In the case of the Delhi riots, activist Umar Khalid was denied bail

A notable activist was arrested 18 months ago for allegedly encouraging riots in India’s capital, Delhi, and was denied bail by an Indian court.

Umar Khalid was charged with being a “key conspirator” in the violent disturbances that killed 53 people in February 2020, the majority of whom were Muslims.

Mr Khalid has refuted the allegations, claiming that he was just participating in a peaceful protest. He was one of a number of students and activists detained as a result of the violence under a harsh anti-terror law.

The bail order has been postponed three times since it was first due on March 14th.

Mr Khalid’s request for bail was denied on Thursday by Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat, who said it had no merit or substance.

Non-Muslim immigrants from three Muslim-majority countries, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, are granted citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). While detractors argue it’s anti-Muslim and goes against India’s secular traditions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government insists that persecuted minorities be granted amnesty.

Hundreds of thousands of people, including Hindus and Muslims, flocked to the streets to protest the law in a nonviolent manner. However, one protest in Delhi got violent, resulting in fights between supporters and opponents of the ordinance.

Soon after, the violence turned religious, resulting in riots between Hindus and Muslims.

According to Amnesty International, as the violence grew and lasted three days, Hindu mobs targeted Muslim homes and shops, allegedly with the support of police.

Mr Khalid disputed the storey, claiming that the police framed charges against him based on an altered video clip.

The police further claimed that the violence was part of a bigger anti-CAA plot to discredit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.

Following the disturbances, several demonstrators, student leaders, and campaigners, including Mr Khalid, were arrested. They’ve all been accused under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), a tough anti-terror law that makes getting bail extremely hard.

Mr Khalid, along with another student leader, Kanhaiya Kumar, was detained in 2016 on allegations of “sedition” for allegedly yelling “anti-India” slogans.

They were both released on bond after denying the charges.

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