After JNU cancels venue, Umar Khalid book discussion held outside amid ABVP protests
A book discussion on Umar Khalid's work at JNU was held outdoors after the university withdrew permission for the auditorium. The event faced significant disruption from ABVP members, leading to a confrontation between opposing student groups.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing tensions regarding academic freedom, campus protests, and the political polarization surrounding incarcerated activists in Indian universities.
NEW DELHI: A discussion on Umar Khalid’s book was held outside the School of Social Sciences-II building Monday after JNU withdrew permission for the programme at the auditorium. The event was, however, disrupted by ABVP members who stormed into the gathering and raised slogans.A large number of students had gathered for the discussion, with chairs arranged for the five speakers — historians Prabhu Mahapatra and Uma Chakravarti, writer Shuddhabrata Sengupta, activist Harsh Mander and Khalid’s partner Banojyotsna Lahiri. A stall outside the venue displayed Khalid’s book, Fractured Communities: Adivasi Histories and the Politics of Power.JNUSU president Aditi Mishra condemned the cancellation of the auditorium booking.
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