JNU Cancels Student Discussion on Umar Khalid Book at SSS Auditorium

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi has cancelled a student-organised discussion on a book authored by former student Umar Khalid, which was scheduled to be held on campus on Monday. The event was set to take place at the School of Social Sciences (SSS)-I auditorium. University authorities cited "non-disclosure of the full facts" regarding the programme as the reason for revoking the booking.

The scheduled discussion was centred on Khalid’s book, titled Fractured Communities: Adivasi Histories and the Politics of Power. The work is based on his PhD thesis, which he submitted at JNU’s Centre for Historical Studies in 2018. Khalid has been in custody since September 2020 in connection with the larger conspiracy case related to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots.

According to promotional posters circulated for the event, the discussion was being organised to mark the 'International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples'. The session had been scheduled to run from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the SSS-I auditorium before the university cancelled the permission.

The university administration announced the decision on Sunday in a post on its official X handle. Addressing the action taken, the university posted: “JNU is a democratic and decentralised institution. The permission was given by dean, SSS, who has taken action as well in cancelling the event.” The administration repeated that the booking was cancelled because full facts about the programme were not disclosed.

In its official social media post announcing the cancellation, the university tagged several top authorities, including the Prime Minister, the Vice-President, and Union ministers holding the home, external affairs, finance, and education portfolios.