Jamia VC addresses and appeals to striking students to call-off their agitation

Jamia Millia Islamia Vice Chancellor, Prof. Talat Ahmad this evening addressed a group of striking students and appealed to them to call off their strike assuring them that their interests would be safeguarded by the university “at all cost”.

Addressing them as their “guardian, their teacher and a Vice Chancellor”, he categorically stated that there was no “police raid’’ and that the police never entered hostel premises. Their presence on campus was a part of routine verification in connection with the Independence Day. It was being wrongly projected that police had entered the hostel.

He, however, strongly condemned the police entering the campus without prior permission of the Chief Proctor. He asked the students, who had been protesting, to maintain peace and not allow misguided elements to play with their future.

He informed them that in keeping with their demand, the Chief Proctor had written to the DCP South East to take action against the erring police personnel. Similarly, the Dean of Students’ Welfare had appealed to them on Aug 14th to maintain calm and work to protect the image of the university. He said that he was open to setting up a committee comprising of teachers and students who would take up the matter with Delhi Police.

 “The environment in the university should not be vitiated and don’t make Jamia a political battleground” an anguished Vice Chancellor told the students, adding that they should be vigilant from becoming a pawn in the hands of people having vested interests.  “Please don’t be influenced by those elements that can’t safeguard your interest.”

Prof. Ahmad told them that to even insinuate that Jamia students are suspects is both ill-founded and misleading and the administration has condemned any attempts to remotely suggest so.

He reminded them that they were good students and the fact that they had secured admission to JMI was a testimony of their high academic credentials. Therefore, at this juncture, students must take utmost care to ensure that their careers are not dented.

He assured them that he will not allow anything adverse to come in the way of their academic work and progress and if so required they can send their representatives to talk to him and that his doors were always open for all JMI students.  

VC Talat

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