Over 10,000 academicians, teachers across the globe condemn police attack on Jamia and AMU students

In the latest development in the police crackdown on the students who were staging protests against the amended Citizenship Act, over 10,000 students, academicians, teachers and members of civil society from across the globe have signed a statement condemning the police brutality on the students of Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi and “the ongoing illegal siege and curfew imposed on Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh.”

The venerable scholars, including Nivedita Menon, Romila Thapar, Noam Chomsky, Judith Butler amongst others, undersigned the letter which stated, “The Act bars Muslims in neighbouring countries from acquiring Indian citizenship. It contravenes the right to equality and secular citizenship enshrined in the Indian constitution.”

The statement reads, "We stand in unconditional solidarity with the students, faculty and staff of Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University, and express our horror at this violent police and state action," and its signatories are concerned about the preservation of universities as non-militarised spaces for freedom of thought and expression.

While extending their support to the students, they further stated, “The peaceful gatherings and protests cannot be treated as criminal misconduct…………. The police action in the two varsities is “blatantly illegal” under the constitution of India.

The intellectuals said, “as teachers, students, scholars and members of civil society across the world, we are watching with extreme concern the situation unfolding at Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University.”