Former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, who had an unremarkable stint at the CPI before joining the Congress party, recently distanced himself from Umar Khalid after a journalist asked him to comment on his ‘friend’, one of the accused in the anti-Hindu riots that swept Delhi in February 2020.
“Who told you?” came a cutting response from Kanhaiya Kumar when a journalist asked him if Umar Khalid is his friend or not. When Kumar further inquires who told the journalist that he was friends with Umar Khalid, the scribe responds back saying he saw it in a video. However, Kumar asks him further in which video he saw him calling Umar his friend. The video of Kumar’s interaction with the journalist has now gone viral on the internet.
And predictably, Kumar’s repudiation of having a friendship with Umar Khalid has not gone down well with ‘Liberals’ and Islamists, who could not hide their contempt and disdain for the former JNUSU president.
Kanhaiya Kumar distances himself from Umar Khalid, Islamists and liberals say it is a lesson for Muslims
Irena Akbar, a self-proclaimed liberal but is known for engaging in hateful rhetorics online, took to Twitter to insinuate that Kanhaiya Kumar was a backstabber who betrayed Umar Khalid. “A friend who abandons you in your tough times is no less than a backstabber. He’s worse than an upfront enemy. Kanhaiya Kumar, the selfish, opportunistic coward didn’t deserve Umar Khalid’s friendship. Good riddance for Umar. And a lesson learnt for Muslims. We are in this alone,” she said.
A friend who abandons you in your tough times is no less than a backstabber. He’s worse than an upfront enemy. Kanhaiya Kumar, the selfish, opportunistic coward didn’t deserve Umar Khalid’s friendship. Good riddance for Umar. And a lesson learnt for Muslims. We are in this alone. https://t.co/xMJJzPtzCD
— Irena Akbar (@irenaakbar) December 20, 2021
Another Twitter user slammed Kanhaiya Kumar, stating that someone who built his political career by exploiting Rohith Vemula’s tragic death is turning his back on Umar Khalid. “Shame to all savarna journalists and activists who have supported him over the Dalit and Muslim leadership,” the user tweeted.
Kanhaiya Kumar Bhumihar has used Rohith Vemula institutional murder to make his own political career. Now he don’t know who is Umar Khalid.
— Harsh (@_ambedkarite) December 20, 2021
Shame to all those savarna journalists and activists who has supported him over the dalit and muslim leadership.
M Reyaz, a self-declared journalist who has written for the leftist organisation The Wire, assailed Kanhaiya Kumar saying that many Muslims and liberals wanted Muslims to vote for him over the RJD candidate, but he would go to any lengths to distance himself from Umar Khalid and Meeran Haider.
Many Liberals and Muslims wanted wanted Muslims to vote for him over RJD official candidate.
— M Reyaz, PhD || محمد ریاض (@journalistreyaz) December 20, 2021
This fraud would not even comment and go any distance to disassociate himself from Umar Khalid and Meeran Haider. https://t.co/JJJ9UweNWf
Yet another Twitter user said Kanhaiya Kumar disowning Umar Khalid was the saddest thing she read today.
Kanhaiya K disowning Umar Khalid is the saddest thing I read today
— Mahua/ মহুয়া (@mahuadey20) December 21, 2021
Toolkit deployed to garner sympathy for Khalid, who is languishing in jail for his alleged involvement in Delhi riots
As the video of Kanhaiya Kumar rejecting his association with Umar Khalid started doing the rounds on the internet, a set of liberals and Islamists started posting tweets in sympathy of the former JNU student who remains in jail over his alleged involvement in hatching a conspiracy to instigate Delhi riots.
Tweets declaring Umar Khalid as their friend, which appeared less of organic emotional outburst and more of a toolkit strategy aimed at engendering sympathy for the Delhi riots accused, were posted online by a host of accounts associating themselves with the liberal persuasion.
Aakar Patel, human rights ‘activist’ and former head of Amnesty India, who spends his time of late whining and caterwauling against the Centre, tweeted: “Umar Khalid is my friend i miss him and hope he’s out soon because he’s innocent and has been stitched up by Amit and Modi and a shameless and complicit police and judiciary @UmarKhalidJNU.”
umar khalid is my friend i miss him and hope he’s out soon because he’s innocent and has been stitched up by amit and modi and a shameless and complicit police and judiciary @UmarKhalidJNU
— Aakar Patel (@Aakar__Patel) December 20, 2021
Another self-described political activist Kawalpreet Kaur tweeted, “One should feel proud to call Umar Khalid his friend, for not many, would stand for justice and dignity like he did and is currently in jail on false charges. Umar Khalid is our leader and we are proud of him.”
One should feel proud to call Umar Khalid his friend, for not many would stand for justice and dignity like he did and is currently doing being in jail on false charges. Umar Khalid is our leader and we are proud of him.
— Kawalpreet Kaur (@kawalpreetdu) December 20, 2021
Umar Khalid and his role in Delhi Riots
While the liberals and Islamists hail Khalid as their friend and their leader whom they are proud of, it is worth noting that the former JNU student was arrested by the police on September 14, 2020, for his alleged involvement in the horrific Northeast Delhi riots. In a charge sheet filed by the Delhi police and admitted by the court, it is alleged that Khalid had hatched the conspiracy of the anti-Hindu Delhi riots along with his friends during the visit of US President Trump to India. Khalid had also 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.
