JNUSU characterizes the halting of investigations in the Najeeb Ahmed case as a move to hinder justice.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) organised a public meeting at the Constitution Club of India on Wednesday, demanding justice for Najeeb Ahmed, a student who went missing from the university in 2016.
The gathering was attended by parliamentarians, student leaders, human rights activists, and academics, including Rajya Sabha MPs Manoj Jha and V. Sivadasan, IUML representative Ahmed Saju, activist Nadeem Ahmed, and N. Sai Balaji from CPI Liberation.
In her emotional address to the audience, Fatima Nafees, Najeeb's mother, shared her eight-year-long struggle for justice. Her resilience, as speakers noted, continues to inspire students and civil society groups.
JNUSU President Nitish Kumar alleged that neither the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) nor the Delhi Police could deliver justice in nine years. He stated that the JNUSU would intensify the movement with "greater determination" until justice is delivered. The union also announced that it would continue to pursue the case in higher courts.
The JNU Academic Community, represented by JNUTA President Surajit Majumdar, reaffirmed their support for the cause. Munteha Fatima, the JNUSU general secretary, urged everyone to draw strength from Fatima Nafees' courage, making it the collective strength of the movement.
The case proceedings for Najeeb Ahmed were recently closed by a Delhi court. However, the CBI currently has no definitive information on his whereabouts. The court, in response, allowed the CBI to re-open the investigation if any credible information on Ahmed's whereabouts is received.
Nitish Kumar condemned the closure of the case proceedings as an attempt to deny justice. He asserted that the movement would continue until accountability is ensured. The struggle, as the JNUSU stated, is not only for Najeeb but also for all minority and Muslim students who face discrimination in universities and beyond.
The public meeting served as a reminder of the ongoing fight for justice and equality, echoing the sentiments of the late Jawaharlal Nehru, the university's namesake: "Let first freedom in the mind conquer the forces of darkness and ignorance."
