Neha Bora slams Congress government in Karnataka over FIRs against students seeking release of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam
Student leader Neha Bora has criticized the Congress government in Karnataka for filing FIRs against students protesting for the release of activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. She argued that opposition parties must demonstrate genuine pro-student politics rather than just opposing the BJP.
Why it matters
The article reflects the growing tension between student movements and political parties in India, highlighting issues of academic freedom and political accountability.
“Political parties who claim to be anti-BJP must lead by example and show what anti-BJP looks like. Instead of providing mere lip service to this anti-fascist agenda, they must show what pro-student politics actually looks like,” All India Students Association (AISA) national president Neha Bora said at the ‘Gen Z on the March’ programme in Bengaluru on Sunday (August 23, 2026), as she condemned the Congress government in Karnataka for filing FIRs against students who raised slogans demanding the release of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam.
Actor Kishore and musician T.M. Krishna were also part of the programme, which highlighted the new wave of youth politics in India and issues of accountability.
Ms. Bora’s criticism was directed at the Congress government, which, she argued, had extended solidarity to student protests at Jantar Mantar in Delhi against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, but filed FIRs against students here.
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