He also attacked the Congress over its meetings with Yasin Malik, alleging that the party had reduced itself to appeasement.Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress chief BK Hariprasad Tuesday called jailed activist Umar Khalid a “nationalist” and criticised Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) for opposing a proposed screening of a documentary on him at National Law School of India University (NLSIU).“ABVP has no right to speak about Khalid because ABVP adores Nathuram Godse, who is anti-national and the first terrorist of the country,” Hariprasad said.The remarks came after ABVP in Bengaluru demanded cancellation of the proposed screening of filmmaker Lalit Vachani’s documentary, ‘Prisoner No. 626710 is Present’, at NLSIU.The documentary was scheduled to be screened Monday by the law and society committee, a student organisation at the university. NLSIU later said it had to reschedule the event due to “logistical and security considerations”.The screening was to express solidarity with Khalid and to mark six years since his imprisonment without trial under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots.BJP hit back at Hariprasad’s remarks, calling them deeply condemnable. In New Delhi, Sambit Patra, MP, linked Hariprasad’s remarks to Congress’ past interactions with Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik.“Just think about it: this is the same Umar Khalid,” Patra said. “During the Citizenship Amendment Act protests in Feb 2020, so many people were killed in Delhi. A case was filed under UAPA. The matter was heard across multiple courts; even in Feb 2026, the Supreme Court rejected Umar Khalid’s bail plea. Look at the sympathy Congress party harbours for the very same Umar Khalid.”He also attacked Congress over its meetings with Yasin Malik, alleging the party had reduced itself to “appeasement”.
