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ISLAMABAD: BJP leaders in Karnataka have asked Bengaluru police to cancel a book discussion on jailed Muslim activist Umar Khalid, intensifying concerns over the shrinking space for dissent and minority voices in India, The Indian Express reported. The event, scheduled at Bangalore International Centre, is based on &#39;Umar Khalid and His World&#39; and is expected to feature readings and discussion by public intellectuals including Ramachandra Guha, Janaki Nair and Prakash Raj. A BJP delegation led by Bengaluru Central MP P.C. Mohan met Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh and submitted a memorandum demanding that permission for the programme be withdrawn, the Deccan Chronicle reported. The party objected to the event on the grounds that Khalid, a former JNU student leader, is facing charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act in connection with the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots case.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2048713409999593665&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=2abc6fdf8a597be1bcf0cdf10b7b71f197d8ac77&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 696px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>Khalid has been in jail since September 2020, despite not having been convicted. His prolonged incarceration has repeatedly been cited by rights groups and civil society voices as an example of India&rsquo;s harsh treatment of Muslim activists and government critics. BJP leaders accused Khalid of being &ldquo;anti-national&rdquo; and questioned why an event should be held around a person who remains in jail, according to The New Indian Express. The party also claimed that the event could create a law-and-order problem and alleged that pro-Khalid slogans and graffiti had appeared in Bengaluru. Critics say such objections reflect a familiar pattern in which Muslim activists, students and dissenting voices are branded as threats before their cases are fully adjudicated in court.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2048816234196774952&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=2abc6fdf8a597be1bcf0cdf10b7b71f197d8ac77&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 873px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>The attempt to stop the event has also raised questions over whether the BJP is seeking to police public discussion around politically sensitive cases involving Muslims and critics of the government, The Hindu reported. Supporters of the programme argue that a literary discussion about a book does not amount to glorifying crime, particularly when the person at the centre of the discussion has not been convicted. The controversy comes amid broader concerns about the use of anti-terror laws against Muslim activists and student leaders in India, The Deccan Herald reported. While the BJP maintains that its demand is aimed at preserving public order, civil liberties advocates argue that preventing such events weakens democratic debate and deepens the marginalisation of Muslim political voices.

India

BJP leaders sought cancellation of a Bengaluru book event on jailed Muslim activist Umar Khalid, raising concerns over free speech, minority dissent and political pressure on public discussion.

BJP seeks ban on Umar Khalid book event in Bengaluru

NEW DELHI: India&#39;s Supreme Court denied bail Monday for former student leader Umar Khalid, who has been detained for more than five years on charges of conspiracy to trigger deadly riots. Khalid, 38, was arrested in September 2020 under a sweeping anti-terrorism law and has remained in custody since, aside from brief releases to attend family weddings. His case has become a touchstone for critics who say India&rsquo;s more than 200 million Muslims face discriminatory treatment in the Hindu-majority nation. Khalid was detained after the February 2020 sectarian riots in Delhi, when 53 people were killed -- mostly Muslims, but also several Hindus. SC dismisses appeal&nbsp;The Supreme Court in New Delhi dismissed his appeal for bail, saying that &ldquo;prolonged incarceration&rdquo; was not grounds to grant him release. It also denied bail on the same grounds to another student activist, Sharjeel Imam. But it approved bail for five others in the same case. Khalid, a former student at Delhi&rsquo;s prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University, was charged with rioting with a deadly weapon, as well as attempted murder, sedition and causing enmity between different groups. He denies all charges. &lsquo;Provocative speeches&rsquo;Police also accused Khalid of delivering &ldquo;provocative speeches&rdquo; ahead of the riots. In 2022, he published an open letter saying that &ldquo;we can be kept in jail for years, without those framing us needing to prove anything&rdquo;. His partner, Banojyotsna Lahiri, has said that Khalid &ldquo;became the victim of the injustice that he always fought against&rdquo;. Amnesty International and six other rights groups issued a statement in September calling for the release of Khalid. &lsquo;Derailment of justice&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;Khalid&#39;s prolonged persecution exemplifies the derailment of justice in India, as it makes a mockery of international human rights principles,&rdquo; Amnesty said in a statement to mark Khalid&#39;s fifth year in prison. Khalid&#39;s arrest came months after protests against India&#39;s contentious Citizen Amendment Act (CAA). The 2019 law makes it easier for persecuted religious minorities from three neighboring countries to obtain citizenship, but not if they are Muslim.

The Supreme Court in New Delhi dismisses Khalid’s appeal for bail, saying that ‘prolonged incarceration' was not grounds to grant him release; also denies bail on the same grounds to another student activist, Sharjeel Imam.

Articles tagged with "Umar Khalid"

BJP seeks ban on Umar Khalid book event in Bengaluru

India's top court denies bail to Muslim student activist Umar Khalid

BJP seeks ban on Umar Khalid book event in Bengaluru