Controversial slogans raised at JNU against PM Modi after SC denies bail to Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam
PTC Web Desk: Controversial slogans targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were raised inside the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus on Monday night following the Supreme Court’s decision to deny bail to former student activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case.
A video of the protest, which took place between 9 pm and 10 pm near Sabarmati Hostel, has surfaced on social media, drawing sharp political reactions. The slogans were allegedly raised by a group of students affiliated with Left-backed organisations.
Officials said members of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) were present at the site during the protest. However, JNUSU president Aditi Mishra stated that students gather every year around January 5 to condemn the 2020 campus violence and claimed that the slogans were ideological in nature and not intended as personal threats.
The police said no formal complaint has been received so far regarding the incident.
Reacting strongly, Delhi Environment Minister and BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa questioned the protest, saying opposing a Supreme Court verdict reflects a disregard for constitutional institutions.
“If people start protesting against the judgment of the Supreme Court, then there is little left to say. Such acts show contempt for the country and its leadership,” Sirsa said.
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the RSS-affiliated student body, alleged that the slogans were provocative and directly threatening in nature. ABVP’s JNU secretary Pravin K Piyush said the organisation would file a formal complaint.
“We will pursue this matter and ensure strict action is taken,” an ABVP representative said.
Background: 2020 JNU campus violence
The protest coincided with the anniversary of the January 5, 2020, incident when masked attackers entered the JNU campus, vandalised property and assaulted students and faculty members. At least 28 persons, including then JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh, were injured in the violence.
Supreme Court ruling on bail pleas
Earlier on Monday, a Supreme Court bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Prasanna B Varale rejected the bail applications of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, citing sufficient material indicating their alleged role in a larger conspiracy linked to the Delhi riots.
The court held that the evidence attracted the statutory bar under Section 43D(5) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and observed that, at this stage, the prosecution material did not justify granting them bail.
The bench noted that Khalid and Imam stood on a “qualitatively different footing” compared to other accused, citing their alleged involvement in planning, mobilisation and issuing strategic directions.
However, the court granted bail to five other accused—Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmed—stating that their roles differed in scope and intensity.
Both Khalid and Imam have been in judicial custody for over five years.
- With inputs from agencies
