Umar, Anirban Get Notice For Screening Muzaffarnagar Riots Film

Alleging targeting by JNU administration, JNUSU planned a screening of the same Muzaffarnagar Abhi Baqi Hai on Friday

File photo: Umar Khaled and Anirban Bhattacharya after their release. (Photo: PTI/altered by The Quint)

A day after JNU sent a showcause notice to Anirban Bhattacharya for participation in screening of a film on Muzaffarnagar riots last August, the varsity on Friday issued a similar note to Umar Khalid asking him to explain his position.

Both Anirban and Umar are already under rustication in connection with the controversial 9 February event marking two years of the hanging of Afzal Guru, during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.

The fresh notices have been issued to the duo in connection with the screening of documentary Muzaffarnagar Abhi Baqi Hai without permission from the university.

Also Read: Kanhaiya & Others Fined Rs 10-20K, Umar and Anirban Suspended

Alleging “targeting” by the administration, the JNU Students Union has planned a screening of the same documentary in protest.

A complaint against you was received in Chief Proctor’s office in August 2015. It has been alleged that you were involved in participation in screening of a documentary-film <i>‘Muzaffarnagar abhi baqi hai’</i> without permission of the administration near Godvari dhaba. You are directed to appear before the Proctor on May 4 and explain your position in this regard. You may also bring your evidence which you may wish to submit in your defence.

<b>High Level Inquiry Committee</b>

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The administration, however, kept mum over the reasons behind initiating this action over nine months after the event took place.

Following protests by ABVP, JNU had in last August stopped the screening of a documentary on the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots saying no permission was sought for the event. The movie was shown by the Democratic Students’ Federation, however, both Anirban and Umar do not belong to that group.

Reacting to the notice Umar said:

I have only one question to ask the JNU administration – it took you 9 months to wake up from your slumber and realise this great ‘indiscipline’ on our part! Is it a simple coincidence that the authorities chose to send this notice to us, when we are already into a movement against witch-hunt of students?

(With inputs from PTI.)