Several students at Jamia Millia Islamia have been served show-cause notices by the university authorities for taking part in a protest on December 15 that marked the anniversary of the 2019 police action during demonstrations against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), which protesters have described as unconstitutional.
The notices, issued days after the event, ask the students to explain their alleged violation of university rules by participating in what the administration has termed an “unauthorised gathering” on campus.
The December 15 protest commemorated the 2019 crackdown, when Delhi Police entered the Jamia campus during anti-CAA protests, sparking nationwide outrage. Several students were injured during the operation, and at least one student suffered permanent loss of eyesight, Maktoob Media reported.
Participants said the commemoration was peaceful and intended to remember the events of 2019 while reiterating opposition to the CAA, which they argue discriminates on religious grounds and violates constitutional values.
Students have alleged that the show-cause notices are meant to intimidate them and suppress dissent on campus. Student groups have demanded that the notices be withdrawn, asserting that peaceful protest and freedom of expression are fundamental rights.