Jamia Millia Islamia in south Delhi suspended in-person lectures and shifted operations online following a violent confrontation between students and security personnel. The standoff erupted when guards moved to dismantle tents on campus, where protesters have gathered since October 12 to demand the reinstatement of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU). Some students had been on hunger strike, and the removal of their shelters triggered the physical altercation.
Registrar Mahtab Alam Rizvi placed the blame squarely on political interference, claiming the incident occurred a day after Congress MPs Imran Pratapgarhi and Imran Masood entered the premises by climbing over a wall. Rizvi stated that their presence "riled up the students," turning them into "cannon fodder for political narratives," and confirmed a complaint has been filed with Delhi Police. The administration denies the AISA claim that the crackdown was unprovoked, insisting the guards were acting to restore order.
The core dispute centers on the JMISU, a body disbanded in 2006 following campus violence that severely disrupted academic activities. For nearly two decades, the university has operated without an elected student representative body. CPI(M) MP John Brittas highlighted this gap in a letter to Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi dated October 21, citing constitutional protections for free speech and association, along with UGC guidelines and Lyngdoh Committee recommendations.
Tensions on the campus have escalated further due to the appearance of anti-national slogans linked to Jammu and Kashmir on university walls, prompting the BJP to demand a formal investigation. While the administration maintains it is protecting the academic environment, the shift to online classes leaves thousands of students in limbo as the legal and political battles over union status intensify.