Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 16:40, 5 May 2020

Umar Khalid
Born	11th August, 1987
Nationality	Indian
Education	BA History, Kirori Mal College, Delhi University MA, M.Phil, PhD, JNU
Alma mater	Kirori Mal College, Delhi University Jawaharlal Nehru University
Father	Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas

Umar Khalid is a former student & member of Jawaharlal Nehru University He is currently associated with two groups - Bhagat Singh Ambedkar Student Organisation and United Against Hate.

Umar Khalid was a former Democratic Students' Union (DSU) leader in JNU. He was involved in the Jawaharlal Nehru University sedition row for protesting against the capital punishment meted out to convicted terrorists Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat.

Early life and education

Umar Khalid was born in Jamia Nagar, New Delhi and has lived there for the last 30 years. His father, S.Q.R. Ilyas, is from Maharashtra, while his mother is from Western Uttar Pradesh. S.Q.R. Ilyas is the National President of the Welfare Party of India.

Khalid studied history at the Kirori Mal College of the Delhi University. He later did his Masters and M.Phil in History at Jawarhlal Nehru University (JNU). His M.Phil dissertation was on 'Hos of Singhbhum'.

Initially JNU refused to allow Umar Khalid to submit his PhD thesis in July 2018. JNU refused to accept the submission because of the High-Level Enquiry Committee of JNU that had looked into the 9 February 2016 incident protests at the University of which Umar Khalid was a participant. Umar Khalid went to the High Court of Delhi related to JNU's refusal to accept his PhD submission. On 24 July 2018 the High Court directed JNU to allow submission of the thesis. On 2 August 2018, JNU accepted the PhD thesis submission. The PhD thesis was on “Contesting claims and contingencies of the rule on Adivasis of Jharkhand” in 2018.

Controversies and assassination attempt

JNU Sedition Row

On 9 February 2016, students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) held a protest on their campus against the capital punishment meted out to the 2001 Indian Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, and Kashmiri separatist Maqbool Bhat. During the "fracas" that ensued, a small group of people raised slogans that were generally described as "anti-India" slogans.

Four days after the initial event, the Delhi Police arrested JNU Student Union president Kanhaiya Kumar on charges of sedition and criminal conspiracy, under section 124 of the Indian Penal Code dating back to 1860. Five other students: Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya, Rama Naga, Anant Prakash and Ashutosh Kumar, went into hiding after the arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar and returned 10 days later. Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya surrendered to the police and were taken into custody.

The arrest and the use of the sedition law were heavily criticized as being a suppression of political dissent. An inquiry committee appointed later by the administration of JNU initially asked 21 students to explain their contravention of university rules. Based on the inquiry, the committee meted out varying punishments to a number of students. Kanhaiya Kumar was fined 10,000 rupees, after which Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya were rusticated from the university for one semester.

On February 28th 2020, the Delhi government gave their approval for a trial in the matter.

Bhima Koregaon incident

Along with Jignesh Mevani, Umar Khalid was booked under a first-information report for giving 'provocative' speeches in Pune. The criminal charges against Mevani and Khalid was for promoting enmity between different groups through their speeches. The Elgaar Parishad rally, where this reportedly happened, was held in Pune to mark the 200th year of the Battle of Koregaon, a place in present-day Pune district, which was fought between the then British Indian Army and the Peshwas.

Assassination attempt

On 13 August 2018, Khalid narrowly escaped an assassination attempt. The two accused were arrested on 20 August 2018 by police from Fatehabad, Haryana. Before the arrest, the accused had uploaded a video on Facebook on 15 August, saying the attack was an Independence Day gift for India, and they also wanted to highlight the issue of cow protection.

References

1. ^ "'My name is Umar Khalid and I am a Delhi University student…'". The Indian Express. 2016-02-28. Retrieved 2018-08-29.
2. ^ "Umar Khalid, My Student". The Indian Express. 2016-02-26. Retrieved 2018-08-29.
3. ^ Reporter, Staff (2018-08-03). "JNU accepts Umar's thesis". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2018-09-12.
4. "First they came after JNU, now it's human rights activists". ThePrint. 29 August 2018.
5. "Student organisations divided over JNUSU's latest form of protest". The Indian Express. 2016-10-21. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
6. "10 things you should know about Umar Khalid". India Today. Ist. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
7. Sebastian, Kritika Sharma (2016-02-24). "Umar Khalid, an activist on campus". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
8. "'Umar Khalid on Decoding India'". SKEP. 2018-08-27. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
9. "JNU says Umar, 2 others can't submit PhD papers - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2018-09-12.
10. "JNU refuses to accept Umar's PhD thesis". The Hindu. Retrieved 2018-09-12.
11. "Despite HC Order, JNU Refuses to Accept PhD Thesis of Umar Khalid". The Wire. Retrieved 2018-09-12.
12. ^ "Allow five to submit thesis, Delhi HC tells JNU". The Indian Express. 2018-07-25. Retrieved 2018-09-12.
13. "JNU Accepts Umar Khalid's PhD Thesis after Repeated Snubbing by HC | Caravan Daily". caravandaily.com. Retrieved 2018-09-12.
14. "JNU Admin Refuses To Accept Umar Khalid's PhD Thesis Despite Court Orders". Youth Ki Awaaz. 2018-07-28. Retrieved 2018-08-29.
15. "10 things you should know about Umar Khalid". India Today. Retrieved 2018-09-10.
16. "Afzal Guru: A martyr in JNU campus? Anti-India slogans raised, no arrests made". India Today. Retrieved 2018-09-12.
17. "JNU student leader held on 'sedition' charges over Afzal Guru event". The Indian Express. 2016-02-13. Retrieved 2018-09-10.
18. "JNU row: Kanhaiya Kumar to lead push for Umar and Anirban's release from custody - Firstpost". www.firstpost.com. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
19. Wahab, Hisham ul (2016-02-29). "The Way Umar Khalid Is Being Singled Out Proves Him Right". India Resists. Retrieved 2018-09-15.
20. Majumder, Sanjoy (2016-02-15). "Why an Indian student has been arrested for sedition". BBC News. Retrieved 2018-09-10.
21. "New Delhi campus row grabs national attention". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2018-09-10.
22. "JNU sedition row: Kanhaiya fined Rs 10,000, Umar Khalid rusticated for one semester - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2018-09-10.
23. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/delhi-government-gives-nod-for-prosecuting-kanhaiya-kumar-and-two-others-in-jnu-sedition-case/articleshow/74399758.cms
24. "Bhima-Koregaon violence: FIR against Jignesh Mevani, Umar Khalid for 'provocative' speeches in Pune". The Indian Express. 2018-01-04. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
25. "JNU's Umar Khalid has narrow escape, assailant's gun jams". The Indian Express. 2018-08-13. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
26. "Dastardly attempt to assassinate Umar Khalid | CJP". CJP. 2018-08-13. Retrieved 2018-08-29.
27. "Attack on Umar Khalid: Protesters ask police why no action - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2018-09-12.
28. "Delhi court sends 2 men who attacked Umar Khalid to judicial custody - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2018-08-29.
29. "JNU student leader Umar Khalid attacked in Delhi, escapes unhurt". The Times of India. Retrieved 2018-08-30.

External links

• Umar Khalid on Twitter
• Umar Khalid on Facebook
• Umar Khalid on Instagram

• Living people
• Indian activists
• Kirori Mal College alumni
• Jawaharlal Nehru University alumni
• 1987 births