Jamia students observe day-long hunger strike

Jamia Millia Islamia students on Friday observed a day-long hunger strike against alleged police brutality during the protests against the amended citizenship law.

The students demanded an impartial judicial inquiry into the deaths and violent action during the agitation, release of illegally detained protestors and the arrest of those involved in violence. Their other demands included medical aid to those injured in alleged police brutalities, compensation to those whose property were destroyed in police action and end to arbitrary communications blackout.

The Jamia Coordination Committee, which comprises various political parties on the campus, alleged police have responded to peaceful protests violently and brutally since the agitation began on December 12. However, universities and localities across India rose up to protest in solidarity with Jamia and Aligarh Muslim University students, they said.

The students were joined by members of the public in their protest against the "outrightly discriminatory" Citizenship Amendment Act and the "genocidal step" of creating an NRC, they said.

"If the government does not take immediate tangible action on these demands by January 1, 2020, we will give a call for nationwide hunger strikes in other universities and relay hunger strike will be held in Jamia for these demands," the JCC said.