Press Release

Department of Applied Arts 14-02-2019 PRESS RELEASE

This is concerning the struggle of the students of the Department of Applied Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, JMI that has partially yielded results. The protests were called off today in view of the acceptance of the demands except of suspension of the HoD, Department of Applied Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, by the administration. In the meeting held today between the members of the delegation formed among the protesters and the administration a number of demands were put that included, inter alia, representation of students in the fact-finding committee, inclusion of external members such as civil rights activists and a person working for gender justice. After this meeting the Vice Chancellor, the DSW and the Chief -Proctor and other officials of the University met among themselves to decide on the demands of the protesters. The minutes of the meeting lay out their decisions as agreeing in principle to include external members, promising not to take legal or disciplinary action against the protesters provided they end their dharna and protests, initiating appointment of permanent faculty in the Department of Applied Arts once UGC gives permission and compensating for lost attendance. The students after tendering the names to be included in the inquiry committee of the external members and students’ representative to the Vice-chancellor’s office, started the victory march from Administrative block covering the campus and ending it on Faculty of Fine Arts. The students’ fraternity condemns the Jamia Teachers’ Association resolution that slams university administration over sending the accused H.O.D. Hafeez Ahmad on leave and suspending the students who had assaulted and used criminal force against protesters which included female and male students’. It is to be remarked , regarding the JTA’s demand to the administration that the accused Hod should be recalled to duty and should be restored headship because the protesters failed to comply with their promise of ending their protest upon setting up of enquiry , that no such promise was made and in that the JTA’s demand is misconceived and the press release of the meeting of its executive committee is misleading. It is to said unequivocally that the JTA is bent on shielding on of its members. The fight against sexual harassment and the misconduct , administrative failure of the accused , failure as to uphold and raise academic standard of the education in Arts is long and the struggle has taken a peaceful halt. While the termination of the service of Mr Hafiz Ahmed or any negative action against him lies on the findings of the fact-finding committee it is to be hoped that the fact-finding committee will take due cognisance of testimonies and evidences of the students of Applied Arts and discharge its duties in light of Justice and good conscience.