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13 Instances Of Anti-India Activities At Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi

October 24, 2024
The Commune

Jamia Millia Islamia University witnessed a scuffle between two groups of students during a Diwali event on 23 October 2024. The university administration blamed “outsiders” for instigating the chaos, calling it a “sponsored” effort to disrupt the campus’s peaceful atmosphere. The event remained peaceful until 7:30 PM, when unidentified individuals began raising slogans, leading to counter-sloganeering and a scuffle that involved the destruction of a rangoli. Communal and pro-Palestine slogans were allegedly chanted by both sides. Vice-Chancellor Mohammed Shakeel assured that strict action would be taken against the troublemakers once identified. A formal complaint was lodged with the Jamia Nagar police, and police and paramilitary forces were deployed outside the university as a precaution. No students were detained, and non-students were removed from the scene by the police.

This is not the first time that anti-India activities have occurred at Jamia Millia Islamia University. Here is a list of 12 other instances of anti-India activities that took place there over the years.

1. Jamia PhD Student Arshad Warsi, Arrested In ISIS Pune Terror Module Case – October 2023

On 2 October 2023, Mohammad Arshad Warsi, arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell for his involvement in the ISIS Pune module, was also linked to the conspirators behind the anti-Hindu riots in Delhi in 2020. A Ph.D. student at Jamia Millia Islamia, Warsi played a key role in the communal violence during the CAA-NRC protests and was in contact with Sharjeel Imam. Alongside Warsi, two other suspects, Shahnawaz and Mohammed Rizwan Ashraf, were apprehended; Shahnawaz had previously evaded capture despite being wanted. Investigations revealed that the trio had engaged in extensive online radicalization and planned terrorist attacks, leading to the seizure of bomb-making materials and firearms.

2. Protest Erupts Against CAA – March 2024

On 11 March 2024, shortly after the Government of India announced the rules for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), protests erupted at Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi, led by the Muslim Students Federation (MSF) and the Congress-affiliated National Students’ Union of India (NSUI). The university’s Vice Chancellor, Eqbal Hussain, declared that no protests would be permitted on or near the campus, tightening security to prevent any agitation. In response, MSF condemned the government’s move as “fascist” and shared videos of their gathering at the central canteen. NSUI echoed similar sentiments, calling the CAA unconstitutional and labeling it a “farce.” Despite their strong objections, they did not clarify their rationale for protesting against what they deemed a diversion from “real issues.”

3. Jamaat-E-Islami (JeI)-Backed Student Group In Jamia Millia Islamia – October 2023

On 13 October 2023, during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, a student group at Jamia Millia Islamia expressed support for Hamas. Students affiliated with the Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) were seen wearing badges and headbands inscribed with “with Hamas” and chanting slogans like “Intifada Inquilab.” This demonstration was part of a larger call for “global jihad” initiated by Hamas leaders. The SIO, along with other leftist and Islamist student groups, mobilized students to show solidarity with Palestine and hope for the downfall of Israel, responding to calls for action from Hamas leaders.

4. ‘Fight For Allah’: A Student’s Platform Champions Supremacist Causes At Jamia – May 2023

The organization ‘Al Haya Min Allah,’ founded in 2019, was operating at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and Jamia Millia Islamia with a highly controversial agenda. Under the guise of promoting Islamic values, it ran the ‘Haya’ campaign, which propagates Islamic fundamentalism, anti-democratic views, and supremacist ideologies. The organization rejected democracy, advocating for Sharia law and dismissing other religions as false. Its activities included door-to-door campaigns, promoting hijab for women, and campaigns against Hindu festivals like Holi. Al Haya Min Allah also opposed nationalism, labeling it a “ridiculous ideology” and criticized secularism and liberalism. The group actively participated in anti-CAA protests, supporting figures like Sharjeel Imam and opposing the Indian Constitution, which it deemed “fascist.” The organization’s promotion of radical views, its communal stance, and its patriarchal agenda raised significant concerns about its influence on impressionable students at AMU and Jamia.

5. Jamia Students Create Ruckus After Varsity Cancels Admission Of Delhi Riots Accused Safoora Zargar – September 2022

Students at Jamia Millia Islamia University protested after the institution revoked the admission of Safoora Zargar, an accused in the Delhi riots. Slogans like “RSS Ki Kabr Khudegi” were raised by the protesters. Zargar’s admission to the MPhil/PhD program was canceled due to unsatisfactory progress and failure to submit her dissertation within the stipulated time, despite a COVID-19 extension. Zargar was arrested in April 2020 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for her alleged role in the Delhi riots conspiracy. She was granted bail in June 2020 on humanitarian grounds after the Central Government raised no objections.

