NEW DELHI: Sadiq Naqvi, a reporter with a Delhi newsmagazine, had gone to Bijnore from Delhi when a posse of Delhi Special Cell arrived at his doorstep and ordered him to accompany them back to Delhi . He was ‘escorted’ back to the capital for questioning late Friday evening. Why? Because he knew Jawaharlal Nehru University student Umar Khalid, the new media ‘terrorist’ on the block.
A virtual manhunt has been launched for the missing student, clearly terrified for his life where the state itself seems to have turned. Those who are supposed to protect lives are on their channels slamming him as a terrorist, or taking out belligerent marches threatening to take out-of-court action against all terrorists and anti-nationals, while the police watches, the government maintains a grim silence, ruling party leaders exhort the collapse of the rule of law, and in the process this composite mob takes on the mantle of the jury and the hangman. Justice for this mob lies outside the courts, on the streets and in television studios, judging from their interviews, their slogans and of course their strident comments.
As a new ‘truth’ is built out of sheer falsehoods, distortions, exaggerations, facts become the casualty. Umar Khalid has been derided on prime time by celebrity anchors as a Kashmiri, as a Jaish e Mohammad activist. He has been invited as a guest to a prime time show, where the anchor virtually flogged him for being a terrorist----who is funding you, who are your funders, I will cut off your sound, how dare you interrupt me----and given the viewership for TV literally hanging him.
Khalid disappeared after this show, this was the last time he spoke to his family who are receiving death and rape threats and are terrified out of their wits. As many families before them---whose sons were arrested on trumped up charges and acquitted after 15 or more years in jail---they are being ostracised with few available now to hold their hands and give them support. Not because they necessarily believe the allegations, but they do not want the law to turn against them for sitting with a family whose son is now on the Most Wanted list prepared by the police and the media jointly. Khalid fathers sober voice, “let the courts decide” does not even make it to the headlines.
Despite the shouting, and the assertions of credibility the TV anchors were completely wrong on their facts. Just as they were about the case of sedition they had built so systematically in the studious against JNU Students Union President Kanhaiya, with the Delhi Police now also backing off from sedition charges against him. Umar Khalid is not a Kashmiri. He is from a Delhi based family. And surprise , surprise he is not an Islamist. He is a student who like hundreds of others in campuses across the country are from the Left. It is an established fact that in these young adult years, the Left ideology has an appeal and like them Khalid---believing in the democracy of India----joined to fight for the rights of the poor and the marginalised. He might have been misguided, though that too has still to be established as videos being put out at amazing speed cannot be trusted any longer, with the ‘morph’ industry working overtime. Even the Delhi police put out a rejoinder, saying Khalid is not a member of Jaish.
There has not been a word of apology from the celebrity anchors and their channels, who continue with the belligerence. It was mandatory for the media to apologise for its mistakes, to print or as is the case now air corrections, more so when its lies can actually destroy the life of a young student.
Perhaps they can learn from a young JNU student Pallavi Paul who has refused to join the manhunt, and instead points out in an open letter to Khalid: “Many television channels like Times Now, News X, Zee have been ruthless and vicious in trying to establish links between you and terrorist organizations like the Jaish- e- Mohammad. I am sorry that you are living in a country where your name makes it so easy for this connection to be made. While comrade Kanhaiya is still in Police Custody fighting the preposterous charge of sedition, even as I write this to you- he has at the very minimum the assurance that he will not be linked to an Islamist Terrorist Organization. You, dear Umar do not even have that. Even that you are a self proclaimed atheist is not guarantee against prejudiced links being made between the religion you were born into and your political beliefs. That you made a choice outside of religion and the various forms of violence that its fundamentalist interpretations throw up, has been drowned in the noise being whipped up by vigilante, self proclaimed …...We know that your social media account has been hacked , but be assured that many voices are also rising in your support. I do not know when or whether you will be able to read this letter, but I hope that whenever we meet we will be able to celebrate freedom, justice and the spirit of critique. The seasons will change and the breeze will blow more merrily.” The picture that students and faculty paint of Khalid is of a young, enthusiastic student, passionate, and with a cause. He was ultra left in his views as in this age of polarisation extremes attract. And within that he was taking positions inside the campus, organising meetings, leading protests. All that was till the Delhi police crackdown seen as legitimate campus activity in all democracies across the world. And for those who are still raising eyebrows remember, that this politics is usually left behind in the campuses as the students move on to join the civil services----there are enough bureaucrats from JNU in this country to agree with this---or other mainstream jobs as they have to earn a living. Khalids father had differences with his sons ideological positions. As do all parents when their children are in college and active. He has also said that he would like him to come before the police and face the trial, his worry arising from the hard edged campaign against the boy. Several students, however, differ and more so after the attack on Kanhaiya in the Patiala courts by the lawyers, the fact that no action was taken against them by the police, and that despite the Supreme Court intervention they took out a militant march around India Gate threatening to take law into their own hands. As the students asked, “we are so worried about Kanhaiya, do you think these people will even let Khalid live? Who is giving us the guarantee of his safety, who is going to ensure that he is not lynched by the lawyers who now almost have the run of the lower courts? More so as he is a Muslim today, is progressive, has strong views--- they will not let him live.”
And the atmosphere that a Hindi anchor had the guts to bring home, by blanking the screen, and allowing the viewers to just hear the voices of the media, of the lawyers, of threats and more threats certainly does not inspire confidence and trust.