A planned screening of a documentary about jailed student activist Umar Khalid at the National Law School of India University in Bengaluru has been called offIt had been put on hold only recently.
Published: September 19, 2026, 8:20 PM IST
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ABVP claimed the screening has been cancelledFile image/PTI
The proposed screening of a documentary on jailed student activist Umar Khalid at the National Law School of India University (NLSUI) here which was postponed recently has been cancelled, the ABVP claimed on SaturdayThe documentary, “Prisoner No626710 is Present”, directed by filmmaker Lalit Vachani, was proposed to be screened at the university, with the RSS-affiliated students’ body, ABVP, staunchly opposing it.
While ABVP claimed the screening has been cancelled, there was no official confirmation yet by Law and Society Committee (LawSoc), a students organisation at NLSIU that organised the screeningIn a statement, ABVP Bengaluru said it “notes the cancellation of Umar Khalid’s documentary screening at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU).”
Also Read | JNU cancels event on Umar Khalid’s book, cites ‘non-disclosure of full facts’
The screening was recently postponed by the LawSoc, citing logistical and security concerns, following protests by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP)The ABVP, however, had demanded that the event be cancelledThey had also recently urged Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal to order an inquiry into the proposed screening of the documentary.
In a statement, ABVP said that while it firmly believes in vibrant campus spaces, open discussions, free speech and academic freedom, it can never be used as a shield to promote narratives that challenge the sovereignty, integrity, and security of our nation“Specifically, premier legal institutions must never become platforms for individuals associated with glorifying attacks on our nation or advocating for the secession and fragmentation of Jammu and Kashmir,” it said.
Also Read | Umar Khalid, accused in Delhi riots case, gets 3-day interim bail for mother’s surgery
It further said that educational spaces must remain centers of academic excellence and national prideABVP reiterated that freedom of speech stops where national security is compromised, and any attempt to undermine national unity under the guise of open discourse will continue to face resolute opposition from the student community.
The screening issue had led to a war of words between leaders of ruling Congress in Karnataka, including its state president BK Hariprasad who termed Khalid a “nationalist,” and the ABVP, and the BJPKhalid was arrested in September 2020 in connection with the case relating to an alleged larger conspiracy behind the February 2020 Delhi riots and was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, among other provisions.
