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
January 12,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 12: Protesters plan to intensify their anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act movement from sit-down satyagrahas and rallies to street and door-to-door campaigns in different parts of the city.

The street campaigns began on January 1 with 20-30 volunteers of Hum Bharat Ke Log, reaching out to people in Koramangala and Whitefield and explaining the CAA, National Population Register (NPR), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and related issues. They have organised four campaigns.

According to Zia Nomani, member of Hum Bharat Ke Log, the campaign will intensify soon. “Over 200-400 volunteers will organise nukkad sabhas and other activities around JP Nagar and Banashankari,” Nomani said.

She added that though protests began as a medium for people to vent their concerns, more needs to be done.

“We have realised that many people have begun working on their personal documents and want to help them understand what CAA is all about,” Nomani said.

Volunteers will talk to people at street junctions, discuss issues and run signature campaigns. They say: “Our movement is focussed on reaching out to people. Pro-CAA workers too started a door-to-door campaign last week.”

Avani Chokshi, an advocate who participated in a campaign, said though people had a cursory idea about these issues, they didn’t know the details. “It through such campaigns that we can reach more people. It’s important to talk to people who haven’t made up their mind about the issues or are even pro-CAA,” said Avani, adding, “It hard to combat hatred in a short span of time. The movement needs to be sustained.”

Activist Geeta Menon, who has been at the forefront of the street campaign, says they were heckled at some places.

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News Network
July 1,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 1: Faced with increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the State Capital, Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court Justice A S Okha has decided the Court to function online.

Registrar General Rajendra Badamikar, in the notice issued here on Wednesday, based on order of the Chief Justice, stated that the emergency cases will be conducted through video conference until the next order.

The order also specifies that only the principal seat (Bengaluru) will be conducting proceedings online. High Court benches at Dharwad and Kalaburagi will continue to function as usual.

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News Network
June 5,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 5: The Karnataka government has asked all its departments and authorities to avoid during all official transactions the nomenclature "Dalit" for members belonging to the Scheduled Castes.

"All the departments and authorities of government of Karnataka are requested that (use of name Dalit) for all official transactions, matters, dealings, certificates, among others," the official circular said.

The Constitutional term Scheduled Caste in English and its appropriate translation in other national languages should alone be used for denoting the persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes notified in the presidential orders issued under Article 341 of the Constitution, the circular said.

The circular issued on May 20 notes instructions issued by the Central government in 2018, with reference to the order of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh, Gwalior Bench.

"That the Central government/state government and its functionaries would refrain from using the nomenclature "Dalit" for the members belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as the same does not find mentioned in the Constitution or any statute," the order had said.

Pointing out that the Central government had earlier issued instructions that the words "Harijan" and "Girijan" should not be used, the circular said accordingly the Karnataka government also had issued a Government Order in 2010.

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