Opposition to documentary screening on Umar Khalid at NLSIU, students say screening not new

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A file photo of the National Law School of India University. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR

The Law and Society Committee (LawSoc), a students organisation at National Law School of India University (NLSIU), postponed the screening of a documentary on activist Umar Khalid scheduled on September 14 following objections raised by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and other right wing activists. The postponement was communicated to students on Sunday evening.

Earlier, ABVP members has raised objections and written to the Vice-Chancellor of the university to cancel the screening. After this, a correspondence from LawSoc committee to students stated that they were postponing the screening of the documentary due to “logistical and security reasons.” The message also stated that the committee was working to make necessary arrangements to ensure that the event can take place safely without compromising on the wellbeing of students . They maintained that they haven't completely backed out from the event due to pressure from anyone, but did not specify the new date for the screening.

The documentary, titled ‘Prisoner No 626710 is Present’ by Lalit Vachani, was scheduled to be screened on September 14 from 7 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. by the LawSoc, followed by discussions on pre trial detention, bail, dissent, political incarceration and the relationship between criminal law and democratic freedom. The screening also coincides with the date of Mr. Khalid’s arrest in 2020 in connection with the Delhi riots under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

In a release earlier, Abhinandan Mirji, secretary, ABVP, Bengaluru, condemned the proposed screening and said, “The ABVP expresses deep outrage over allowing educational premises to be used for screening centered on individuals linked to anti-national slogans during the JNU controversy, Afzal Guru commemorations, and provocative mobilisation during the CAA-NRC protests and Delhi riots. The ABVP emphasises that academic campuses must remain dedicated to national integrity and learning, rather than serving as platforms for political propaganda or glorifying civil unrest.”

Mr. Mirji added , “Despite submitting a formal complaint via email to the NLSIU administration demanding to stop the event, the ABVP has received no response so far. It reiterates its demand that the administration immediately cancel all permissions for the event to preserve the institutional integrity.”

However, students who spoke to The Hindu said that the screening of the documentary on Umar Khalid was not being done for the first time at the NLSIU and that they had screened it last year too on the occasion of Political Prisoners Day.

An NLSIU student said, “This is not something new. We had screened the same documentary on the same day last year too. The problem right now is that our communication got leaked, but the response that we are getting from the ABVP is not democratic. They’re trying to threaten us with a protest.