Digvijaya Singh calls Delhi riots accused Umar Khalid ‘innocent’:BJP hits back accusing ex-CM of backing ‘radicals’, advises him to settle in Pakistan

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh has stirred a political storm by calling Umar Khalid, accused in the 2020 Delhi riots, “innocent”. Singh said Khalid, who has been in jail since September 2020, was being treated unjustly and demanded his immediate release. His statement drew sharp criticism from BJP leaders, who accused him of sympathising with extremists and questioning his loyalty to India. Digvijaya Singh’s Facebook post Digvijaya Singh shared a Facebook post defending Umar Khalid. He wrote that Khalid is a PhD scholar and “not anti-national by any standard”. Singh said, “Umar Khalid is innocent. Great injustice is being done to him. He should be released immediately.” Khalid was arrested on 13 September 2020 in connection with the communal riots that took place in Delhi in February 2020. He has remained in jail since then and has not been granted regular bail due to pending cases. BJP MLA’s sharp reaction BJP MLA Rameshwar Sharma strongly criticised Digvijaya Singh’s statement. He said Singh always shows sympathy towards people who are against the country. “Digvijaya Singh is concerned about these very people. Where is his concern for Hindustan and its people?” Sharma said. He also alleged that Singh often refers to terrorists respectfully. “Sometimes he calls Osama as ‘Osamaji’ or Afzal Guru as ‘Guruji’. It seems he has great reverence for terrorists,” Sharma added. The BJP leader further said, “Digvijaya Singh, who does not trust India’s judiciary, should set up his camp in Pakistan as soon as possible. I request Congress leaders to keep distance from him; otherwise, he will ruin the party too.” Who is Umar Khalid? Umar Khalid was born on 11 August 1987. He studied at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi, completing his MPhil and PhD in History. Khalid was active in student politics and was associated with the Democratic Students’ Union (DSU). He participated in several movements and debates related to civil rights, minority issues, and the education system. Charges against Umar Khalid Khalid is an accused in the communal riots that broke out in North-East Delhi in February 2020, which left more than 50 people dead and hundreds injured. An FIR was registered against him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). He also faces charges under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including rioting, rioting with deadly weapons, murder, attempt to murder, and promoting enmity between religious communities. Other accused in the case The main chargesheet in the Delhi riots case names several student activists and political figures. They include Pinjra Tod members and JNU students Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal, Jamia Millia Islamia student Asif Iqbal Tanha, and student activist Gulfisha Fatima. Other accused are former Congress councillor Ishrat Jahan, Jamia Coordination Committee member Safoora Zargar, Meeran Haider, Shifa-ur-Rehman, AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, Khalid Saifi, Sharjeel Imam, and others such as Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohammad Saleem Khan, and Athar Khan. Khalid’s continued detention A separate chargesheet was filed against Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in November 2020. Both remain in judicial custody. Khalid’s bail petitions have been repeatedly rejected, with courts citing the seriousness of charges under UAPA. ​