JNU’s Betrayal of Sharjeel Imam: A Fiery Call to Defend His Voice

New Delhi– On August 4, Students at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) gathered at the iconic Sabarmati Dhaba to mark 2,015 days since the arrest of research scholar and Muslim student activist Sharjeel Imam, who remains imprisoned as an undertrial under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The event, charged with emotion and introspection, culminated in a powerful speech by student leader and Fraternity Movement activist Afreen Fatima, who described the student community’s failure to defend Imam’s “constitutional” and “progressive” speech as a collective shame.

Fatima’s address was a clarion call for accountability, urging the JNU community and society at large to reflect on their inaction in supporting Imam, who she hailed as one of the finest public intellectuals of our time. “It’s a shame that we could not stand up for him. Before holding the government or judiciary accountable, we must reflect on our failure,” she said, her voice heavy with emotion. She emphasized that Imam’s arrest, which she described as “unjust and irrational,” was a result of his fearless advocacy for Muslim rights and his role in galvanizing movements like Shaheen Bagh.

A Voice for the Marginalized- Sharjeel Imam

Imam, a former JNU scholar, was arrested in January 2020 under the UAPA for his alleged role in organizing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). His call for a chakka jam (road blockade) on December 5, 2019, was highlighted by Fatima as a constitutional form of protest, yet it became the basis for his criminalization. “A single word he spoke does not justify the UAPA. It’s insane that we still have to defend his actions as rational when they were clearly within the bounds of constitutional protest,” she asserted.

Fatima recounted Imam’s leadership in organizing the only protest against the Babri Masjid verdict, quoting his poignant couplet: “Meri zubaan pe shikwe ahle sitam nahi, mujhko jaga diya yeh ehsaan kam nahi” (I have no complaints against the oppressors; waking me up is no small favor). She lamented that despite Imam’s sacrifices, the student community has failed to “own” him or stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him during his resistance against what she described as “one of the most hostile regimes the country has ever seen.”

Fatima emphasized on the significance of Imam’s intellectual contributions, even from within the confines of Tihar Jail. “He continues to write about proportional representation and Muslim rights in this country. He refuses to bow down to this cruel regime,” she said, urging students to read his prison writings and engage with his ideas. She highlighted the broader societal failure to support Imam, noting that the JNU community was among the first to distance itself from him when he was vilified by media and state propaganda.

“It is sad, disappointing, and disturbing that over five years of his incarceration, we are still debating whether what he said was right or wrong,” Fatima said. She condemned the isolation of Imam in the larger conspiracy case, where he has been painted as a “fringe” figure to disassociate others from his cause. “This is a moral collapse and depravity,” she declared, emphasizing that supporting Imam is not just about defending an individual but about upholding the aspirations of the young Muslim community he represents.

Fatima celebrated Imam’s role in the Shaheen Bagh movement, describing it as a monumental achievement for a Muslim activist to assert their identity and lead such a significant protest. “To be a Muslim in this country, to assert your identity unapologetically, and to build a movement like Shaheen Bagh is no small feat,” she said. She criticized the tendency to rationalize Imam’s arrest as a failure of rationality itself, stating, “What happened to Sharjeel is not rational. It is madness.”

The event at Sabarmati Dhaba was a sobering reminder of the challenges faced by activists like Imam and Umar Khalid, another JNU scholar imprisoned under similar circumstances. Fatima called on the student community to take responsibility for their inaction and to amplify the voices of those who continue to resist oppression from behind bars.

Fatima’s speech ended with a poignant question: “Have we even read what Sharjeel Imam has been writing from prison? Are we doing enough for the people who are fighting for us?” She urged the JNU community to recognize Imam’s courage and clarity of thought, describing him as a voice that speaks to the “unapologetic aspirations of the Muslim community.” By failing to support him, she warned, “we are failing ourselves.”