JNU cancels Umar Khalid book discussion

On August 9, 2026, Jawaharlal Nehru cancelled the booking of the SSS-I auditorium for a discussion on Umar Khalid's book 'Fractured Communities: Adivasi Histories and the Politics of Power', scheduled for August 10 to mark the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples. The university cited 'non-disclosure of full facts' about the programme, stating that the permission had been granted by the Dean of the School of Social Sciences, who subsequently cancelled it. The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union condemned the decision as 'arbitrary' and 'authoritarian', accusing the administration of suppressing critical thought and dissent. The union announced that the discussion would proceed at an alternate venue, initially outside the SSS-II building. The event was to feature speakers including Prabhu Mohapatra, Pom Chakravarti, Shuddhabrata Sengupta, Harsh Mander, and Banojyotsna Lahiri. Umar Khalid, a former JNU student and activist, has been imprisoned since September 2020 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the 2020 northeast Delhi riots case. The cancellation follows a recent controversy over an ISKCON event at JNU, which was also cancelled after student objections.