ABVP continues push for Cancellation after NLSIU defers Umar Khalid Documentary Screening

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) Bengaluru has said that it will keep pushing for the cancellation of a documentary screening on political prisoner Umar Khalid at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), even after the university deferred the event.

NLSIU's Law and Society Committee had scheduled a screening of Lalit Vachani's documentary on Khalid, Prisoner No. 626710 is Present, for September 14, to mark Political Prisoners' Day (September 13) and the sixth anniversary of Khalid's arrest.

Sources familiar with the matter, however, said the rescheduling was unrelated to ABVP's campaign. They said the screening was moved because holding it on September 14, Ganesh Chaturthi, would have strained security arrangements.

ABVP Bengaluru, however, has said it sees the deferral as a result of its opposition, and remains committed to pushing for the screening's cancellation.

Earlier today, the organisation had issued a press release condemning the "outrageous" programme, citing Khalid's ties to the 2016 JNU sloganeering controversy, Afzal Guru commemorations, and the CAA-NRC and Delhi riots-era protests.

ABVP said it had emailed a complaint to the NLSIU administration for stopping the event and had received no response at the time. It asked the university to "immediately cancel all permissions" for the screening.