6. Jamia Engg Student Mohsin Ahmed Turns Out To Be ISIS Terrorist – August 2022

On 7 August 2022, the NIA arrested Jamia Millia Islamia student Mohsin Ahmed Khan from Delhi’s Batla House for collecting funds for ISIS. Mohsin, originally from Patna, was an active member of ISIS, running campaigns both on-ground and online. He collected funds from India and abroad, transferring them to Syria via cryptocurrency. The NIA is investigating his connections and the extent of his involvement. Mohsin’s family denies the charges, claiming he was innocent and portraying him as a charitable person. He was reported by classmates and found to be in contact with 35 ISIS commanders in Syria.

7. Delhi Riots Accused Jamia ‘Student’ Found Welcoming Taliban Rule In Viral Audio Clip – August 2021

Asif Iqbal Tanha, a Jamia Millia Islamia student and Delhi riots accused sparked controversy on 15 August 2021, by praising the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan during a conversation on Twitter Space. Tanha celebrated the resignation of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and hailed the establishment of the Islamic Emirate, urging others to draw inspiration from the Taliban’s “freedom movement.” Tanha, a member of the Students Islamic Organisation (SIO), had been arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for his role in the 2020 Delhi riots. He admitted to organizing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), inciting violence, and delivering provocative speeches nationwide. Tanha also confessed to orchestrating protests under the guise of peaceful marches to encourage more participation. Following his release after 13 months in jail, he expressed joy on social media. Tanha’s comments were supported by journalist Ali Sohrab, known for his controversial content.

8. FIR Registered Against Jamia Millia Islamia Law Student Mahoor Parvez In UP – May 2020

Jamia Millia Islamia student Mahoor Parvez was booked in Bulandshahr, UP, for referring to Indian soldiers martyred in a Handwara encounter as “war criminals” in an Instagram post. A complaint was filed by Bajrang Dal member Praveen Bhati, accusing Parvez of sowing division in society. She was charged under non-bailable IPC sections and the IT Act. Parvez had claimed Indian forces had been illegally occupying Kashmir for over 70 years and criticized the glorification of soldiers as martyrs. After backlash, she deleted her social media accounts. Some Islamists defended her remarks as “freedom of expression.”

9. Jamia Student Shadab Najar Bats For Islamic Terrorism In Kashmir – May 2020

Shadab Najar, a student from Jamia Millia Islamia who was injured during the Citizenship Amendment Act protests, expressed support for Islamic terrorism in Kashmir. He shared an Al Jazeera article quoting Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riaz Naikoo, who advocated violence against Indian forces. Najar’s social media activity has long shown his radical views, including posts likening the Indian Army to terrorists and spreading false claims about the military. He also supported conspiracy theories after the Pulwama attack. His recent post backing the Hizbul commander is part of a pattern of pro-terrorist rhetoric from some Jamia students.

10. Delhi Police Arrest Jamia Alumni Association President Shifa Ur-Rehman – April 2020

Shifa-Ur-Rehman, president of the Jamia Alumni Association, was arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell under the UAPA for his alleged involvement in the 2020 Delhi Anti-Hindu riots. He was caught on CCTV in riot-hit areas, and evidence such as call records and WhatsApp messages suggested his role in inciting violence. Police claim he coordinated protests and received funding from Jamia alumni in the Middle East. Other leaders, including Umar Khalid, Meeran Haider, and Safoora Zargar, have also been arrested under UAPA for their roles in what police describe as a “premeditated conspiracy” behind the riots.

11. RJD leader & Jamia PhD Student Meeran Haider Arrested For Instigating Violence – April 2020

Meeran Haider, a 35-year-old Jamia Millia Islamia PhD student and president of the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s youth wing in Delhi, was arrested by Delhi Police for his involvement in instigating violence during the 2020 anti-Hindu Delhi riots. Accused of mobilizing around 60 people, Haider allegedly used WhatsApp groups to incite riots and was present in the Chand Bagh area during the unrest, which left 53 dead and over 400 injured. His role in funding the violence and protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is under investigation. The Jamia Coordination Committee condemned his arrest as baseless.

12. Jamia Millia Islamia ‘Suspends’ Professor Who failed Non-Muslim Students For Supporting CAA – March 2020

Jamia Millia Islamia University suspended Dr. Abrar Ahmad, an assistant professor, for claiming in a tweet that he failed 15 non-Muslim students for supporting the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in March 2020. In the now-retracted tweet, Ahmad also threatened the students, suggesting a majority of Muslim students would target them if they continued supporting the CAA. Following widespread criticism, Ahmad claimed his tweet was a “parody” meant to illustrate perceived discrimination. However, the university has suspended him pending an investigation. The CAA grants fast-tracked citizenship to persecuted minorities from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, excluding Indian citizens.

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