160 academics, artists, activists call for Umar Khalid’s release

Hundred and sixty academics, artists and activists issued a statement on Thursday calling for the release of student activist Umar Khalid, among others, arrested for protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

The signatories included Amitav Ghosh, Naseeruddin Shah, Romila Thapar, Jayati Ghosh, Harsh Mander and Christophe Jaffrelot.

Khalid has spent 1,600 days in Delhi’s Tihar jail as of Thursday.

“It also happens to be the 77th anniversary of the assassination of Mohandas Karmachand Gandhi at the hands of a Hindutva fanatic,” The Wire quoted the group as having written. “We…are not unaware of this synchronicity. Nor do we wish to see it pass unnoticed.”

The signatories criticised Khalid’s prolonged incarceration under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, stating, “We are deeply disturbed to witness how a bright and compassionate young man like Umar, who is trained as a historian and nurtured as a critical thinker, has repeatedly been targeted, vilified and branded by an authoritarian regime.”

Khalid was arrested on September 13, 2020, in connection with the February 2020 Delhi riots, which left 53 people dead. Most of those killed were Muslims.

The statement alleged that instead of holding accountable those responsible for the violence, the state had targeted activists and protestors.

“Khalid, known for his eloquent speeches advocating for pluralism, secularism and constitutional values, has been falsely accused in the…

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