BJP urges Bengaluru Police Commissioner to cancel event supporting Umar Khalid
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka BJP on Monday petitioned Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh to cancel an event supporting activist Umar Khalid.
A delegation of BJP leaders led by Bengaluru Central MP P C Mohan met the Commissioner and submitted a memorandum in this regard.
According to sources, the editors of the book "Umar Khalid and His World" will read excerpts from the book on April 28 in Bengaluru, followed by a discussion in which some "historians and intellectuals" are likely to participate.
Khalid is in jail in connection with allegations of conspiracy behind the 2020 Delhi riots.
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"In Bengaluru city, an event has been organised under the platform "Umar Khalid Prapancha" to express support for Khalid, who is currently under arrest under anti-terrorism laws," the BJP said in its memorandum.
"Across the country, the Central Government has taken strict action against Naxalites. However, urban Naxal elements are still active and are indirectly supporting anti-national activities," it alleged.
Further stating that Khalid is facing very serious charges, the memorandum said, the fact that courts have denied him bail for the past three years stands as an indication of his alleged criminal activities.
"Glorifying such an individual would amount to encouraging criminal elements. It is shocking that such an event is being held in our city. It is also a matter of serious concern that pro Umar Khalid slogans and wall writings have already appeared across the city, indicating the spread of such networks," it said.
"In the interest of maintaining peace in the city, we request that the permission granted for this event be withdrawn. If the event proceeds and any law and order situation arises, the BJP will not be responsible for it. We urge you to consider our request in the interest of the city and cancel the event," it added.
The Supreme Court on April 20 dismissed activist Khalid's plea seeking a review of a verdict denying him bail, while observing that there are reasonable grounds to believe the allegations levelled against him in connection with a conspiracy behind the 2020 Delhi riots.
There was a prima-facie case against Khalid and Sharjeel Imam (another accused) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the top court had earlier said, noting that prosecution material suggests that they were involved in the "planning, mobilisation and strategic direction" of the riots.
The February 2020 riots in northeast Delhi broke out during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), leaving 53 people dead and more than 700 injured.
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Dalit outfits call state-wide hartal over dental student’s death
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Various Dalit organisations on Monday announced a state-wide hartal seeking justice in the death of Kannur Dental College student Nithin Raj.
The hartal will be observed on Tuesday from 6 am to 6 pm.
As many as 52 Dalit organisations, including Justice for Nithin Raj Action Council, have announced the strike.
Organisations requesting cooperation for the strike said that no vehicles will be forcibly stopped and that all essential services are exempted.
Raj, a first-year BDS student at a private dental college in Anjarakkandy in Kannur district, was found critically injured after falling from a building on April 10 and later succumbed to his injuries.
Police have registered a case against two faculty members on charges of abetment of suicide and under provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, following allegations by the student’s family that he was subjected to caste- and complexion-based harassment.
Kerala Pinnokka Samudaya Munnani (KPSM), one of the organisations supporting the hartal, alleged in a statement that police had shown apathy in the investigation and were attempting to protect the accused in the case.
KPSM state president K V Padmanabhan and general secretary S Anwar alleged that the probe into Raj’s death was being deliberately misdirected and delayed.
While the family has firmly alleged that caste discrimination and mental harassment by faculty members led to the student’s death, police were attempting to divert the investigation towards loan app borrowings, they claimed.
The organisation alleged that this was a planned move to shield the real accused.
KPSM further alleged that by deliberately delaying the arrest of the accused teachers, police enabled them to secure anticipatory bail.
They said there was no confidence in the present police investigation and demanded that the case be handed over to an independent agency at the earliest.
