Congress backed Jamia Millia Islamia students seeking restoration of their union. The prolonged agitation underscores demands for democratic representation amid an escalating campus standoff.An FIR was registered at Jamia Nagar police station on October 25 against Congress MPs Imran Masood and Imran Pratapgarhi and others, accusing them of trespassing on the campus and inciting unrest. (File photo) The Congress on Monday expressed solidarity with Jamia Millia Islamia students protesting for the revival of their students' union, saying they were seeking political empowerment and a democratic platform for their concerns, news agency Press Trust of India reported.The party's statement came a day after two Congress MPs were booked on charges including trespassing, following a complaint by the university registrar.

The students have been protesting since October 12, demanding the restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students' Union, whose elections have not been held since 2006, and the withdrawal of disciplinary action against protesters.Congress general secretary, Organisation, K C Venugopal alleged that the university authorities had adopted a heavy-handed approach and were taking instructions from the central government to distract from and defame the protesters.In a post on X, Venugopal said, "The students of Jamia Millia Islamia are on hunger strike for 16 days seeking political empowerment - the revival of their Students Union - so that their demands and concerns find a democratic platform." "The administration, however, is taking a heavy-handed approach. It has gone to extreme lengths of cutting electricity and water supply on campus, and has even shifted all classes online," he said.Venugopal said the entire university had been brought to a standstill because of the administration's "stubbornness" in dealing with what he described as a genuine demand. "While the administration is taking instructions from the Government of India and deploying a familiar toolkit to distract and defame the protesters, we all know that this is a matter of democratic rights, and nothing else," he said. "We stand in solidarity with the students and urge the authorities to accede to their demands."An FIR was registered at Jamia Nagar police station on October 25 against Congress MPs Imran Masood and Imran Pratapgarhi and others, accusing them of trespassing on the campus and inciting unrest, PTI reported.

The case followed a complaint by university registrar Md Mahtab Alam Rizvi.According to the complaint, Pratapgarhi allegedly entered the university campus on October 21 after breaking the lock of Gate No. 4A.

Masood allegedly entered on October 23 by climbing a boundary wall near Gafoor Nagar with the help of a ladder.The FIR was registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita dealing with criminal trespass, wrongful restraint, voluntarily causing hurt, mischief, criminal intimidation, criminal conspiracy and common intention. Provisions of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, and the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 2007, were also invoked.Scuffles broke out between protesting students and paramilitary personnel at the university on Monday after the students refused to end their agitation despite the administration issuing an order for union elections earlier in the day.Some protesters were detained and security was tightened.

Police personnel stopped students, who raised slogans against the administration, from entering the campus.The university ordered that students' union elections be held within 15 days of the approval of the union's constitution. It also revoked suspension and show-cause notices issued to students during the protest and provided for a committee to inquire into the conduct of security staff during the agitation.The protesting students, however, said the measures were not enough because the administration had not announced a definite timeline for the elections.

The Congress backed their demand and urged the authorities to accept it as the agitation for the restoration of the students' union continued.- Ends