Jamia reopens after eight-day closure; Hunger strike continues

New Delhi, July 27 (UNI) The Jamia Millia Islamia University reopened today, after the closure of eight days, even as agitating students continued with their indefinite strike on the fourth day.

Classes in all departments resumed today with no untoward incident being reported.

''Teaching resumed in the University today and everything went off smoothly. No untoward incident was reported,'' Jamia spokesperson Rakhshanda Jaleel said.

Vice Chancellor Mushirul Hassan yesterday lifted the sine die closure of the university after Proctor Rocket Ibrahim, who the students alleged was involved in an attack on them, resigned. On July 19, the university was indefinitely closed due to violence on the campus the previous night.

However, the fasting students, who are on a fast since July 24 refused to relent and decided to continue with the strike.

They are demanding the withdrawal of an FIR against them, admission applications of all ''genuine'' students to be reconsidered and inquiry into July 18 incident by an independent body.

''The proctor's resignation should have come earlier. We will continue with our fast unto death till the FIR against six students, including Jamia students' union president Shams Pervez, is withdrawn,'' Students' Union leader Satyaprakash Mishra said.

He said the university management must ''properly consider'' admission applications of genuine students.

''Justice must be done to all the students and their academic session should not go waste. We are not talking about the resitutedstudents but only the ones who are seriously pursuing their degrees,'' he added.

''The University Management has so far not made any effort to talk to us.... Of they are making appeals through the media why can't they talk to us directly,'' 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.

Three agitating students-- Union leader Satyaprakash Mishra and Ashraf Kamal and K M Faheem -- continued with their fast unto death, demanding action against the Vice Chancellor also.

Mr Ibrahim stepped down from his office last night to facilitate the inquiry into the violent incidents that rocked the university on July 18.

The Vice-Chancellor accepted his resignation and appointed Prof Masood Alam in his place.

Prof Hassan appealed to the fasting students to withdraw their agitation and convey the grievances, if any, to the Dean Students' Welfare.

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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