Delhi Police detained Congress MP Imran Masood and Samajwadi Party MP Mohibbullah Nadvi on Friday at Jamia Millia Islamia as they tried to meet students demanding the reinstatement of the students' union. The campus protest, which began on October 12, has escalated into an indefinite hunger strike, with students demanding an official election schedule for the 2026-27 academic year.
The students' grievances extend beyond representation. They cite inadequate academic facilities, strict attendance policies, substandard hostel conditions, insufficient scholarships and low research stipends. The unrest follows the dissolution of the union in 2006 and the last election held in 2005, leaving the campus without democratic student representation for more than two decades.
Controversial slogans such as "Free Kashmir" and "Free Sharjeel Imam" surfaced on campus walls, prompting Imran Masood to denounce any calls for national disintegration. Masood insisted that Kashmir remains an integral part of India and accused the BJP of creating such slogans to provoke unrest. The university administration condemned the slogans, removed the writing with chemical agents, and is probing allegations of vandalism and CCTV tampering.
Nadvi, a Jamia alumnus, claimed police detained him while traveling to meet the protesters and said he felt it was his duty to support the students. He was later released, and photographs of his detention circulated on social media. Masood expressed solidarity with expelled students, calling them the future of the country and stating he would give his life for their rights.
The university has begun investigations into the vandalism and the students remain on a hunger strike, demanding a meeting to address the union issue. Police continue to monitor campus security, while the administration prepares to respond to the students' demands in the coming days.