JNU students’ union holds ‘freedom march’ for Umar Khalid, others jailed in 2020 Delhi riots case

The programme was initiated by JNUSU President Nitish Kumar, who condemned the imprisonment and extended solidarity to their families.

General Secretary Munteha Fatima spoke of the “systematic criminalisation of dissent”. Vice-President Manisha reiterated that the student body would intensify peaceful mobilisations and legal campaigns.

Family members of those imprisoned said their struggle was not only for their loved ones but for the larger defence of constitutional rights and democratic freedoms. They urged citizens and organisations to press for the release of those jailed, transparent trials, and repeal of laws used to silence dissent.

The event concluded with sustained slogans — “Repeal UAPA” and “Inquilab Zindabad.”

Last week, the Supreme Court had said it will hear pleas by the accused in the 2020 Delhi riots case, including Umar, Sharjeel, and Gulfisha, seeking bail on September 19.

Their appeals challenging the September 2 Delhi High Court order denying them bail in the case was listed last Friday before a bench of Justices Arvind Kumar and N V Anjaria. However, the court had pointed out that the supplementary list by which the case was listed reached it very late, at 2.30 am, indicating that it did not have enough time to go through the files.

The Delhi High Court had rejected the bail pleas of nine accused in the case, including Umar, Sharjeel, and Gulfisha, saying the riots, which killed 53 people and injured around 700, were not a “regular protest” but a “premeditated, well-orchestrated conspiracy”.

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