The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Students' Union (JNUSU) has called for a march today, January 28 demanding to free student activist Sharjeel Imam, who surrendered to the Delhi Police in January 2020. As per the police, the speeches Imam made during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protest were responsible for the riots in Jamia Nagar in Delhi.
JNU scholars and activists Imam and Umar Khalid are among the nearly dozen people who have been charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for their alleged connection with a larger conspiracy linked to the Delhi riots of 2020, as per the Delhi Police. Umar Khalid has been in judicial custody since September 2020. Last year he was granted one week's interim bail for the wedding of his sister. Earlier, his regular bail application was dismissed in October 2022 by the division bench of the Delhi High Court.
The call for the march, which was shared by JNUSU members, on social media stated, "Free Sharjeel Imam! Free All Equal Citizenship Activists! Reject CAA-NPR-NRC! Repeal UAPA!" The march will be held at 4.30 pm today from Ganga Dhaba to Sabarmati Dhaba.
Imam and Khalid are facing charges in connection with making inflammatory speeches which allegedly fuelled the violence, as per the police, according to a report by IANS. The riots broke out in the national capital in February 2020 during anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests and took a violent turn. The mayhem saw more than 50 people lose their lives besides leaving over 700 persons injured.
