Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra ignited a political debate on Wednesday by publicly expressing solidarity with jailed activist Umar Khalid. This came just two days after the Supreme Court of India denied bail to Khalid in a case connected to the 2020 north-east Delhi riots.
A Poem of Defiance on Social Media
Moitra took to the social media platform X to share a powerful poem titled "You will rise, Umar Khalid." The verses, adapted from Maya Angelou's famous work, conveyed a message of resilience. The poem included lines like, "You may write me down in history, With your bitter, twisted lies... But still, like dust, I'll rise." It concluded with a defiant, "But still, like air, I'll rise," directly addressing Khalid's legal situation.
Supreme Court's Bail Verdict and Campus Fallout
The backdrop to Moitra's post was a significant ruling by the Supreme Court on Monday. The court rejected the bail pleas of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in a case concerning an alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 communal violence in north-east Delhi. However, in the same hearing, the bench granted bail to five other accused: Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd. Saleem Khan, and Shadab Ahmad.
Following this verdict, a group of students at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) reportedly staged a protest on campus. According to reports, they raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, an action that quickly drew fierce condemnation from leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
Sharp Political Reactions Pour In
The protest at JNU and the broader support for the jailed activists triggered a wave of criticism from BJP leaders. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis issued a strong statement, alleging, "The offspring of Sharjeel Imam were born at JNU." He vowed to crush what he termed "wicked intentions" that stand with "the country's traitors."
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala escalated the rhetoric, labeling the Congress and Left parties as an "anti-India urban naxal gang." He accused them of prioritizing individuals like Khalid and Imam and their vote bank over national security.
Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ashish Sood also condemned the alleged sloganeering, calling it "unfortunate" and "condemnable." He referenced past controversial statements attributed to Imam and Khalid, stating, "I consider this treason." The incident has further polarized the political discourse around the Delhi riots cases and freedom of expression.
