Once a self-proclaimed activist and now a failed Congress politician, Kanhaiya Kumar’s opportunistic tendency has once again grabbed the limelight. Former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, who once led the protest along with Umar Khalid at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in 2016, has ditched the latter and denied to be friends with him.
Kanhaiya dissociates himself from Khalid:
Recently, a video floating in social media has grabbed all the eyeballs. In the alleged video, Kanhaiya can be seen disowning Umar Khalid who once shared a great bond with the former. During an interaction with media in Bihar’s Siwan, a reporter told Kumar that Umar Khalid had been his friend and acquaintance in the past, to which Kumar said, “Who told you so?”
Well, he did not stop here. After the reporter reminded him about his past JNU association with Khalid, Kanhaiya asked for video proof.
Kanhaiya and Umar: friends or not?
Self-proclaimed activists Umar Khalid and Kanhaiya Kumar were at the forefront of the protests in 2016 over the death of dalit student Rohith Vemula. They were also charged in a sedition case in which the Delhi Police accused them for being a part of an event to commemorate convicted terrorist Afzal Guru, where ‘anti-India’ slogans were allegedly raised.
However, they were later released on bail.
Afterwards, Kanhaiya joined the Communist Party of India (CPI) and contested Lok Sabha polls from Bihar’s Begusarai constituency, where he was delivered a crushing defeat. After being thrown out of the CPI, he joined the Congress party.
Interestingly, this is not the first time that Kanhaiya has disowned Umar. Last year, Kanhaiya had skipped a press conference held in Delhi to protest against the illegal arrest of Umar Khalid. Though he was one of the scheduled speakers at the event, he backed out later as he did not want to be associated with Umar.
Also read: JNU committee upholds expulsion of Umar Khalid and Kanhaiya Kumar
Umar Khalid and his role in Delhi riots:
Umar Khalid was arrested by the Delhi Police as a conspirator in the anti-Hindu riots which broke out in northeast Delhi in 2020, the bulk of which were orchestrated by former AAP leader Tahir Hussain, JNU freeloader Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi, and others. As per various reports, and according to Tahir Hussain’s admission, Umar Khalid was the brain behind the timing of the riots, and was responsible for making them coincide with US President Donald Trump’s first state visit to India, apart from also inciting mobs distantly.
Also read: Umar Khalid – How Indian left-liberals and media created a monster
Tahir Hussain had revealed that Umar Khalid advised him to stock up on large quantities of acid to target Hindus during the violence which was to be systematically unleashed from February 24, 2019 in the national capital. Khalid also reinvigorated the laughable theory of ‘targeted mob lynching’ against Muslims, and then went on to propound how when Muslims did not revolt against the Ram Janmbhoomi judgement by Supreme Court, the government took it for granted that they can bring any law against Muslims.
Kanhaiya’s political ambitions:
Ever since Kanhaiya joined the Congress party, he has been avoiding any connection with Khalid. It seems as though he is aware that both of them were actually indulged in anti-national activities. While Khalid is currently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail in connection with the conspiracy behind Delhi riots, Kanhaiya does not want to risk his political career. In order to harbor his political dreams, he disowned Khalid as he is aware that any connection with the latter could harm his political career. And thus, Kanhaiya himself has depicted that he is an opportunistic and a coward man.