JMI bans entry of 3 ex-students, including Safoora Zargar's, for "agitating" on campus
New Delhi, Sep 17: Jamia Millia Islamia has banned the entry of its three former students, including the 2020 riots accused Safoora Zargar, on its campus for "agitating" in the university over an "irrelevant and objectionable" issue.
Signed by the chief proctor, the orders dated September 14 said the competent authority has approved a campus ban on ex-students for maintaining a peaceful academic environment.
An activist and scholar, Zargar made headlines due to her alleged involvement in the anti-CAA protests after the Citizenship Amendment Act was passed by the Parliament in December 2019.
Besides Zargar, the orders have been issued against two more ex-students of Jamia Millia Islamia, it said.
While the language in the orders against the two former students is similar, the notification against Zargar mentions her involvement in organising agitations, protests and marches on the campus "against the irrelevant and objectionable issues to disturb the peaceful academic environment".
"She is instigating innocent students of the University and trying to use the University platform for her malafide political agenda along with some other students," the order read.
It further said that Safoora is hampering the normal functioning of the institution.
The order has come days after the university cancelled the admission of scholar Zargar due to "unsatisfactory" progress in her thesis work.
Zargar has refused to comment on the campus ban.
She along with several other students has been staging protests against the cancellation of her admission.
"Safoora Zargar is an ex-student of M. Phil, Dept. of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences. She is one of the accused of conspiracy with other persons to instigate and start riots in northeast Delhi on 23.02.2020. She was booked under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), 1967 by Delhi Police..." the order stated.
"Her name was removed from M. Phil because of non-submission of M. Phil dissertation within the given period despite giving several chances and she is not a student of Jamia Millia Islamia," it added.
The notices issued against two former students stated that they were at the forefront of the unauthorised gatherings of students on the campus several times including one which took place in the University's Central Canteen on August 30.
They have been found involved in organising agitations, protests and marches on the campus despite not being JMI's students, the university added.
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Marxism will remain relevant despite Left electoral's losses, says general secretary M A Baby
New Delhi (PTI): CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby on Thursday asserted that the Left movement would remain relevant despite not being in power in any state, saying the ideology would continue to endure as long as social and economic inequalities persist.
Hitting back at BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar over his reported remarks that Marxism had become irrelevant, Baby, in an interview with PTI Videos, said, "So long as there is division in society, so long as there is exploitation of the majority of workers, peasants and ordinary masses by a handful of billionaires, Marxism will remain relevant."
"That perhaps Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar may not be able to understand, but this is the fact of the matter," he said.
Baby acknowledged that the CPI(M)-led Left was currently without an elected government in any state, but maintained that electoral setbacks would not diminish the movement's role.
"We may not have an elected government in any state. There were occasions when we didn't have a government. But the red flag and the commitment to organise and struggle for the rights of the dispossessed, marginalised and exploited will always be upheld by CPI(M) and the Left movement," he said.
He said the Left continued to enjoy support among workers, peasants, agricultural labourers, youth, students and women, and argued that the movement remained necessary because "oppression and assault" continued in society.
"So long as such problems exist in society, the red flag and the working class movement will continue to work among the masses," the Left leader said.
Exuding confidence on the Left's revival, Baby said the party would reflect on the reasons behind its electoral loss.
"We may be rejected in one election, but we will stage our comeback by understanding what went wrong with us," he said, adding, "We will listen to people and we will come back with higher strength."
Baby also criticised the Congress over reported factional tensions in Kerala after the Congress-led United Democratic Front's victory in the state.
"The way they are behaving is being watched by the people of Kerala," he said, referring to infighting within the Congress.
"Those who have given a massive majority to Congress and UDF would be watching all this," he added, while urging party leaders to "settle the problem in an amicable, democratic manner".
Referring to West Bengal, Baby alleged that violence had escalated following the BJP's victory in the state assembly polls.
"It is quite unfortunate that the moment BJP snatched a massive victory in West Bengal, violence has also started on a big scale," he said.
He also accused the Trinamool Congress of being "notorious for violent activities" and alleged that the "RSS-controlled BJP" had "unleashed violence in many places" after the election results.
"This is not good for Bengal, not good for the country. We wish and hope that normalcy would be restored as soon as possible," he said.
Baby said the CPI(M) and the Left in West Bengal would continue efforts to "pacify people" and avoid violence and confrontation.
Asked about former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan not reacting publicly to the election results, Baby said Vijayan would respond "at an appropriate time".
