New Delhi: A book discussion on “Fractured Communities: Adivasi Histories and the Politics of Power,” authored by former student leader Umar Khalid, has been forced to shift venues at Jawaharlal Nehru University after administration authorities cancelled the original auditorium booking. The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union confirmed on Sunday that the event will proceed as scheduled on Monday at an alternative location on campus, which will be announced separately.
The event was originally scheduled to take place at the School of Social Sciences-I auditorium at 3:00 PM on Monday to mark the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. According to the student union, no official reason was provided for the sudden cancellation of the auditorium reservation. The scheduled panel of speakers includes academic professors Prabhu Mahapatra and Uma Chakravarti, journalist Shuddhabrata Sengupta, social activist Harsh Mander, and researcher Banojyotsna Lahiri.
Umar Khalid, a former JNU student activist, has been incarcerated under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act since September 2020 in connection with the 2020 northeast Delhi riots conspiracy case. The planned discussion focuses on his academic book examining indigenous histories, tribal rights, and state power dynamics in contemporary India.
