Jamia Coordination Committee takes note of coronavirus situation, temporarily calls off anti-CAA strike

In the backdrop of coronavirus pandemic the Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC) has temporarily called off their strike which had been ongoing for more than three months at gate number 7 of the Jamia Millia Islamia University.

The strike which began on December 12, 2019 against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the National Population Register (NPR) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) was called off on Saturday by the JCC.

One of the students of the varsity, who has played a prominent role in organising the protest told ANI that the protest has been called off in solidarity with the nation during the coronavirus crisis.

"Jamia is an institution where students come, we respect the Constitution and are in solidarity with the nation. We will therefore not hold the sit-in protest here till March 31. We do not want to commit any mistakes which might put the blame on us, neither do we want the coronavirus to spread because of us. The country comes first, and we will resume the strike with double the vigour once this period is passed," Faraz Khan said.

Earlier yesterday, the Jamia Millia Islamia University Teachers Association had urged the anti-CAA protesters across the country to suspend their agitation, including that at Shaheen Bagh, in the face of coronavirus outbreak.

In a letter addressed to protesters, the Teachers' Union said, "Jamia Teachers' Association (JTA) respects the spirit of your fight and sentiments to get equal rights and treatment in your own country as framed in the Indian Constitution."

"At present, the world is facing a situation of health emergency posed by a highly contagious virus called coronavirus causing COVID-19 disease. There are around 2.85 lakh cases reported so far worldwide including more than 280 in India.

"The WHO has already declared COVID-19 as global pandemic disease and India is under huge threat of spreading through 'human to humans', thus forming an infection web. Therefore, JTA urges you all to immediately suspend the protest, including at Shaheen Bagh and those on the model of Shaheen Bagh, in the interest of nation and humanity," the JTA said.

There have been so far 315 positive cases of coronavirus in the country so far.