Hundred and sixty academics, artists and activists issued a statement on Thursday calling for the release of student activist Umar Khalid, among others, arrested for protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

The signatories included writer Amitav Ghosh, actor Naseeruddin Shah, historian Romila Thapar, economist Jayati Ghosh, peace activist Harsh Mander and political scientist Christophe Jaffrelot.

Khalid has spent 1,600 days in Delhi’s Tihar jail as of Thursday.

“It also happens to be the 77th anniversary of the assassination of Mohandas Karmachand Gandhi at the hands of a Hindutva fanatic,” The Wire quoted the group as having written. “We…are not unaware of this synchronicity. Nor do we wish to see it pass unnoticed.”

The signatories criticised Khalid’s prolonged incarceration under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, stating, “We are deeply disturbed to witness how a bright and compassionate young man like Umar, who is trained as a historian and nurtured as a critical thinker, has repeatedly been targeted, vilified and branded by an authoritarian regime.”

Khalid was arrested on September 13, 2020, in connection with the February 2020 Delhi riots, which left 53 people dead. Most of those killed were Muslims.

The statement alleged that instead of holding accountable those responsible for the violence, the state had targeted activists and protestors.

“Khalid, known for his eloquent speeches advocating for pluralism, secularism and constitutional values, has been falsely accused in the most brazenly twisted manner of conspiring to incite violence,” the statement read.

They added that “repeated denial of bail and prolonged incarceration without trial is one of the most distressing aspects” of his case.

The statement also named others – Gulfisha Fatima, Sharjeel Imam, Khalid Saifi, Meeran Haider, Athar Khan and Shifa ur Rahman – who are in prison on similar charges.

The Delhi Police claim that the violence in North East Delhi was part of a larger conspiracy to defame Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and was planned by those who organised the protests, including Khalid, against the amended Citizenship Act.

The police also claim that the protesters had secessionist motives and were using “the facade of civil disobedience” to destabilise the government.

The signatories cited a 2021 Delhi High Court ruling which stated: “In the mind of the state, the line between the constitutionally guaranteed right to protest and terrorist activity seems to be getting somewhat blurred.”

The signatories condemned the use of anti-terror laws, stating that “such laws along with inordinate judicial delays have created a situation where individuals are effectively punished through prolonged detention, without any trial, without being proven guilty”.

“We sincerely hope to see Umar and these equal citizenship activists to be free so that they may contribute towards an equal and just future,” they added.

Also read: The price that Umar Khalid is paying for dissenting in Modi’s India