JNU Venue Cancelled for Umar Khalid Book Discussion Event

A book discussion on "Fractured Communities: Adivasi Histories and the Politics of Power," authored by former student leader Umar Khalid, has been shifted from its originally designated venue at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi, the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) announced on Sunday, August 9, 2026. The event was scheduled to take place on Monday, August 10, 2026, at 3 p.m. inside the School of Social Sciences-I (SSS-I) auditorium.

Addressing the cancellation, the JNUSU general secretary confirmed that while the original venue inside the auditorium was cancelled, the event itself remains on schedule. The union official stated that no specific reason was given by authorities for cancelling the original venue, adding that the discussion will take place at an alternate location on campus, which will be announced separately.

The programme has been organised by JNUSU to mark the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples. The discussion focuses on Khalid's book, which examines Adivasi histories and the politics of power.

According to the official event poster, the panel of speakers scheduled for the discussion includes Professor Prabhu Mahapatra and Professor Uma Chakravarti, writer and journalist Shuddhabrata Sengupta, social activist Harsh Mander, and Banojyotsna Lahiri.

Khalid, an activist and former JNU student, has been imprisoned since September 2020 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). He was arrested in connection with the 2020 northeast Delhi riots conspiracy case and continues to await the start of his trial.

The 2020 northeast Delhi violence erupted during widespread protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC). The communal clashes resulted in 53 deaths and left over 700 people injured.