New Delhi, Sept 2026 : Telangana BJP President N. Ramchander Rao on Wednesday criticised Karnataka Congress President B.K. Hariprasad for describing imprisoned student activist Umar Khalid as a “nationalist”, calling the remark unfortunate and demanding that the Karnataka government clarify its position.
Rao said it was inappropriate for Karnataka leaders to describe Khalid as a nationalist. He alleged that Khalid had made statements relating to the division of India and “azaadi” for Kashmir, and said such remarks could not be described as nationalist.
“The Karnataka government and Karnataka leaders who have given a certificate of being a ‘nationalist’ to Umar Khalid is very unfortunate,” Rao said, while condemning what he described as the endorsement of views that are contrary to national unity.
Rao also defended the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student organisation affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), saying it had opposed the remarks and the proposed screening of a documentary on Khalid at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru.
He demanded an apology from the Karnataka government over the controversy, saying that the issue concerned not only the people of Karnataka but also had wider national implications.
The remarks followed comments made by Hariprasad on Tuesday, when he called Khalid a “nationalist” while criticising the ABVP for opposing the proposed screening of a documentary on the activist at NLSIU.
Hariprasad questioned the ABVP’s right to comment on Khalid and referred to Nathuram Godse, whom he described as “anti-national” and a terrorist. He alleged that the ABVP held Godse in high regard and therefore lacked the moral standing to criticise Khalid.
The controversy centres on the proposed screening of filmmaker Lalit Vachani’s documentary, Prisoner No. 626710 is Present, which focuses on Khalid. The screening was opposed by the ABVP and was subsequently postponed amid concerns surrounding the event.
Khalid has been in custody since September 2020 after being booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots case. He remains an accused and has not been convicted in the case.
The dispute has since widened into a political exchange between the BJP and Congress over the issues of nationalism, dissent, student activism and freedom of expression.
Rao maintained that the BJP and ABVP would oppose what he described as attempts to portray Khalid as a nationalist and reiterated his demand that the Karnataka government respond to the controversy.
