Hours after All India Students’ Association (AISA) member Dhananjay won the Presidential elections of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) on Sunday (24th March), a video of him seeking the release of Delhi riot accused Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid went viral on social media.
The original video was shared by the X (formerly Twitter) handle of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). In the video, Dhananjay was heard saying, “Our companions have been put in jail. I am here to demand their release.”
During the election speech, the AISA leader also said, “I am here to demand the release of Sharjeel Imam, and Umar Khalid from this stage.”
Left’s real intentions exposed in JNUSU Presidential Debate 2023-24
— ABVP JNU (@abvpjnu) March 21, 2024
Umesh Ajmeera (ABVP’s Presidential Candidate) : Are you fighting this election for Sharjeel Imam & Umar Khalid?
Dhananjay (Left’s Presidential Candidate) : YES! We are fighting this election for Umar Khalid,… pic.twitter.com/CE8i3KrrWv
As per reports, Dhananjay won the elections by defeating ABVP’s Umesh Chandra Ajmeera by 922 votes.
For those unaware about Sharjeel Imam, he addressed a gathering at Aligarh and urged Muslims to cut off the Siliguri Corridor aka India’s chicken’s neck, which connects the seven northeastern states to the rest of India. He also advocated for the secession of Assam from the Union of India.
He had also earlier made provocative speeches where he had asked Muslims to come out and block roads in India and bring it to a standstill to get international media attention. Imam is a columnist at The Wire.
Sharjeel Imam, the mastermind of 'Shaheen Bagh' protest:
— Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) January 25, 2020
1) Non Muslims must chant "Allah hu Akbar" & they must work on the terms & conditions of Muslims.
2) Cut Northeast from India as Chicken Neck is Muslim dominated area. pic.twitter.com/MYSPta1qUa
He has been charged under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and provisions of the Indian Penal Code for being the masterminds of the February 2020 anti-Hindu riots in North-East Delhi, which killed 53 people and injured over 700 during anti-CAA protests.
Imam was also accused of making provocative speeches outside Jamia Milia Islamia University in December 2019 that led to violence outside the campus.
He is a former student of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, and was one of the key members of the group that organised Shaheen Bagh protests against CAA.
"Kashmir is occupied by India – Umar Khalid".
— Mr Sinha (Modi's family) (@MrSinha_) December 11, 2023
You know why he's rotting in jail & why he should be there for life…. pic.twitter.com/FDW8tRzQvE
On 14th September 2020, Umar Khalid, former JNU student and son of an ex-SIMI member was arrested for his role in the Delhi anti-Hindu riots that broke out on the 24th of February. He, along with others, was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA and relative provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for being the masterminds of the riots.
Umar Khalid, son of Ilyas on the other hand admitted to the Delhi police that he was involved in organizing Muslim groups, instigating them, and preparing for the large-scale violence. He had mobilized the Muslims against the law, by asserting that the new law was ‘against Muslims’ and had also planned to involve women and children in the ‘Chakka Jam’ amid the visit of US President Trump to India. He had allegedly met the former AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain and another accused Khalid Saifi to assure logistical support during the riots through his contacts in the PFI.
According to the reports, the agencies have been watching and warning about the nexus between Maoists whose front organization Khalid is aligned with, and hardline Islamists allegedly represented by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Welfare Party of India, and banned outfit SIMI. He had also repeated Pakistani talking points in Kashmir an claimed that the Indian Union territory was occupied by Indian forces.
