New Delhi, Oct. 28 -- The standoff at Jamia Millia Islamia deepened on Wednesday as the indefinite hunger strike entered its critical 17th day. Protesting students flatly rejected the administration's latest verbal overtures, demanding a legally binding, written timeline for the restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students' Union (JMISU) whose elections have remained suspended since 2005.
The crisis escalated further as the university issued a fresh office order extending online classes and remote end-semester examinations through December 24, citing an unconducive campus environment. The administrative lockdown coincides with a worsening health crisis among the fasters. Dr. Rehana, who has monitored the hunger strikers since day one, reported alarming drops in sodium and potassium levels. Reports from the Ansari Health Centre reveal mounting complications across lipid profiles, liver and kidney function tests (LFT/KFT), and complete blood counts (CBC), alongside urinal tests to monitor hydration.
The toll on individual students is severe. Ebin Basil has been on hunger strike for 17 days, suffering a weight loss of 7.1 kgs, while Rehan Khan, on strike for 14 days, has lost 4 kgs. They are joined by Ritik and Altaf (3 days each) and Abuzar (2 days). Amid the tension, Jamia NSUI president Faizan Ali Khan was detained by police, heard in videos desperately asking for his phone and expressing fears for his safety.
Negotiations led by a faculty delegation headed by the Dean of the Faculty of Sciences broke down late Tuesday night. Students pressed their written charter, demanding that the union constitution be drafted and approved by December 20, 2026, elections formally announced within 15 days, and the entire voting process concluded by February 5, 2027, factoring in the holy month of Ramzan. While administrators verbally floated matching dates later, they refused to put them in writing
or arrange a direct meeting with Vice-Chancellor Mazhar Asif, abruptly calling off talks.
Condemning the high-handedness, former History Professor Gopinath Ravindran penned an open letter criticizing the administration for converting the historic university into a "prison" and recalling that Jamia's legacy was built during the Non-Cooperation Movement. Joint student bodies including AIDSO, AISA, AIRSO, DISHA, DISSC, Fraternity Movement, MSF, SFI, SIO, and United Students of Jamia have vowed that the sit-in will continue until their precise demands are met in writing.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.