New Delhi: Several students from Jamia Millia Islamia University raised slogans in support of research scholar and social activist Safoora Zargar whose admission was scrapped on the grounds of "unsatisfactory progress" a few days back. Zargar was arrested by Delhi police in 2020 for fomenting communal riots in the national capital.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Kapil Mishra, in his Tweet said, "Students of Jamia Millia Islamia University have been shouting slogans in support of a person who is an accused of Delhi riots. The spark of the Delhi riots was ignited by some people studying at Jamia Millia Islamia University. This temple of learning should be cleansed from Jihadi elements."
Earlier, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) University had cancelled the admission of scholar and activist Safoora Zargar, who was arrested in a 2020 riots case, due to "unsatisfactory" progress in her thesis work. Zargar, who had enrolled with the Department of Sociology in the integrated MPhil/PhD programme, said the cancellation "breaks my heart but not my spirit".
In a notification dated August 26, office of the dean, Faculty of Social Science, said she did not submit her M.Phil dissertation within the maximum stipulated time of five semesters. "The registration of Safoora Zargar from M.Phil./Ph.D. (Sociology) stands cancelled w.e.f. 22 August 2022, in anticipation of the approval of the same of the Faculty Committee," the notification read. The dean's office mentioned that the action has been taken on the recommendation given by the Research Advisory Committee (RAC) on July 5. The matter was approved by the department's Board of Studies, the highest decision-making body of the department, on August 22.
"On the recommendation of the RAC, dated July 5, the DRC (Department Research Committee) dated August 22, and the supervisor's report, the Board of Studies approved the cancellation of admission of Safoora Zargar, M.Phil./Ph.D Scholar, registered under Prof. Kulwinder Kaur," the notification further read. The administration claimed that her supervisor marked her performance "unsatisfactory" in the progress report, that she did not apply for an extension as a woman scholar' before the expiry of the stipulated maximum period.
