawal of show-cause notices, revocation of the memorandum banning student protests, abolition of the ₹50,000 fine imposed for putting up posters or banners, and assurances that no disciplinary action would be taken against students participating in peaceful demonstrations.

He revealed that, Instead of engaging in dialogue, the administration escalated its crackdown. In the early hours of February 13, over 17 students were forcefully detained by police and university security guards, many of whom had their faces covered. These detentions took place between 4 AM and 5 AM, with the students held in custody for nearly 12 hours before being released at 6 PM. Many students were dragged, assaulted, and manhandled, with female students facing particularly egregious violence from security personnel. Also, on February 11, security guards stationed at Gate 7 brutally assaulted and injured multiple students.In a further attempt to dismantle the peaceful sit-in, the administration cut off electricity and locked washrooms, creating distress among students.

These actions not only violated fundamental rights but also demonstrated a deliberate effort to crush democratic expression within the university.Days after students voiced their opposition to this violence, the administration issued an order banning protests, dharnas, and slogans against constitutional dignitaries, warning of strict disciplinary action against those who refused to comply. The Proctor’s office followed this with another notice explicitly threatening consequences for those continuing their protests.He remarked that, The repression of student activism at Jamia Millia Islamia is not new. On August 29, 2022, the administration issued a memorandum stating that any gathering of more than five students within the campus would require prior permission.

This effectively imposed continuous Section 144-like restrictions on campus, enabling the administration to scrutinize and penalize any student gathering exceeding this number. Since then, students have been unable to protest even for basic necessities such as hygienic food, clean water, proper washrooms, or hostel facilities without facing severe administrative action.This memorandum has not only been used to suppress protests but also to stifle other forms of student engagement, including book discussions, academic talks, debates, and even informal cultural events like poetry readings or singing.On February 14, 2025, the university administration escalated its intimidation tactics by publicly pasting notices across campus—particularly at Centenary Gate, Gate Number 7, and Gate Number 8—identifying 17 protesters allegedly involved in the demonstration. The notice included their names, phone numbers, photographs, student IDs, addresses, and political affiliations.

This outrageous act of public shaming, even targeting female students, violated their privacy and exposed them to harassment and potential harm. Such actions set a dangerous precedent, where the administration seeks to name and shame students into submission rather than engaging with their demands.He asserted that, Jamia Millia Islamia today bears the unmistakable marks of a securitized campus, where police presence and surveillance structures have become a permanent fixture. The Delhi Police and paramilitary forces have repeatedly been deployed around the university, intensifying their presence whenever the administration anticipates unrest.What was once an institution known for intellectual resistance is now being transformed into a space of submission, where even cultural events, study circles, and academic discussions are met with suspicion and repression.

The administration is systematically eroding Jamia’s legacy as a bastion of democratic thought and dissent.He further emphasized that, the crackdown at Jamia Millia Islamia is emblematic of a broader attack on students’ rights and academic freedom in India. Universities have long served as spaces for intellectual engagement and political discourse, yet the administration’s continued criminalization of student activism threatens the very foundation of higher education.The arbitrary arrests, suppression of free speech, and violation of students’ privacy are unconstitutional and represent a direct assault on fundamental rights. Treating students as criminals, intimidating them into silence, and using coercive tactics to stifle dissent is an affront to democracy.

The Association also highlighted that Jamia Millia Islamia has historically been a site of resistance, from its anti-colonial origins to its role in the anti-Emergency and anti-CAA movements. Today, the university administration’s attempt to erase its democratic ethos through such undemocratic measures must be strongly opposed.Khuehami urged the Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, to take a firm stand against this institutional oppression, raise the issue in Parliament, and press for an inquiry into the university’s repressive actions.

He emphasized the need to protect Jamia Millia Islamia from the ruinous course of police intervention, infringement on student rights, and violations of privacy.He also urged Rahul Gandhi to demand the withdrawal of unjust disciplinary actions, the revocation of restrictive orders, and the restoration of students’ right to peaceful assembly. His support will not only safeguard Jamia’s democratic spirit but also protect the fundamental rights of students across the country.