JNU cancels Umar Khalid book discussion over 'non-disclosure' of details
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) cancelled a student-organized book discussion featuring Umar Khalid, citing a failure to disclose full details about the event. The book is based on Khalid's PhD thesis, and he is currently in custody regarding the 2020 Delhi riots.
Why it matters
The cancellation highlights ongoing tensions regarding academic freedom, campus protests, and the political sensitivity of events involving figures charged under anti-terror laws in India.
NEW DELHI: The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has cancelled a student-organised discussion on a book authored by former student Umar Khalid, scheduled on campus on Monday, citing “non-disclosure of the full facts” about the programme.The discussion was centred on Khalid’s book “Fractured Communities: Adivasi Histories and the Politics of Power”, based on his PhD thesis submitted at JNU’s Centre for Historical Studies in 2018. Khalid has been in custody since September 2020 in connection with the larger conspiracy case related to the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots, in which he is facing charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).The event was scheduled for August 10 from 3 pm to 6 pm at the School of Social Sciences-I auditorium.The university, in a post on its official X handle on Sunday, said the auditorium booking had been cancelled after the authorities found that “full facts” about the programme had not been disclosed.“JNU…
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in