Palestinian symbolism fuels the AMU movement against fee hike
NEW DELHI: The protests at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) have once again thrust the institution into the centre of a national debate on the boundaries of free expression and student politics. What began as a demonstration against a sharp hike in university fees quickly expanded into a wider show of solidarity with Palestine, with students unfurling flags, chanting slogans, and drawing parallels between their struggle for affordable education and the Palestinian fight for dignity and self-determination.
The police have since registered FIRs against several students, including campus leader Talha Mannan, drawing criticism from rights activists and academics alike. For many, the filing of cases against students reflects a growing pattern of attempts to silence dissent on Indian campuses. Authorities, however, maintain that the protests went beyond the acceptable limits of expression and could inflame tensions, pointing to the sensitive political overtones of the Palestinian issue.
Yet the episode at AMU cannot be viewed in isolation. Across India, universities such as JNU, Jamia Millia Islamia, and Delhi University have witnessed similar flashes of solidarity with global causes, from Palestine to climate change. Students argue that institutions of higher learning must remain spaces of free debate, where questions of justice, local or international, can be articulated without fear of reprisal.
The symbolism of Palestine within this movement is particularly striking. For AMU’s students, raising the Palestinian flag has become a statement not only of international solidarity but also of defiance against what they perceive as growing authoritarianism at home. In their view, linking fee hikes to Palestine is not a diversion but a reminder that struggles against marginalisation whether in Aligarh or Gaza are interconnected.
The controversy highlights a dilemma: should campuses be policed into conformity, or remain dissenting spaces where young voices challenge orthodoxy? The answer decides if universities nurture engagement or retreat into
fearful silence.
