Jamia Millia Islamia Hostel Protest: AISA Alleges Proctor Assaulted Students Over Mess Row

A protest over food quality at Jamia Millia Islamia’s Jammu and Kashmir Girls’ Hostel escalated on Saturday as students continued their demonstration for a third day, with the All India Students’ Association (AISA) alleging that a university assistant proctor assaulted students during a confrontation on Friday night. The university has rejected the allegation and accused some protesters of damaging hostel gates and manhandling members of its proctorial team.

The students began protesting over the quality of food served at the hostel mess, alleging that insects and other foreign objects had been found in the meals. Their demands include cancellation of the existing mess vendor’s contract, appointment of female staff in the mess, action against hostel authorities and an assurance that students participating in the protest will not face disciplinary action.

According to PTI, Jamia initially agreed to change the Jammu and Kashmir Girls’ Hostel mess contractor following the students’ first protest. The students later resumed their demonstration, alleging that the university had failed to implement the assurances given to them.

AISA has alleged that the university failed to implement the assurances regarding the students’ demands. It accused Assistant Proctor Maqsood Ahmad Malik of manhandling and assaulting students near the Dean of Students’ Welfare office around 1 am on Friday, after they resisted his attempts to intimidate them. AISA further alleged that a student’s mobile phone was snatched while she was recording the incident.

The students also claimed that electricity was switched off near the Centenary Gate, where they were protesting, while barricades were placed in the area to isolate them, PTI reported.

The university has disputed the students’ account and said the protesters themselves escalated the situation. University officials claimed that some students broke two hostel gates late Friday night and manhandled members of the proctorial team.

"Students broke two gates of the girls' hostel, putting everyone's security at risk, and manhandled members of the proctorial team," a Jamia Millia Islamia spokesperson said.

The university said most of the students’ demands had been accepted on the first day of the protest. It also said the students were not demonstrating at the designated protest site near Gate No. 18.

On the allegation that the protesters were deliberately denied electricity, the university said lights in certain parts of the campus are routinely switched off as part of energy conservation measures. It maintained that the decision was not linked to the demonstration.

University officials also questioned the timing of the protest, alleging that attempts were being made to create a "media spectacle" while the BRICS summit was underway in the national capital.

The two-day BRICS summit began in Delhi on Saturday.

The protest continued on Saturday, with students maintaining their demands over the mess contractor, staffing, action against hostel authorities and protection from disciplinary action.