Kerala House In Delhi Opens Doors To Stranded Jamia, AMU students

Following massive protests in Delhi over the Citizen (Amendment) Act(CAA), several students from Kerala studying at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and Jamia Millia Islamia(JMI) sought shelter in Kerala House in New Delhi.

As the anti-CAA protests took a violent turn, the universities shut down their hostels, leaving students stranded. The students then contacted Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s office, who arranged for the students to be accommodated at the official state mission of the Kerala government. Some students were also accommodated in hostels near the government house.

The Kerala government has also made arrangements for the students’ return to Kerala.

“Arrangements have also been made for their return to the state by Mangala Train on Wednesday. The Railways has provided an additional coach for the purpose,” E T Mohammed Basheer, MP, was quoted in The New Indian Express.

AMU also provided the students with buses till Delhi to reach the Kerala House.

“By Monday afternoon, we got a call from Kerala House officials to reach Delhi somehow so that we will be accommodated at Kerala House. There were no regular buses at that time. We were afraid to travel by train. We made the University provide us with a bus service till Delhi, and by night we reached Kerala House,” Charutha, a second-year graduate student of AMU, was quoted in The News Minute.

“The officials there were waiting to receive us. They had made all arrangements, and everything, including food, is free. We are safe now. IUML leader Mohammed Basheer met the Railway Minister today, and the latter has agreed to provide an extra compartment in Mangala Express to Kerala tomorrow. We all will be taking the train to travel back,” she added.

Protests in Jamia on Sunday, December 15, had taken a violent turn after clashes erupted between students and the police. The police reportedly barged inside the campus, including the college library, canteen, and the mosque inside the campus. The police fired tear gas shells inside the campus and dragged students out of the library and the mosque.

Students protesting in AMU also met with a similar fate as police clashed with students and fired tear gas shells at the protestors. Following the violence, both universities announced winter vacations till January 5, 2020.

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