The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has cancelled a student-organised discussion on a book authored by former student Umar Khalid. The event was scheduled for August 10 at the School of Social Sciences-I auditorium.
The university cited “non-disclosure of the full facts” about the programme as the reason for cancelling the auditorium booking.
The discussion was planned around Khalid’s book Fractured Communities: Adivasi Histories and the Politics of Power. The book is based on his PhD thesis, which he submitted at JNU in 2018. The event was scheduled from 3 pm to 6 pm and was planned to mark the “International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples”.
JNU Says ‘Full Facts’ Were Not Disclosed
JNU announced the cancellation through a post on its official X handle on Sunday. “JNU is a democratic and decentralised institution. The permission was given by Dean, SSS who has taken action as well in cancelling the event,” the university said.
It added, “The booking of the auditorium SSS-1 stands cancelled because of non-disclosure of the full facts about the programme which is going to take place on 10th August 2026 from 3 pm to 6 pm. All concerned to pay attention please.”
The university did not specify what information it believed had not been disclosed in the original booking request. The post also tagged the Prime Minister, Vice-President, Union Home Minister, External Affairs Minister, Finance Minister and Education Minister.
Event Had Received Formal Auditorium Approval
Documents linked to the booking indicate that the programme had gone through the formal auditorium booking process. A booking form submitted to the School of Social Sciences described the purpose as “Public Talk for Adivasi Diwas (Book Discussion)”. It also listed the date, time and venue.
Professor Avinash Kumar was named as the faculty representative who would be present during the programme. The booking was approved by the Dean of the School of Social Sciences on August 7. Organisers had also sought a waiver of the venue fee. A handwritten note said the event was being organised by students. However, a notice issued on August 9 informed Kumar that the booking had been cancelled.
“The booking of the Auditorium SSS-I stands cancelled because of non-disclosure of the full facts about the programme,” the notice said.
The notice was issued by Joint Registrar M K Pachauri with the approval of the Dean, SSS. Copies were also sent to the SSS councillor, JNU chief security officer and the security guard at SSS-I.
Who Was Scheduled To Speak?
The event poster listed several academics, writers and activists as speakers. They included Prof Prabhu Mahapatra, Prof Uma Chakravarti, writer Shuddhabrata Sengupta, activist Harsh Mander and Banojyotsna Lahiri, Khalid’s partner.
The discussion was centred on Khalid’s recently published book and its focus on Adivasi history and politics. Fractured Communities was published by Juggernaut in June 2026. The book examines Adivasi societies in the Singhbhum region of present-day Jharkhand during British rule. It also looks at indigenous agency, local governance and resistance to colonial expansion.
Umar Khalid Remains in Custody
Khalid has been in custody since September 2020 due to his involvement in the conspiracy case related to the Northeast Delhi riots in 2020. He is currently facing charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The most recent one from JNU has become a topic of interest as it involved an event associated with his academic activity and was organised at the JNU campus where he conducted his doctoral research. No explanation regarding what was missing from the booking request from JNU authorities has been provided to the public.
Queries sent to JNU Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit were forwarded to the Dean of the School of Social Sciences. No immediate response was available. A response from Prof Avinash Kumar was also awaited.
Cancellation Comes Days After ISKCON Event Row
The cancellation comes days after another programme at JNU featuring an International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) representative was cancelled following student objections. The programme, titled “Empowering Youth for a Brighter Future”, was scheduled at the university’s Central Library.
The JNU Students’ Union had objected to religious events being held on campus. It had also raised similar concerns last year over an ISKCON programme on the Bhagavad Gita.
Sudeep Singh Rawat is a Copy Editor at NewsX Digital with over five years of experience in digital journalism. He covers national and international news, with a focus on politics, crime, technology, public affairs, and trending topics. Before joining NewsX Digital, he worked with Business Standard, The Sunday Guardian, and other digital media organisations. His reporting focuses on breaking news, enterprise stories, and explainers that inform readers through accurate, balanced, and context-driven journalism.
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