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| Another Indian student arrested on charges of sedition | Another Indian student arrested on charges of sedition |
| (6 months later) | |
| A student at one of India’s most prestigious universities has been arrested on charges of sedition in the latest in a series of detentions under colonial-era laws which have raised fears over freedom of speech in the country. | A student at one of India’s most prestigious universities has been arrested on charges of sedition in the latest in a series of detentions under colonial-era laws which have raised fears over freedom of speech in the country. |
| Umar Khalid, 25, a graduate student at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) was arrested at about midnight on Tuesday night following allegations that he had participated in a demonstration that authorities have called anti-Indian. | Umar Khalid, 25, a graduate student at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) was arrested at about midnight on Tuesday night following allegations that he had participated in a demonstration that authorities have called anti-Indian. |
| His arrest comes a week after the police arrested Kanhaiya Kumar, the president of the JNU student union, in connection with the same case. | His arrest comes a week after the police arrested Kanhaiya Kumar, the president of the JNU student union, in connection with the same case. |
| Addressing supporters before his arrest, Khalid said: “People outside have to carry on the struggle. We will be fighting from inside.” | Addressing supporters before his arrest, Khalid said: “People outside have to carry on the struggle. We will be fighting from inside.” |
| University security officials then drove Khalid Anirban Bhattacharya, another person accused to a police station in south Delhi. Indian police do not enter campuses without written permission from university authorities. | University security officials then drove Khalid Anirban Bhattacharya, another person accused to a police station in south Delhi. Indian police do not enter campuses without written permission from university authorities. |
| Khalid and five others were accused of organising an “anti-Indian” event after the protest to mark the anniversary of the 2013 execution of Afzal Guru, a Kashmiri man convicted of an attack on India’s parliament that left 10 people dead. | Khalid and five others were accused of organising an “anti-Indian” event after the protest to mark the anniversary of the 2013 execution of Afzal Guru, a Kashmiri man convicted of an attack on India’s parliament that left 10 people dead. |
| Opposition parties and over 400 academics from universities around the world have accused India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, and his government of using colonial-era laws – and mobs of nationalist supporters – to suppress dissent and free speech. | Opposition parties and over 400 academics from universities around the world have accused India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, and his government of using colonial-era laws – and mobs of nationalist supporters – to suppress dissent and free speech. |
| At a gathering of student demonstrators last week, Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition Congress party, called for a law to protect universities. “We need a law to ensure that students in colleges and universities do not face discrimination and their voice is not stifled,” he said. | At a gathering of student demonstrators last week, Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition Congress party, called for a law to protect universities. “We need a law to ensure that students in colleges and universities do not face discrimination and their voice is not stifled,” he said. |
| Delhi’s chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, who was also present at Wednesday’s demonstration, said: “If Modiji does not mend ways then very soon the youth and students will come together to teach him a lesson.” | Delhi’s chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, who was also present at Wednesday’s demonstration, said: “If Modiji does not mend ways then very soon the youth and students will come together to teach him a lesson.” |
| Modi is believed to have taken a hardline position on the matter. Reports from a meeting of his ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) on Wednesday evening quoted Modi as saying: “The government is working fine and has a lot to show. The opposition is raking up non-issues like JNU that the party needs to debate and contest aggressively.” | Modi is believed to have taken a hardline position on the matter. Reports from a meeting of his ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) on Wednesday evening quoted Modi as saying: “The government is working fine and has a lot to show. The opposition is raking up non-issues like JNU that the party needs to debate and contest aggressively.” |
| At a midnight meeting at JNU two days before his arrest, Khalid stood before hundreds of fellow students to explain his battle with the government. | At a midnight meeting at JNU two days before his arrest, Khalid stood before hundreds of fellow students to explain his battle with the government. |
| “Today this is not just this university’s struggle but the struggle of every university in this country,” he said, “It is a battle for this society – it is a battle for what sort of a society would we have in the days to come.” | “Today this is not just this university’s struggle but the struggle of every university in this country,” he said, “It is a battle for this society – it is a battle for what sort of a society would we have in the days to come.” |