Five Jamia Students Issued Notice for Protesting Israeli Participation at College Event

New Delhi: Five students of Jamia Millia Islamia have been issued a showcause notice for allegedly "disturbing the normal functioning" of the varsity, a week after they demonstrated against an event on campus in which there was a participant from Israel.

The notice said the students had "indulged in acts" that have "tarnished the image of Jamia and disturbed the normal functioning of the university".

The varsity administration said the students broke the lock of the proctor office gate and misbehaved with the guards and the proctorial team of the varsity.

The All India Students' Association (AISA) claimed the students were protesting peacefully against the event. Two of the students issued notices belong to the Left-backed student outfit.

This event was carried out in collaboration with Israel as a country partner, the AISA said.

"The alleged 'crime' these students committed was participating in a protest demonstration on October 5 against the event "Global Health Zenith: Confluence'19" organised by the Faculty of Architecture and Ekistics.

"This event was carried out in collaboration with Israel as a country partner," the AISA said.

The students of Jamia had "peacefully" protested to express their disassociation with the invitation to Israel in the campus as they believe Israel is committing large scale human rights violation in Palestine, the students' body said.

The students expressed their support with the Palestinian resistance and held the protest outside Ansari Auditorium on the day of the event, it added.

It alleged that students were physically assaulted by the university administration for participating in the protest demonstration on that day and instead of taking action against the assaulters, the students are now being subjected to "this vindictive action".

"The event only had one Israel delegate participating in it and there was no association with Israel. He had come to read a paper," Professor Waseem Ahmed Khan, proctor of the varsity, said.

He said the notice was issued on Friday and students have been given time till October 15 to reply to the notice.

"We wanted to have a peaceful dialogue with them but they disturbed the peace on campus and broke the locks. They even misbehaved with the security guards and the deputy proctor and teachers," he said.