Umar Khalid imprisonment comments: Prakash Raj speaks on resistance at Bengaluru panel

At a Bengaluru event on “Umar Khalid and His World” at the Bangalore International Centre, actor Prakash Raj said Umar Khalid’s imprisonment symbolised resistance. The panel, which included Ramachandra Guha and Janaki Nair, discussed Khalid’s writings, incarceration, and the wider political and social context reflected in the book.

Actor Prakash Raj said on Tuesday that jailed activist Umar Khalid was "standing and fighting for all of us\". Raj said Khalid’s imprisonment showed resistance against society becoming a prison. The remarks came during a panel discussion at the Bangalore International Centre BIC. The event discussed the book, Umar Khalid and His World, and Khalid’s writings.

Umar Khalid, a former research scholar at the Jawaharlal Nehru University JNU, has been in Tihar Jail since September 14, 2020. Umar Khalid is accused of involvement in the 2020 riots in north-east Delhi. On April 20, the Supreme Court rejected a review plea on bail. The court said there were reasonable grounds for the allegations.

Umar Khalid event at Bangalore International Centre BIC

Raj spoke during a session that also included writer-historian Ramachandra Guha and historian Janaki Nair. The panel read excerpts and spoke about the political and social setting reflected in the book. Raj linked the discussion to current politics and campaigning. \"As we sit here, the supreme leader of the regime has given a statement during campaigning – Give me your vote, Ill give you freedom,\" Raj said.

Raj again connected Khalid’s jail term with the idea of public freedom. \"Im here because Umar Khalid is standing and fighting for all of us,\" Raj said. Raj also added, \"He is in jail to ensure that this country doesnt become a prison.\" Raj described jail in personal terms for Khalid. \"For Umar Khalid, jailing is like fermentation where he is brewing,\" Raj said.

Raj said the experience could shape Khalid’s future voice. Raj said there was hope that, after release, Khalid would speak \"richer and deeper\". The event centred on Khalid’s writing and incarceration. Speakers also discussed how the book tracked wider developments in public life. The panel treated the text as both personal and political documentation.

Umar Khalid book Umar Khalid and His World views

Guha said the volume presented multiple sides of Khalid through many contributors. Guha said the collection revealed at least eight different Umar Khalids. Guha listed roles such as thinker, writer, and citizen committed to freedom and justice. Guha also spoke about Khalid’s prison writings and the way imprisonment shaped daily life.

Guha said jail brought hardship but also some positive shifts for Khalid. \"For all its hardships, jail has also led to several positive changes in his life,\" Guha said. Guha said the spirit shown in those writings stayed strong. Guha also called editing the collection difficult. Guha said it was easier to write one’s own book than edit such a volume.

Umar Khalid incarceration and wider political context

Nair said the book moved beyond one person’s story to map a broader process. \"This book actually represents the archive of a very important historical moment in India,\" she said. Nair said the work recorded vilification and dispossession in recent years. Nair also referred to incarceration and the death of Indian Muslims as part of that record.

Nair criticised the spread of terms used as insults in public debate. Nair said \"Jihad\" was often used as a disparaging label. \"After todays event, we can even add Book Jihad to the list. And it is probably going to be added to the lexicon,\" Nair said. Nair warned that such narratives could harden into accepted history, with serious effects.

The case links back to violence that followed major protests in 2020. The Delhi riots began in February 2020 during demonstrations against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens. The violence left 53 people dead and more than 700 injured. Umar Khalid’s detention and court proceedings have continued since then, alongside public debate raised at the BIC event.

With inputs from PTI