Create museum to document police action in Jamia: Students' delegation to VC

A delegation of students have met Jamia Millia Islamia Vice Chancellor Najma Akhtar to demand the creation of a museum in the campus to document the police crackdown, which they likened it with the Jallianwala Bagh incident.

The delegation of 17 students from the Jamia Coordination Committee, formed in the aftermath of protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act, met Akhtar on Thursday and put forth a series of demands.

"We have demanded that the university must reopen. The so-called called 'Winter break' must be called off. Students must be called back," a statement from the students said.

Hostels must be reopened and examinations conducted as "it is important to normalise the university in order for students to come out of this trauma. Counselling must be arranged for any student who wants help," they said.

A museum must be created in the campus to document this "attack" which is no less brutal than the Jallianwala Bagh incident, they claimed.

"History must remember. The slogans on the walls are a commemoration of our struggle, of our resistance. They must be retained," the statement said.

They also demanded that the Jamia Coordination Committee must be given a space in the campus to operate from, and the movement must intensify.

The administration refused to set a time-frame for their response and insisted that they will respond to our demands in 'due time', they said.

Meanwhile, Akhtar said she had spoken to several students who are representing the students of Jamia Millia Islamia.

"They placed their demands before the administration. Several of their ideas were welcome and Jamia administration is looking into them," she said.

The Central Coordination Committee of the Jamia Teachers 'Association (JTA) held a meeting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and a proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) on Friday.

"In the meeting, it was decided that a candlelight vigil will be held by the teachers of JMI on December 23 at the India Gate," they said.

A lecture series on sensitising students about the CAA and NRC will be held once the university opens after winter vacations, according to the statement.