Karnataka: HM Priyank Kharge Slams BJP's Nationalism "Certificates"
Priyank Kharge said the court should decide the matter instead of political parties determining who was “anti-national”
Kalaburagi: Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday questioned the basis on which BJP leaders and the ABVP were describing jailed activist Umar Khalid as “anti-national”, saying that it was for the court, and not political parties, to decide whether a person was guilty of the charges against him.
Reacting to the controversy over a proposed screening of a documentary on Khalid at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), and KPCC president B.K. Hariprasad’s remarks describing Khalid as a nationalist, Kharge questioned why the trial in the case had not progressed despite Khalid having been in jail for years.
“Who has declared Mr Umar Khalid anti-national? Has any court said that? BJP is telling that. Tomorrow BJP will tell you are anti national. Should we believe that? Why are they not bringing up the trail? It has been so many years he is in jail,” Kharge told reporters while replying to the questions.
“There is apparently chargesheet against him, let the trial take place and let the court decide Why is the trial not taking place? Why are they afraid of conducting the trial? Why are Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah afraid of Umar Khalid? Take action if there is a case against him,” he said.
Kharge said the court should decide the matter instead of political parties determining who was “anti-national”. He questioned whether the BJP had taken upon itself the task of issuing certificates declaring who was a nationalist and who was an anti-national.
Kharge also criticised the ABVP for opposing the screening and said the student organisation should focus on issues concerning students and education.
“ABVP should get into more constructive issues and speak about educational reforms and KPSC scam involving their leaders. Why are you after Umar Khalid? He is already in jail. How is he harming you? If he has committed an offence, convict him. But why is the ABVP involved in deciding which documentary should be shown and which should not? This kind of goondaism will not be tolerated,” he warned.
The controversy follows a political exchange over Khalid after Karnataka Congress president BK Hariprasad described him as a “nationalist”, drawing criticism from the BJP and the ABVP. The ABVP has alleged that the proposed documentary would glorify Khalid.
Khalid was arrested in September 2020 and remains in custody while the case is pending trial.
