Febraury 15 marked two months since girls and boys of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) University were brutally attacked within the campus by the police. To mark this occasion, , the students of JMI organized a solemn meeting at the university gate. They were joined by students from other universities in Delhi and different parts of the country. Women participated in large numbers. Members of the Lok Raj Sangathan participated and expressed their solidarity with the friends, teachers and relatives of the victimized students.
Speakers recalled the barbaric police attack on the students agitating peacefully within the campus, against the CAA/NRC/NPR. Even students studying in the library were not spared. Police forced their way into the library and residences of the students, brutally beat up everyone they could and left them bruised and battered. Women students were assaulted and beaten up.
Speakers hailed the courageous students of Jamia Millia Islamia, who refused to be terrorised by these ferocious attacks. They have continued the struggle for justice, for the rights of all, and against the CAA and NRC. The have boldly faced many attacks of the state. A protest march by the students on February 10 was attacked by a barbaric police lathi charge, during which several students were injured and female students were assaulted sexually. There were repeated and concerted attempts by the state to organize provocations and a shoot-out, to spread anarchy and discredit the struggle.
The students of Jamia Millia have bravely defied all these attacks and provocations of the authorities. They have continued to hold daily protest meetings at the university gate, which have been attended by thousands of people. They have condemned the attempts of the state to divide and terrorise people through the CAA/NC/NPR. Many academicians, artists, musicians and film personalities, student leaders, leaders of political parties, women’s organisations, tribal, dalit and other rights organisations have attended these meetings and expressed their solidarity with the struggle. The daily meetings have been peaceful and marked by a high degree of discipline and organization, with every care being taken to keep out all kinds of provocateurs.
Speakers at the meeting hailed the courageous struggle of the students of JMI, which has lit the spark of protest among students all over the country. They pointed to the increasing state organized violence against students in JNU, AMU and other universities. Speakers emphasized that the state attacks on the students were part of the effort of the rulers to crush the struggle of our students and youth against the increasing privatization of education and against the failure of the state to provide employment and a secure future for the youth.
