Graffiti bearing the slogans “Free Umar Khalid” and “Long Live Naxalbari” appeared on the walls of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi on Saturday, sparking a fresh controversy on the campus. The incident occurred a day after slogans reading “Free Kashmir” and “Free Sharjeel Imam” were found on the walls of Jamia Millia Islamia.
The JNU administration has taken note of the incident and is investigating it, an official said. The official added that the university would not allow vested interests to disrupt peace on campus. Sources within JNU also said such graffiti would not be tolerated.
The graffiti drew criticism from the university’s Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) unit, which accused Left-wing student organisations of attempting to disturb the academic atmosphere.
In a statement, the ABVP alleged that photographs circulating from the campus showed members of the All India Students' Association (AISA) involved in objectionable writing alongside a portrait of Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar. The organisation also objected to political slogans being painted on university walls and demanded that the administration identify those responsible and take appropriate action.
JNU ABVP president Mayank Panchal said freedom of expression could not be used to justify disrespect towards national figures or damage to public property. The organisation’s university unit secretary, Praveen Piyush, said JNU did not belong to any particular ideology and that its academic environment and dignity must be safeguarded.
WHO IS UMAR KHALID?
Umar Khalid, a former research scholar at JNU, has been in jail since September 2020 in connection with the alleged larger conspiracy behind the February 2020 Delhi riots. He faces charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The violence in the national capital claimed 53 lives.
Khalid’s prolonged incarceration has remained controversial, with student organisations and civil rights activists repeatedly expressing concern over the delay in the trial.
The latest incident at JNU comes amid the controversy at Jamia Millia Islamia, where slogans demanding the release of jailed activist Sharjeel Imam, including “Free Kashmir” and “Free Sharjeel Imam”, were found on campus walls. The graffiti appeared during student protests seeking the restoration of the university’s students’ union, which has remained disbanded since 2006.
Imam, another former JNU scholar, was arrested in 2020 over speeches delivered during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). He faces sedition and other charges following a speech at Aligarh Muslim University in which he called for blocking roads connecting the Northeast with the rest of India.
The graffiti at Jamia also triggered a political controversy, with the BJP questioning Congress MP Imran Masood’s presence at the student protest. The Jamia administration condemned the slogans, stating that they undermined the country’s integrity and sovereignty.
