Bengaluru: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) sent letters to Union Ministers on Monday, demanding the cancellation of a scheduled documentary screening of jailed student leader Umar Khalid at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU).
The ABVP, the student arm of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), addressed the letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi, and Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal.
They demanded “central intervention” to enforce permanent cancellation of the event and order a high-level enquiry against the NLSIU administration.
In its letter dated 14 September, Abhinandan Mirji, the Mahanagara Secretary of the ABVP (Bengaluru), said that it refused to “accept the mere deferment of the controversial screening of Lalit Vachani’s documentary on Umar Khalid (Prisoner No. 626710 is Present)”.
The ABVP representation came barely a day after the NLSUI decided to postpone the event, which was originally scheduled to be screened at 7 pm on 14 September. The ABVP has been protesting against the proposed screening, which led to its postponement.
“While the event organisers recently announced a temporary postponement citing security and administrative grounds, ABVP Bengaluru highlights that a delay is simply a stalling tactic to let public outrage subside,” Mirji said in a statement released Monday evening.
It added that reputed national educational institutions cannot serve as “platforms for political propaganda” linked to Khalid, who has been in jail for six years without a trial so far.
Since the NLSUI deferred the screening, the ABVP demanded that the Centre intervene and issue directives for the documentary’s “immediate and absolute cancellation”.
They also demanded that the Centre initiate “a comprehensive inquiry into the NLSIU administration and organising committee regarding how permission was granted for an event glorifying an individual accused of anti-national activities and civil disruption, while ignoring formal complaints submitted by student bodies”.
On Sunday, the NLSUI released a statement informing staff and others about its decision to postpone the screening due to “logistical and security concerns”.
The institute added that it was working to hold the event with adequate security and with the well-being of the larger student population in mind.
“We are making it clear that we are not backing out of the event because of pressure from anyone. The postponement is a precautionary step taken to ensure that the screening can be held in a safe and responsible manner,” according to the statement by NSLUI.
The institute shared its commitment to organising the screening this trimester itself.
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)
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