Umar Khalid Arrested: What About Those Who Chanted “Goli Maaro”?

Umar Khalid, the activist and former student of the much-maligned Jawaharlal Nehru University, was arrested by the Delhi Police late on Sunday night, 13 September. The reason provided for his arrest was his alleged role in organising the communal violence that broke out in Delhi this February, where 53 people died, many more were injured, and widespread property destruction was witnessed. The police claim that Khalid, along with arrested former councillor of Aam Aadmi Party, Tahir Hussain, organised riots in Delhi and incited protestors of the Citizenship Amendment Act to turn violent through his speeches. Khalid has been arrested under the strict Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

Activist and former JNU student Umar Khalid arrested by special cell in connection with his alleged role in the violence of Northeast Delhi: Delhi Police (File pic) pic.twitter.com/LIwLZ8ypjg

— ANI (@ANI) September 13, 2020

Khalid is supposed to be produced in court on Monday, September 14. The police have said they will be filing the chargesheet against him in the coming days. Khalid’s arrest matches the trend of the Delhi Police clamping down hard on the anti-CAA protestors, with many high-profile activists and organisers of the protests, which were largely peaceful barring the notable exception of Delhi, where pro-CAA forces also played a documented role. The Delhi Police’s investigation, which has led them to arrest only those whose voice dissented from the establishment’s has come under criticism, renewed after Khalid’s arrest.

Umar Khalid's arrest by Delhi police after naming Yechury, Yogendra Yadav, Jayati Ghosh& Apoorvanand, leaves no doubt at all about the malafide nature of it's investigation into Delhi riots. It's a conspiracy by the police to frame peaceful activists in the guise of Investigation

— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) September 14, 2020

The police’s decision to not pursue investigation of the pro-CAA voices that advocated violence against anti-CAA protestors has come under fire from those who spot a bias in their behaviour. The role of leaders who raised “goli maaro saalon ko” slogans and their violent followers who were photographed brandishing weapons have been left out of the Delhi Police’s investigation.

Umar Khalid has been arrested under UAPA by this cowardly & biased govt.

Those who were caught on tape are roaming free
– Anurag Thakur: No Arrest, No FIR
– Kapil Mishra: No Arrest, No FIR
– Komal Sharma: No Arrest, No FIR

As I have often said, Crime doesn't matter. Name does.

— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) September 13, 2020

The charges against Khalid are serious ones, but the activist’s lawyer has dismissed them. At a press conference earlier this month, on 4 September, Khalid’s lawyer, Trideep Pais, said, “There is an attempt to rewrite history of the past six months in front of our eyes and give it an official stamp,” addressing the allegations against Khalid. Indeed, videos of the speeches Khalid gave during the anti-CAA protests show the speaker advocating unity and faith in the Constitution, rather than seditious ideas.

"We will react to hate with love.
When they threaten to hit us, we will hold the tricolour flag. If they shoot us, we will embrace the Constitution.

If they jail us, we will walk in singing Saare Jahan Se Achcha Hindustan Hamara." #StandWithUmarKhalid pic.twitter.com/TNf6FQKOau

— Natasha Badhwar (@natashabadhwar) September 14, 2020

Now, based on the evidence gathered by Delhi Police, it is up to the courts to determine whether Khalid was a participant in a democracy, or a threat to it.