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The Telangana BJP on Friday questioned the NALSAR University of Law administration over the screening of the controversial documentary Prisoner No. 626710 is Present, centred on jailed activist Umar Khalid, on the university campus on Wednesday.
BJP Chief Spokesperson and Media In-charge NV Subash said it was deeply concerning that a documentary involving a person facing serious UAPA charges in connection with the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots was screened on the campus. Subash questioned whether the NALSAR authorities were aware of the event and whether the required institutional and legal procedures were followed. He said institutions of national importance, particularly law universities, have a greater responsibility to ensure that campus activities remain within the framework of law and do not become platforms for glorifying or politically sanitising individuals facing serious criminal allegations. Academic freedom cannot mean freedom to disregard institutional rules or legal requirements. NALSAR is a premier law university funded substantially through public resources and must uphold the Constitution, rule of law and national interests, Subash said. He demanded that the university administration ascertain who organised the screening, whether permission was obtained and whether applicable regulations governing the screening of the documentary were complied with. The BJP also welcomed the vigilance of the ABVP in bringing the matter into the public domain and sought appropriate action if any institutional norms were violated. Subash said the Telangana BJP would continue to oppose attempts to use educational institutions for political propaganda under the guise of liberalism or academic freedom. Young minds must be exposed to facts, competing viewpoints and constitutional values, rather than one-sided political narratives, he added. Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Greater Hyderabad, strongly condemns theunauthorised screening of the documentary Prisoner No. 626710 on Umar Khalid at the NALSARUniversity of Law campus on 23 September 2026. "The film centres on an individual linked to controversies surrounding the JNU protests, Afzal Guru commemorations, the CAANRC protests, and the Delhi riots. Using educational premises for such content raises concerns about turning campuses into platforms for political propaganda ratherthan spaces for learning, academic discussion, and constructive debate.Media reports also indicate that the NALSAR administration did not authorise the event andthat no official permission was granted by the university authorities. This raises serious questionsregarding the conduct of an unauthorised event within a premier national law university," they said. ABVP has already submitted a formal representation to the Vice-Chancellor of NALSAR University of Law, seeking an enquiry into the matter and appropriate action. However, despite submitting the representation, we have not received any response from the Vice-Chancellor so far, they said. (ANI)
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