JNU Administration Cancels Umar Khalid Book Event Amid Student Clashes

The administration of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) cancelled a scheduled discussion on August 10, 2026, concerning the book 'Fractured Communities: Adivasi Histories and the Politics of Power' by incarcerated former student Umar Khalid. The university cited the use of incorrect and incomplete information during the booking of the School of Social Sciences-I auditorium as the reason for the cancellation.

The JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) and faculty members disputed the administration's claims, asserting that the Dean of the School of Social Sciences had been fully informed. JNUSU leaders described the cancellation as a pretext for censorship. Meanwhile, the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) claimed credit for the decision, stating their protests against the glorification of a traitor forced the university's hand.

Despite the loss of the venue, JNUSU moved the event to an open area near the School of Social Sciences-II building. The discussion led to heated confrontations and sloganeering between JNUSU members, who demanded Khalid's release, and ABVP students, who raised counter-slogans. Umar Khalid has been imprisoned since September 2020 without trial under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the 2020 northeast Delhi riots.