Jamia Millia Islamia Uni to reopen in phases

New Delhi, Jul 21: The indefinitely closed Jamia Millia Islamia University will be reopened in phases even as agitating students opposed the decision, demanding immediate commencement of the academic session, in one go.

The students also urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to intervene and esnure classes resume in the university at the earliest.

A meeting of Deans and Head of Departments also decided to complete pending admission process to all courses on July 24.

However, the date for the phased reopening has not been finalised yet.

''The date will also be decided soon.... We are worried about the loss stduents are suffering and that was the reason that the admission process will be taken up on Monday,'' Jamia Spokesperson Rakshanda Jaleel said.

Opposing the decision, the agitating students said the university must immedaitely commence academic session so that ''students don't suffer any more''.

''The management has decided to reopen the university to undertake administrative work and not for the students.... We oppose that...

academics must be given first priority,'' Jamia Students' Union leader Satyaprakash Mishra said.

He alleged that the management was ''indulging in petty politics'' and students were made to suffer.

''What mistake have the students committed that classes are not being conducted,'' he added.

Jamia continued to remain tense on the fourth day today.

The agitating students are demanding the Vice-Chancellor's resignation, police action against the Proctor and his son, withdrawal of sine die closure of the university and admission to rejected students.

Police and Rapid Action Force have been deployed in large numbers on the campus since July 18 when violence broke out in the university, which is closed sine die since July 19.

Angry students held demonstrations in the campus today and raised anti-Vice Chancellor and Proctor slogans.

Injured Students' Union president Shams Pervez, who was one of the six students who went on the relay hunger strike yesterday, was shifted to hospital for some time today.

Another batch of six students today replaced the students who started the hunger strike yesterday.

'We will fight till our demands are accepted.... The University management is now trying to weaken our movement by resorting to stunts of not allowing us to put up tents for the fasting students,'' Mr Mishra said.

UNI