Congress MPs face FIR amid Jamia student union stir

An FIR has reportedly been filed against Congress MPs Imran Masood and Imran Pratapgarhi for 'trespassing' on the campus of Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia University. The FIR was filed on a complaint by the university, which accused them of trespassing on the campus and inciting unrest amid the ongoing protest over students' union demand.

The protest at Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) in Delhi continued on Sunday, with students demanding the restoration of the students’ union and four protesters remaining on hunger strike.

Around 200 students were inside the university campus as security personnel took up positions outside the premises in large numbers. Access to the protest site through Gate No 7 and nearby gates has been restricted, with students alleging they are not allowed to carry food or water inside.

Meanwhile, the university has lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police against Congress Lok Sabha MP Imran Masood, Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi and others, accusing them of trespassing on campus and inciting unrest during a student agitation for

union elections. Police personnel have also repeatedly made announcements over loudspeakers, asking students to vacate the campus and nearby footpaths.

The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) has alleged that hundreds of police personnel detained students outside Gate 7. A group of students has been demanding the restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU), and four of them have been on a 13-day hunger strike. In a social media post, the SFI described the situation as a crackdown on students.

The students have three key demands: the announcement of a date for students’ union elections, the removal of the chief proctor, and the withdrawal of disciplinary action taken against protesting students.

On Saturday, the university shifted classes online, citing security concerns. The same day, the university said “more than 1,500” teaching and non-teaching staff, along with Vice-Chancellor Mazhar Asif and Registrar Md Mahtab Alam Rizvi, marched from the Ansari Auditorium lawns to Gate 7 to persuade the protesting students to call off their agitation.

The university said the staff made repeated appeals over nearly two hours, but the protesters refused to vacate the site.

According to a student, a heavy deployment of police has been made outside the campus, and students are being stopped from entering and even being detained.  In its online class order, the university also directed students to avoid visiting campus, stating that its gates and libraries would remain closed until further notice.