‘Humanity is a privilege’: Umar Khalid on his six years in an Indian jail without trial
Exclusive: Activist tells of his life as one of India’s most prominent political prisoners and his opposition to the government of Narendra Modi
TL;DR
- Umar Khalid, a political prisoner in India, describes the intense dread experienced in jail, particularly at sunset, a feeling he found echoed in historical accounts.
- He rose to prominence as a student activist and a key figure in anti-government protests against Narendra Modi's administration, later being arrested and jailed on terrorism charges.
- Khalid, a Muslim and leftwing activist, is a vocal critic of the BJP's Hindu nationalist agenda and accuses the government of persecuting minorities.
- International human rights groups condemn his lengthy pre-trial detention, while the Indian government maintains the judicial system is independent.
- He discusses the dehumanizing effects of state propaganda and how being reduced to an image makes maintaining sanity and humanity difficult.
- Khalid links his activism to his upbringing in a Muslim ghetto and witnessing the fracturing of society along religious lines.
- His activism at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) led to a sedition arrest in 2016, marking a turning point in his life.
- He was accused of masterminding the 2020 Delhi riots despite being miles away, with critics alleging fabricated evidence by the police.
- Khalid expresses disappointment with the opposition for not standing up for political prisoners, feeling isolated by their silence.
- He finds solace in quotes and writings, including those of Bhagat Singh, finding freedom even in captivity.