IndiaPosted at: Oct 26 2026 5:05PM


Venugopal backs Jamia hunger strikers, accuses administration of stifling campus democracy

New Delhi, Oct 26 (UNI) Congress general secretary K C Venugopal has expressed solidarity with students of Jamia Millia Islamia who have been on hunger strike for 16 days demanding the revival of their students’ union, accusing the university administration of adopting a heavy-handed approach instead of addressing their demand for democratic representation.
In a post on the social media platform X, Venugopal said the students were seeking political empowerment through the restoration of their elected representative body, which would provide a democratic platform for them to raise their concerns and grievances. He urged the university authorities to accept their demand and end the impasse through dialogue.
“The students of Jamia Millia Islamia are on hunger strike for 16 days seeking political empowerment — the revival of their Students union — so that their demands and concerns find a democratic platform,” Venugopal said.
Accusing the administration of aggravating the situation, the Congress leader alleged that electricity and water supplies had been cut on the campus and that all classes had been shifted online. He claimed that the measures had brought academic activities to a standstill and held the administration responsible for the disruption.
“The entire college has been brought to a standstill due to the administration’s stubbornness in dealing with this genuine demand,” he said.
Venugopal further alleged that the university authorities were acting on instructions from the Government of India and attempting to divert attention from the students’ demands by defaming the protesters. He maintained that the agitation was fundamentally about democratic rights and the freedom of students to organise themselves and elect representatives to articulate their concerns.
“We all know that this is a matter of democratic rights, and nothing else,” he said, reiterating the Congress’s support for the protesting students.
The agitation has brought the questions of student representation, campus democracy and the right to organise into focus at Jamia Millia Islamia, a central university in New Delhi. Students’ unions traditionally provide an elected platform to raise issues relating to academic affairs, campus facilities and university policies.
With the hunger strike entering its 16th day, Venugopal’s intervention has added a political dimension to the standoff. His remarks put pressure on the university administration to address the students’ demand and engage with them rather than allow the confrontation to escalate further. The Congress leader called for a resolution that recognises the students’ democratic rights and restores dialogue between the protesting students and the university authorities.
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Tags: #Venugopal backs Jamia hunger strikers# accuses administration of stifling campus democracy
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