The 10-day protest at Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia ended on Wednesday evening after the university’s administration accepted the protesting students’ demands. 

An official statement by the university said, “Today, a delegation of the protesting students had a meeting with the Chief Proctor, teachers, officials of the university, alumni association and police officials. They amicably resolved all the issues. The university enthusiastically looks forward to the 99th foundation day celebration and annual convocation.” 

The convocation, scheduled for October 30, is expected to have President Ramnath Kovind as the chief guest.  

The protesters initially had seven demands but they eventually whittled them down to four, all of which the administration accepted. “We didn’t place all seven demands on the negotiation table because the protest had escalated. It was condensed to four,” said one of the protesters. 

The first demand was for action against those who instigated the violence on Tuesday. The second was for the showcause notice issued to five students for protesting the presence of Israeli delegates at a campus event to be withdrawn. The third was that the administration should not take disciplinary action against the protesting students. And lastly, they asked for a ban on Israeli government’s participation in any programme at the university.  

Arjun Ramachandra, one of the students who were served the showcause notice, said, “This is a victory. The administration had to revoke the arbitrary disciplinary action initiated against us. But the fight goes on because only one small attack that has been thwarted.”

 He added, “Persecution of students will continue until there is a solid progressive unity among the student community, not only across Jamia but also across the nation. We will continue to work towards this unity, politicize the students and encourage them to act against authoritarianism.” 

Not all students were content with the administration’s response, however. Some of them complained that “strict action” against those who instigated Tuesday’s violence was not enough. 

“What happens to the students in hospital? How is strict action, which does not even involve suspension, enough for an attempt to murder?” Khadiza Naufa, an alumna of Jamia Millia Islamia, said. 

A statement released by the protesting students said, “Dayar I Shauq Students’ Charter congratulates the student community of Jamia Millia Islamia for the victorious conclusion of the protests. On the tenth day of the protest, the administration initiated a negotiation in which four demands were submitted after consulting organizations, supporters and sympathizers. The administration was initially willing to accept only a single demand, but were soon forced to bow down to all the four. The assurances were acquired in writing, following which the protest was called off.”