Jamia students, alumni sit on 'relay' hunger strike
New Delhi: It has been more than 20 days that students of Jamia Millia Islamia have been protesting against Citizenship Amendment Act, NRC, and police brutality inside the campus on December 15. But the students have found a unique way to continue the peaceful protest by sitting on a "relay hunger strike". Just like the name, the hunger strike that started on Wednesday, will witness at least five students, including alumni of Jamia, sitting on a hunger strike. Speaking to Millennium Post final year student at the university Shahreyar Atish, who was sitting on hunger strike Thursday, said this is a 'Satyagraha" movement.
"This is a relay hunger strike. Every day, five students will sit on hunger strike. At least three students from Jamia and one or two alumnus from the university will together sit on the strike," said Atish.
Every day, different set of group will sit in protest for about 12 hours. "The hunger strike will start at 10 am and will go on till 10 pm," said Atish.
Sitting outside Jamia's gate number – 7, the group held placards and protested against CAA and NRC. "Our first demand is taking back CAA and NRC. Second demand includes investigation on the police brutality both in Jamia and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)," said the young protester.
"We are also demanding that those who have been arrested, be immediately released," he added. The students are also demanding compensation be provided to the kin of the protesters who died during the protest. "The country, in different parts, has also been witnessing continuous internet shutdown, we want the authorities to stop doing that," he said.
The hunger strike entered the second day. The movement has been inspired by the peaceful ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi. "In recent times, people blamed Jamia for getting involved in violence, this is our answer to them. We will protest peacefully," said Atish.
The initiative has been taken by Jamia Coordination Committee, who plans to continue it, as of now. "If our demands are not met or there is no communication regarding this then the hunger strike will get indefinite instead of relay," said Atish.
