Notwithstanding the fact that the Delhi Police has not registered an FIR against the police personnel for their brutality against the students from the periphery of the University to the inside of the library, the Jamia Coordination Committee has decided to shift the protest site from Gate no. 7 to Gate no. 4 in view of the Delhi elections, for two days -7-8 February 2020 in deference to an appeal made by the Delhi police through the University administration. Some students, under protest of the non-registration of the FIR are boycotting exams. Students participate in their classes and take turns to be part of the ongoing protest relentlessly.

JAMIA COORDINATION COMMITTEE OF THE PROTESTING STUDENTS, who are on the streets demanding the punishment of the guilty police personnel who mercilessly attacked them on 15 December have decided to shift the protest site from Gate No. 7 to Gate No. 4 in response to the request made by the Registrar of the University who in turn had received a request from the Delhi Police.

In a press note issued to the media, the JCC has said, “We make it abundantly clear that upholding the democratic ideals of the country is at the forefront of our movement against CAA. We recognise and reiterate that the electoral process is an essential element of the democratic functioning of the State and we shall cooperate fully in the free and fair conduct of the elections. Respecting the model code of conduct which prohibits canvassing by political parties within 100mtrs of a polling station, we have decided to move our protest to Gate no. 4 of the university. “

Though the police had sought the removal of the protestors from the road with the excuse of the elections, the JCC has shifted the protest to Gate No. 4, which is in no way a hindrance to the electoral process.

The press note read, “This is being done to ensure that voters do not face any problems in entering and exiting the polling station. We will also ensure that the traffic is not hampered because of the protest so that voters do not face any difficulty in reaching the polling station. We expect the administration and police authorities to also cooperate with us and ensure that no ‘untoward’ incident takes place with the peaceful protestors.”

“Our fight is for the protection of the constitutional ideals of the country and to protect our freedom of speech and expression including our right to dissent. We condemn the unapologetic manner in which the university administration has used the election as bait to exercise pressure on the students to end the protest against the CAA, NRC and the NPR.”

The Jamia Coordination Committee has chastised the Jamia University administration telling them that, “The administration dusts away responsibility by saying that they are not responsible for the safety of protestors on the road while they could not ensure the security of university students even inside the university library on the 15th of December. This failure has still not been accepted by the administration. It must be noted that this attempt by the administration to create a binary between the protestors of the locality and the protestors of the university is an extremely vain attempt to raise questions on the character of the dissenters and shall not be tolerated.

“The fascist state and its machinery, which includes a mute police force, must be resisted and that resistance must be on the roads of this country. It is shocking that the police openly claims that it cannot ensure the safety and security of its citizens! This is a clear indication of the country being in utter chaos and lawlessness. And all the more reason to be out on the roads.”

Condemning the University role in dividing the students into categories of protestors and non-protestors, the JCC noted that, “A few days back the administration had issued a notice in the boys’ hostels advising students to distinguish themselves from the ‘agitating students’ as such students are disrupting the functioning of the university. By maligning the image of the protestors, the administration uses shameful pressure tactics to disband the protest.”

It is ironical that “the police force which stood as shameful spectators to the Hindutva terrorist attack on the march called on 30th of January 2020 by JCC, is now concerned about any ‘untoward’ incident at the protest site. A student was shot in broad daylight in full spectacle of the police force that was brought to stop the students from marching peacefully to Rajghat. If the police have no intention of ensuring our security and on the contrary acts as a mute spectator to terrorist attacks on the students, then are we as citizens safe in any corner of the country ?”

Making their intention clear to restart the protest again Gate no. 7 from 9 February onwards, the Jamia Coordination Committee said, “The fascist state and its machinery, which includes a mute police force, must be resisted and that resistance must be on the roads of this country. It is shocking that the police openly claims that it cannot ensure the safety and security of its citizens! This is a clear indication of the country being in utter chaos and lawlessness. And all the more reason to be out on the roads.”

Resistance shall go on.