Protest against Jamia professor takes ugly turn
New Delhi: The campus of Jamia Millia Islamia University reverberated with slogans against the administration when the protesters were allegedly thrashed by a group of students close to the head of the department of applied arts. Around 200 students were protesting against alleged unfair means of assessment, favoritism and sexist comments by the HoD in the campus, however the protest entered into the ninth day on Friday.
"We were on a peaceful protest against the unfair means of assessment when a group of students on instructions of the HOD had started beating us up. They pulled the dupattas (scarves) of female students and groped them. We were pulled by our hair. These are favorite students of our HOD who is the only permanent faculty in the department and is re-appointed each time after his tenure," a second-year arts student said.
On Thursday, "The protesting students moved their protest from gate number 7 to the department in an attempt to 'talk to the HOD' when a group of students allegedly manhandled them. The professor, on the other hand, alleged that he was held captive inside his studio by students who were protesting outside his room for five hours. The professor alleged when he tried to step out of the studio to take his classes, students tried to thrash him when the university security intervened," said an official.
"University Administration has already assured protesting students that all their demands will be looked into. Selection committee of guest teachers will be held to meet the shortage of teachers in the Department of Applied Arts. Classes in the Department of Applied Arts and other departments of Faculty of Fine Arts are running as usual," said Ahmad Azeem, media cordinator, JMI.
He also added that university administration spoke to protesting students several times and listened to their grievances and assured all possible efforts for the redressal.
Azeem also added that university administration has also sent Prof. Hafeez Ahmad, HoD, Applied Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts on leave. Dean, Faculty of Fine Arts, Prof. Nuzhat Kazmi will be the officiating HoD, Department of Applied Arts and suspended the three students, who manhandled the female students during the protest.