I never followed Islam but I was called Islamist' terrorist: Umar Khalid

March 19, 2016

New Delhi, Mar 19: Hours after his release from Tihar jail in a sedition case, JNU student Umar Khalid today said he has no regrets of being jailed and was rather proud of being booked under the said charges.

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"We have no regrets of being jailed in this particular case. We are in fact proud of the fact that we have been booked under sedition, a law under which activists like Arundhati Roy and Binayak Sen were booked.

"Our names have been added to the list of those who have been jailed for raising their voices," he told a gathering at the varsity.

In a 35-minute speech, Umar said, "I am not ashamed that I was in jail. Criminals are those who are in power, those in jail are the ones who raise their voice."

"I also don't think that freedom of expression is in danger. It only belongs to those in power. People like (Pravin) Togadia and Yogi Adityanath have all the freedom of expression," he said.

Umar claimed that he was being labelled a terrorist because of Islam, which, he said, he did not practice.

"I never followed Islam but I was called Islamist terrorist. It was not just my trial but entire Muslim community's trial. But I want to ask what if I was practising Muslim? What if I came from Azamgarh and wore a skull cap? That will be enough to give me a terrorist certificate", he said.

Khalid, who was welcomed at the gathering by JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and his 6-year-old sister Sara, said, "Those who are raising concerns about wastage of taxpayers' money, we want to tell them we are not going to go back to studies now that we are back from jail. By jailing us you have given bigger responsibilities on our shoulders and we will fulfill that by fighting."

Umar, and Anirban Bhattacharya, arrested last month on charges of sedition for their involvement in a controversial event organised to protest hanging of Afzal Guru, were today granted interim bail for six months by a Delhi court on ground of parity with Kanhaiya.

Kanhaiya, who was also arrested on charges of sedition in connection with the February 9 event at the JNU, was granted bail earlier this month.

"I was linked with Jaish-e-Mohammad, I was accused of eloping to Kashmir or Pakistan while I was sitting at the university administration block, I was declared a traitor to the nation by virtue of birth.

"We are still in a better position as we were not killed in an encounter or tortured in custody and our houses were not burnt. Usually that's the fate of those who raise their voices," Khalid said.

"We do condemn 'bharat ki barbadi' (India will be destroyed) slogans but our slogan is 'Sangh ki barbadi tak jung rahegi' (fight till sangh is destroyed). There can't be peace without justice and where there is RSS can't be justice," he said.

Amid shouting of 'aazaadi' slogans, Anirban recalled his experiences in jail and how authorities were more appalled at him being an "anti-national".

"They said Khalid sahab to we understand, but you being a Bhattacharya how can you be anti-national? I had no answers and I am still clueless about what transpired in the last one month," he said.

"I did not feel bad about being in jail but the day Kanhaiya came back to campus I missed being here," he said.

Comments

Naren kotian
 - 
Saturday, 19 Mar 2016

Lo rikaacha ...good joke kano...chaddi galu scared abthe ..haha...worlds most deadliest crimes rapes beheadings are done by muslims...99.999% muslims are terrorists. . take out the statistics .. First of all saabi galige nidde barallo mama Israel and modi hesru kelidre ...haha ...

Zubair
 - 
Saturday, 19 Mar 2016

Mr. Umar If you never followed ISLAM!! then, you are unfit to named as Umar Khalid... and raise voice against discrimination. Let media and politician call you as either Islamic Terrorist or fundamentalist it is not a big thing. Because Allah knows the best what and who are you..but be firm in your religion and fight for freedom IN India..

Rikaz
 - 
Saturday, 19 Mar 2016

cheddies are scared of muslims name....not whether you follow muslim or not...even in the night they cannot get proper sleep just because of muslim names....you dont have to harm them but they scared it is automatic...its from Allah the alimighty....Subhan Allah!

UMMAR
 - 
Saturday, 19 Mar 2016

NO NEED TO FOLLOW ISLAM ... IF U R MUSLIM U R TERROR AS PER THEM...

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News Network
May 5,2020

Mangaluru, May 5: As many as 7,119 labourers, who were stranded in Dakshina Kannada district, were sent to their native places in buses operated by KSRTC’s Mangaluru and Puttur divisions.

After the announcement of lockdown, the stranded labourers were provided shelter in various halls, Town Hall and government hostels in the district.

The stranded labourers from Kuloor, Panjimogaru, Panambur, Baikampady, Yeyyadi, Mulki, Ullal, Bunder, Hoige Bazar and from taluk centres, who wished to take up farming activities in their villages, were sent back in KSRTC and private buses. As many as 266 buses were engaged for ferrying the labourers.

The labourers underwent health check-up prior to their departure to their native villages, Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh said.

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News Network
February 2,2020

New Delhi, Jan 2: India on Sunday reported the second case of novel coronavirus with a person from Kerala with a travel history to China testing positive, officials said.

"The patient has tested positive for novel coronavirus and is in isolation in a hospital," the health ministry said.

The patient is stable and is being closely monitored, it said.

India's first novel coronavirus case in India was also reported from Kerala with a student testing positive.

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Media Release
July 27,2020

The second in the series of chartered flights arranged by Thumbay Group, UAE and the Bearys Cultural Forum (BCF) Trust, Mangalore to repatriate stranded Kannadigas in the UAE took off from Ras Al Khaimah International Airport on 25th July 2020. The flight was fully occupied with 178 passengers including the sick and elderly as well as those in need of urgent medical attention due to chronic illnesses, pregnant ladies and kids. Passengers also included those facing visa issues and job losses.

Implemented under the leadership of Dr. Thumbay Moideen - Founder President of Thumbay Group & Founder Patron of BCF and Dr. B K Yusuf - President of BCF, these repatriation flights are organized on a purely charitable basis, with all necessary steps and precautions in place to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers. 

Thumbay Group assigned its fleet of buses to transport the passengers free of charge from their residences in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman to the airport. The organizers also provided free meals and refreshments to the passengers, in addition to PPE kits and face-shields distributed free of charges. 

Dr. B K Yusuf – BCF President, Dr. Kaup Mohammed - BCF General Secretary, other office bearers of BCF, as well as Thumbay Group’s representatives Mr. Farhad C – Director of the 
Hospitality Division of Thumbay Group and Engr. Farwaz P. C. – COO of the Construction Division were present at the airport to see off the second group of passengers. 

ARISTOCRAT Travels supported the ticketing, boarding and related processes for the passengers. Support 
was also extended by social organizations including Bhatkal Jamath, Bhatkal association, BCCI, BWF, DKSC, KNRI, Kannadiga Help Line, KDKGS-UAE, Dubai Konkans, KSS and Dubai 
Kannadigas.

The passengers were received at Mangalore airport under the leadership of Mr. Mumtaz Ali - patron of BCF and other distinguished personalities of Mangalore including Mr. B. M. Farookh - Hon. MLC, Mr. Moidin Bava - former MLA, Mr. U. T. Ifthikhar, Mr. S. M. R. Rashid - President of 
BCCI central committee etc.The passengers were transferred to the hotels where they had registered for the mandatory quarantine.

The first flight in the series, with 186 passengers had taken off on 21st July 2020. The next flight under this joint initiative is scheduled to take-off from Ras Al Khaimah airport to Mangalore on 10th August 2020. A few more similar repatriation flights are to soon follow, in the coming weeks.


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