Umar Khalid, ek former student activist, jo pehle Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) mein apni activism ke liye jaane jaate the, ab Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) ke tehat giraft mein hai. Khalid ne 2013 mein JNU mein ek Kashmiri Aadmi ke Phaansi ke khilaaf protest organise kiya tha, jiske baad unhe deshdroh ke charges ka saamna karna pada tha. Tab se lekar ab tak Khalid ka safar controversial aur painful raha hai, aur pichle chaar saalon se wo Tihar Jail mein hain bina kisi bail ya trial ke.
Latest Charges Aur UAPA Ka Lagna
September 2020 mein, Umar Khalid ko phir se UAPA ke tehat giraftar kiya gaya. Unpar ilzaam tha ki wo Delhi ke dange, jo February 2020 mein hue aur jisme 53 logon ki jaan gayi, ke ‘key conspirator’ hain. Ye riots un lambe protests ke baad hue jo Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) ke khilaaf ho rahe the, jise religious identity ke basis par discriminatory kaha gaya.
Khalid ne apne aap ko hamesha ek peaceful protestor ke roop mein dikhaya, lekin uske baad se unhe bail deny hoti rahi hai, aur trial abhi tak start nahi huva. Ek case dismiss ho chuka hai, lekin doosra abhi bhi pending hai, aur usme charges tak file nahi huve. UAPA jaise anti-terrorism law ke lagne ke baad, bail milna mushkil hota hai, jo Umar Khalid ke case mein bhi dekha gaya.
Court Mein Challenges Aur Delays
Court mein hearing bhi kai baar delay huvi hai, kabhi lawyers ki non-appearance ke kaaran, kabhi judge ke changes ke wajah se. Umar Khalid ke lawyer Kapil Sibal ne kaha ki sirf 20 minute mein wo prove kar sakte hai ki police ke paas unke client ke khilaaf solid case nahi hai. January 24 ko agla hearing hoga, jisme court ne emphasize kiya hai ki trial further delay nahi hoga.
Tihar Jail Mein Umar Khalid Ka Dincharya
Umar Khalid jail mein apna samay padhi-likhi mein lagate hai, sathi kaidiyon ke liye applications likhte hai, aur TV per cricket dekhte hai. Wo apna Jail diary bhi likh rahe hai, jo publishers ke interest mein hai. Har hafte unhe 20-minute video call family ke saath karne ki permission hoti hai, aur friends unse 30-minute ke liye milne aa sakte hai.
Ek baar, Khalid ko apni behen ki shaadi mein temporary one-week bail di gayi thi, jo ek chhota relief tha. Unki long-time partner Banojyotsna Lahiri ne recently unhe 6 nayi kitabein di, jisme Paul Lynch ka ‘Prophet Song’ aur William Styron ka ‘Sophie’s Choice’ bhi shamil hai. Lahiri ke mutabik, Khalid ne 200 ke kareeb kitaabein jail mein padhi hai.
Khalid apna din jail ke ward mein bitate hai jaha convicted criminals ke saath wo time guzaarte hai. BBC report ke mutabik, unhone aksar apni partner se kaha, “Main yahan in logon ke saath kyun hoon?”
Umar Khalid ka ye safar ek badi legal battle ka hissa hai, jisme ab tak unhe sirf challenges ka samna karna pada hai. Ab dekhna hoga ki January ke trial mein unka kya future hota hai.
