JNU cancels Umar Khalid book discussion, students hold it at an alternative venue

Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union proceeded with a book discussion on Monday. The event focused on Umar Khalid’s book, Fractured Communities, and celebrated Indigenous Peoples’ Day. University officials had cancelled the original auditorium booking, citing incomplete program details. Students and faculty gathered at an alternate location outside the Social Sciences building. The discussion proceeded as planned, asserting students' rights to intellectual discourse.

The decision was taken due to ‘non-disclosure of the full facts about the program’, said the university.

Jawaharlal Nehru University has canceled a planned book discussion on campus, which was to highlight former student Umar Khalid's newly released book. Authorities claimed the event's cancellation was due to the organizers' failure to provide complete details. Previously, the Dean of Social Sciences had granted permission to book the auditorium. This cancellation follows a recent event that was also canceled, which featured an ISKCON representative.

New Delhi: The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has cancelled the booking of its SSS-1 auditorium for a discussion programme on Umar Khalid’s book Fractured Communities, which was scheduled to be held on August 10, 2026, from 3 pm to 6 pm.In a statement shared on its official social media account, JNU said the auditorium booking was cancelled due to the “non-disclosure of the full facts about the programme.”JNU is a democratic and decentralised institution. The permission was given by Dean, SSS who has taken action as well in cancelling the event.The booking of the auditorium SSS-1 stands cancelled because of non-disclosure of the full facts about the program which is going to… pic.twitter.com/SsEsMO3muT— Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) (@JNU_official_50) August 9, 2026 “JNU is a democratic and decentralised institution. The permission was given by Dean, SSS who has taken action as well in cancelling the event,” the university said.The university further stated, “The booking of the auditorium SSS-1 stands cancelled because of non-disclosure of the full facts about the program which is going to take place on 10th August 2026 from 3 pm to 6 pm.”According to the event poster shared by JNU, the discussion was scheduled to feature Professor Prabhu Mohapatra, Professor Uma Chakravarti, Shuddharbrata Sengupta, Harsh Mander and Banojyotsana Lahiri as speakers.Khalid is a former student of JNU.

New Delhi: The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has cancelled the booking of its SSS-1 auditorium for a discussion programme on Umar Khalid’s book Fractured Communities, which was scheduled to be held on August 10, 2026, from 3 pm to 6 pm.In a statement shared on its official social media account, JNU said the auditorium booking was cancelled due to the “non-disclosure of the full facts about the programme.”JNU is a democratic and decentralised institution. The permission was given by Dean, SSS who has taken action as well in cancelling the event.The booking of the auditorium SSS-1 stands cancelled because of non-disclosure of the full facts about the program which is going to… pic.twitter.com/SsEsMO3muT— Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) (@JNU_official_50) August 9, 2026 “JNU is a democratic and decentralised institution. The permission was given by Dean, SSS who has taken action as well in cancelling the event,” the university said.The university further stated, “The booking of the auditorium SSS-1 stands cancelled because of non-disclosure of the full facts about the program which is going to take place on 10th August 2026 from 3 pm to 6 pm.”According to the event poster shared by JNU, the discussion was scheduled to feature Professor Prabhu Mohapatra, Professor Uma Chakravarti, Shuddharbrata Sengupta, Harsh Mander and Banojyotsana Lahiri as speakers.Khalid is a former student of JNU.

As per the poster, the guest speakers were Professor Prabhu Mohapatra, Professor Uma Chakravarti, Shuddharbrata Sengupta, Harsh Mander, and Banojyotsana Lahiri.