NLSIU students postpone the screening of documentary on Umar Khalid amid security concerns

The Law and Society Committee (LawSoc) at National Law School of India University (NLSIU) has postponed the screening of a documentary on activist Umar Khalid, originally scheduled for September 14, due to security concerns. The decision to delay the event was communicated to students on Sunday evening. Earlier, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and other right-wing activists had raised objections and demanded that the screening be canceled.

LawSoc has stated that they are not backing out of the event due to pressure from any single group but are working to ensure the event can proceed safely.

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

ABVP secretary Abhinandan Mirji condemned the proposed screening, emphasizing that educational premises should remain dedicated to national integrity and learning, not political propaganda. Mirji reiterated his demand for the administration to cancel all permissions for the event. However, students at NLSIU claim that this is not the first time the documentary has been screened at the university, and they had shown it last year on Political Prisoners Day.

Some students argue that discussing issues related to law is a norm in law school, and talking about Umar Khalid's case, who was jailed for six years, is appropriate on his arrest anniversary.

Legal experts have voiced their opinions on the controversy. Former Infosys CFO T.V. Mohandas Pai stated that the NLSIU should uphold the rule of law and not glorify terrorists, while Karnataka High Court advocate Girish Bharadwaj wrote an email to the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar to cancel the screening, arguing that the institution should not become a platform for glorifying terrorism or separatism. However, attempts to obtain a response from NLSIU's Vice-Chancellor have gone unanswered.