Talha Mannan, National Secretary of the Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) and a former student of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), has been booked along with 8–10 unidentified students for allegedly raising pro-Palestine slogans during student-led protests at AMU.
The protests, which have been ongoing since August 4, were sparked by a sudden hike in university fees and included demands for the reinstatement of the Students’ Union and withdrawal of disciplinary actions against students. Mannan, now a PhD scholar at Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) in Hyderabad, joined the protest on August 12 and was seen wearing a black-and-white keffiyeh bearing the Palestinian flag.
An FIR was registered on Monday at the Civil Lines police station based on a complaint by Sanjay Arya, the district president of the Hindu Raksha Dal. Arya alleged that Mannan and his associates raised “provocative” slogans in support of Palestine, which, according to him, threatened communal harmony and disturbed public peace. The complaint cited viral photos and videos showing Mannan holding a Palestinian flag and accused the group of attempting to incite unrest.
Police have booked Mannan and others under Sections 223 (disobedience to an order from a public servant) and 353(2) (statements conducting to public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The protest has been termed “unauthorised,” with the complainant claiming that marches and gatherings have been held without official permission.
Responding to the FIR, the Fraternity Movement’s National Vice-President Umar Faruq Quadri condemned the action, calling it politically motivated. He said Mannan was merely supporting AMU students in their legitimate demands and described his speech as a “call for justice, not hate.”
Quadri accused Hindutva groups, in coordination with the AMU administration and the Uttar Pradesh Police, of attempting to suppress student voices. “This FIR is a targeted attack, not just on Talha Mannan, but on every student standing up for their rights. Dissent is not a crime. Solidarity is not provocation,” he said.
During the protest, Mannan criticized the fee hike and increased police presence on campus, alleging they were part of a broader effort to alter the university’s character and restrict student representation.
As tensions rise on campus, the development has sparked widespread debate over student activism, freedom of expression, and political interference in educational institutions.
