Jamia Millia Islamia students issued show cause notices for Dec 15 protest
New Delhi: Several students of Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, have been issued show cause notices by the university administration for participating in protests on December 15.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the students had marked the anniversary of the 2019 police crackdown against students of the university, who had been opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), passed on December 11 that year.
According to the notices, the students have been asked to explain their participation in what the administration described as an unauthorised gathering on the university campus.
The December 15 gathering commemorated the police action at Jamia Millia Islamia in 2019, when Delhi Police entered the campus during protests against the CAA. The incident led to widespread criticism and protests across the country. Several students were injured during the police action, and at least one student sustained permanent loss of eyesight.
Students who participated in the commemoration, said the protest was peaceful and aimed at remembering the events of 2019 and expressing opposition to the CAA, which they said is discriminatory and unconstitutional.
Some students said that the show cause notices were an attempt to intimidate protesters and restrict dissent on campus. Student groups have called for the withdrawal of the notices, stating peaceful assembly and expression are protected rights.
Justice is still awaited in cases related to the December 15 crackdown, in which around 99 protesters were injured and several students suffered serious injuries.
Legal efforts seeking accountability have either been dismissed or remain pending, with little progress over the past six years. The notices were sent to the students on December 18, three days after their protest.
