Umar Khalid: Academics and activists condemn the arrest of Umar Khalid, call it a “witch hunt” | India News

NEW DELHI: A section of academics, politicians and social activists on Monday expressed their solidarity with the former JNU Student Leader Umar Khalid, who was arrested under the Unlawful Activity (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for his alleged role in the northeast Delhi riots.
He was arrested by the Delhi police special cell late Sunday night after 11 hours of questioning. A Delhi court has sent him into police custody for 10 days in the case.
Dr. SQR Ilyas, National Chairman of the Welfare Party of India and Khalid’s father, tweeted: “My son Umar Khalid has been arrested tonight at 11:00 pm by the special cell of Delhi police under UAPA. Police He’s been questioning him since 1:00 pm. He’s been involved in the Delhi riots. #StandWithUmarKhalid. ”

According to a statement issued by his party, Ilyas strongly condemned his son’s arrest and said police are “falsely implicating him in the Delhi riots.”
The statement quoted him as saying that Khalid “has always upheld the Constitution and has emerged as a strong voice against the controversial CAA law and his approach was always peaceful, non-violent and within the parameters of the law.” “His involvement in the Delhi riots is totally fabricated and a false narrative created by the Delhi police to mislead the nation and suppress dissent,” he said.
“Dr. Umar Khalid has been booked into various sections, including the UAPA, and named a conspirator in the Delhi riots to save those who actually instigated by delivering a provocative speech. He implored citizens to stand up for the truth in solidarity with Umar Khalid and all the innocent activists who are falsely implicated in the Delhi riots and said that ultimately truth will triumph and falsehood will perish, “the statement said.
Shortly after Khalid’s arrest, #StandWIthUmarKhalid started trending on Twitter.
Using the hashtag “Stand With Umar Khalid”, Senior Congress Leader Shashi tharoor tweeted, “Prime Minister says he welcomes criticism, but forgets to mention the cost of criticism that the speakers must pay.”
“In India today, revenge is reserved only for our own citizens, never against countries that really question and challenge our sovereignty,” he added.
Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav said Khalid is among the leaders India deserves.
“Shocked that a UAPA counterterrorism law has been used to arrest a young, thinking, idealist like @UmarKhalidJNU who has always opposed violence and communalism in any form. He is certainly among the leaders that India deserves . @DelhiPolice can’t stop India’s future for long, “he tweeted.

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan said that Khalid’s arrest exposes the “malafid nature of his investigation into the Delhi riots.”
“The arrest of Umar Khalid by Delhi Police after naming Yechury, Yogendra Yadav, [academics] Jayati Ghosh & Apoorvanand, leaves no doubt as to the malafid nature of their investigation into the Delhi riots, “he tweeted.

Activist Harsh Mandar called Khalid a young man the country should be proud of and said he always talked about non-violence and Gandhi.
“… He is a young man that a country should be proud of: idealistic, progressive, brave. We spoke together in the protests against the CAA: he always spoke of non-violence and of Gandhi. Today he is arrested under the draconian UAPA on charges false conspiracy. Shout out, my country, “he tweeted.
A group of academics and activists, including Satish Deshpande, Mary John, Apoorvanand, Nandini Sundar, Shuddhabrata Sengupta, Aakar Patel, Mander, Farah Naqvi and Biraj Patnaik, jointly issued a statement expressing their solidarity with Khalid and calling his arrest a “witchcraft” hunt “.
“As citizens deeply committed to constitutional values, we condemn the arrest of Umar Khalid, who has been subjected to a malicious investigation against peaceful anti-CAA protesters. He has been charged with various charges, including UAPA, sedition and conspiracy to murder, “the joint statement said.
“With deep anguish, we have no hesitation in saying that this investigation is not about the violence in February 2020 in the national capital, but about the completely peaceful and democratic protests across the country against the unconstitutional CAA,” he said.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union (JNUSU), which harshly criticized the Delhi police for “falsely implicating” Khalid in the case, called on all progressive sections to “remain united and vigilant and unflappable. in the face of such cowardly actions. ”
“The JNUSU condemns the continued witch hunts and attacks against activists. We reiterate that all these actions are a means to criminalize the democratic protest against the CAA-NRC-NPR, which is a divisive, discriminatory and community agenda,” he alleged.
He said JNU students Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Sharjeel Imam have already been jailed along with activists such as Meeran Haider, Gulfisha and many others.
“By all accounts, the police have prepared a version of events based on clichéd and predictably similar disclosure statements obtained in questionable circumstances from people arrested, many of whom were arrested after they went to report damage or loss. of lives in the riots, “said JNUSU.
“The spirit of resistance and dissent against the policies of this particular government, its restraint of voices and its anti-popular policies will continue to be opposed more vigorously and such intimidating tactics will be rejected,” he added.