Education dept to resume classes from tom; Fast continues

New Delhi, July 26 (UNI) Jamia Millia Islamia's Faculty of Education will resume classes from tomorrow even as agitating students continued with the indefinite hunger strike on the third day today.

''The Faculty of Education, classes for those courses where admission formalities have been completed will commence from Thursday,'' Jamia spokesperson Rakhshanda Jaleel said.

The Education department is first to resume teaching after the sine die closure of the University on July 19 due to violence in the campus the previous night.

The Zakir Hussain Library will also reopen tomorrow and the admission to the girls hostel has also begun, she said.

The decision was taken at a review meeting and is an attempt to restore normalcy on the campus, she added.

The University today reiterated that admission was denied to 42 applicants who had criminal record and were ''trouble makers''.

The two agitating students-- Union leader Satyaprakash Mishra and Ashraf Kamal-- continued with their fast unto death, demanding action against Vice Chancellor Mushirul Hassan and immediate commencement of the entire academic session.

One more student joined the hunger strike today. Since July 20, students were on a relay hunger strike.

''The University Management has so far not made any effort to talk to us.... It is not interested in the future of the students,'' Mr Mishra said.

''We will fight the injustice meted out to us. The sine die closure of the University was a shameful move. They have denied admission to some students just because they were involved in the University Union elections,'' he said.

Agitating students are demanding immediate commencement of classes in one go, Vice-Chancellor Mushirul Hassan's resignation, police action against Proctor Rocket Ibrahim and his son Ejas and admission for rejected students.

The University asserted that admission of rusticated students was non-negotiable.

''An impression is being created that Jamia Millia Islamia has denied admission to over 100 applicants.This is totally incorrect.... The authorities have refused to entertain the applications of only 42 applicants,'' Ms Jaleel said ''The other fact is that this has been done on disciplinary grounds and in accordance with Statute 31 of the Jamia Act,'' she added.

However, she said if administrative lapse had occurred on part of the University it will be immediately rectified.

''We have formed a Grievance Committee, located in the Dean, Students' Welfare Office, to examine such complaints,'' she clarified.

The Admission process is in progress in the University. The Assistant Registrar (Establishment) has been asked to coordinated with the Deans, Heads of Faculties, Centres and Departments to provide all necessary help to students in the admission process.

Violence erupted on the campus on July 18 after Jamia Students' Union President Shams Pervez and some other students alleged that University staff, including Proctor Rocket Ibrahim, his son Ejas and some unidentified people attacked them when they tried to meet the Vice-Chancellor regarding denial of admission to them.

They also alleged that they were beaten up in the Vice Chancellor's presence.

Mr Pervez and two other students were admitted to hospital with serious injuries. Following the incident, students reportedly went on rampage and damaged Jamia property and some vehicles the same day.

Prof Hassan, while denying the allegations closed the university indefinitely on July 19 as a precautionary measure and asked students to vacate the hostels.

On July 20, Prof Hassan ordered an inquiry by Justice (Retd) S K Aggarwal into the violence but the students rejected it.

The students alleged that ''the perpetrators of violence cannot order a probe and an independent body should look into the matter''.

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