Archive · 16 Sep 2026
Priyank Kharge Challenges Modi, Shah Over Umar Khalid Trial
Priyank Kharge, a minister in Karnataka, criticized the central government over Umar Khalid’s long-running case.
He asked Narendra Modi and Amit Shah why Khalid’s trial had not started.
Khalid has been in jail since September 2020 in a case connected to the February 2020 Delhi riots.
Kharge said a court, not a political party, should decide whether someone is a nationalist or anti-national.
He also criticized a student group for opposing a documentary about Khalid.
The group is called the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.
B K Hariprasad, another Congress leader, had called Khalid a nationalist.
BJP leader B Y Vijayendra condemned that statement and defended the student group’s opposition.
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge challenged Narendra Modi and Amit Shah to conduct Umar Khalid’s trial.
Kharge questioned the BJP’s labeling of Khalid as anti-national, saying a court should decide the matter.
Khalid was arrested in September 2020 over the alleged larger conspiracy linked to the February 2020 Delhi riots.
Kharge criticized the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad for opposing a proposed documentary screening about Khalid.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader B Y Vijayendra condemned B K Hariprasad’s description of Khalid as a nationalist and accused Congress of damaging law and order.
- Who
- Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge, BJP leaders Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and B Y Vijayendra, Congress leader B K Hariprasad, and jailed activist Umar Khalid.
- What
- Kharge challenged the central government to conduct Khalid’s trial and criticized political labeling of him as anti-national; the BJP responded by condemning Hariprasad’s remarks and supporting opposition to a documentary screening.
- When
- The statements were made on Wednesday; the articles do not provide an exact date. Khalid was arrested in September 2020.
- Where
- The political dispute took place in Karnataka and concerns a case linked to the February 2020 Delhi riots.
- Why
- Kharge said Khalid’s trial had been delayed and objected to the ABVP’s opposition to a documentary screening, while the BJP criticized Congress leaders’ comments about Khalid.
Congress-aligned position
BJP position
Khalid’s trial
Congress-aligned position
Priyank Kharge questioned why Khalid’s trial had not begun after several years and challenged Narendra Modi and Amit Shah to proceed with it.
BJP position
The BJP response in the article focuses on condemning Congress leaders’ statements about Khalid; it does not provide a detailed explanation for the trial’s status.
Nationalist or anti-national label
Congress-aligned position
Kharge said a court, rather than the BJP, should determine whether Khalid is a nationalist or anti-national. B K Hariprasad described Khalid as a nationalist.
BJP position
B Y Vijayendra condemned Hariprasad’s statement, calling it an act of treason and alleging that it created insecurity in Karnataka.
Documentary screening and student activism
Congress-aligned position
Kharge criticized the ABVP’s opposition to the documentary screening and urged it to pursue constructive issues such as education reforms.
BJP position
Vijayendra praised the ABVP for opposing the proposed screening and accused the Congress of minority appeasement and insulting Hindus.
- Main speaker
- Priyank Kharge, Karnataka’s Home Minister
- Person at center of dispute
- Umar Khalid, a jailed student activist
- Arrest
- Khalid was arrested in September 2020
- Legal case
- He was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the larger conspiracy case related to the February 2020 Delhi riots
- Documentary dispute
- The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad opposed a proposed screening of a documentary about Khalid
- BJP response
- B Y Vijayendra criticized B K Hariprasad for calling Khalid a nationalist
- Other issue cited
- Kharge urged the ABVP to focus on issues including education reforms and the KPSC recruitment scam