JNU revokes auditorium permission for discussion on Umar Khalid’s book; students’ union shifts event outdoors
The Jawaharlal Nehru University administration on Sunday withdrew permission for a discussion organised by the JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) on a book written by former university student Umar Khalid, citing the organisers’ failure to disclose complete details about the programme.
The event, scheduled for August 9 at the School of Social Sciences-I (SSS-I) auditorium, was to centre on Fractured Communities: Adivasi Histories and the Politics of Power. The discussion was planned to coincide with the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples and was scheduled to begin at 3 pm.
According to the event poster, the panel included professors Prabhu Mahapatra and Uma Chakravarti, artist and curator Shuddhabrata Sengupta, and social activists Harsh Mander and Banojyotsna.
The JNUSU criticised the administration’s decision, calling it “arbitrary and authoritarian” and alleging that the withdrawal of permission amounted to an attempt to restrict academic debate and dissent on campus.
Despite the cancellation, the students’ union said it would hold the programme. It announced that the discussion would take place in the open near the SSS-II building while efforts were being made to secure another venue.
The union also questioned the administration’s justification for cancelling the booking. It claimed that the Dean of the School of Social Sciences had earlier directed organisers to submit the auditorium request in the format in which it was ultimately filed.
The JNUSU further accused the university administration of applying different standards to campus events, alleging that it had facilitated programmes organised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) while denying space for the book discussion.
The book focuses on Adivasi histories, resistance and struggles surrounding land, forests and water, which the union described in terms of the broader “Jal, Jungle and Jameen” movement.
In its statement, the JNUSU also defended Khalid, describing him as a proponent of constitutional rights and civil liberties. Khalid has been in custody since September 2020 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the alleged conspiracy case related to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. His trial has yet to begin.
The violence in northeast Delhi followed protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC). At least 53 people were killed and more than 700 injured in the communal clashes.
The students’ union said the withdrawal of the auditorium would not prevent the discussion from taking place and urged students, faculty members and university staff to attend the programme at the alternative location.
