Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party President N. Ramchander Rao on Wednesday sharply condemned Karnataka Indian National Congress President B.K. Hariprasad for describing imprisoned student activist Umar Khalid as a 'nationalist,' calling the characterisation 'very unfortunate' and demanding a public apology from the Karnataka government.

What Ramchander Rao Said

Addressing reporters, Rao said, 'The Karnataka government and Karnataka leaders who have given a certificate of being a nationalist to Umar Khalid is very unfortunate. We condemn such certificates being given to people who speak about dividing India, who speak about azaadi for Kashmir. Who speak about tukde-tukde karenge Bharat ke. And these above persons indulge in anti-national activities.'

Rao further demanded accountability from the state administration: 'The Karnataka government must apologise to the people for making such statements, not only to the people of Karnataka but to the entire country.' He also claimed that the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), was the only organisation that would push back against such remarks.

The Trigger: A Documentary Row in Bengaluru

The controversy stems from a proposal to screen filmmaker Lalit Vachani's documentary, titled 'Prisoner No. 626710 is Present', at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru. The ABVP had reportedly sought to cancel the screening, opposing the event on grounds related to Khalid's alleged activities. Khalid remains in custody under stringent provisions and has not been convicted.

What Hariprasad Said

On Tuesday, Hariprasad had publicly described Khalid as 'a nationalist' and taken aim at the ABVP's objection to the documentary. 'Umar Khalid is a nationalist. And ABVP has no right to speak about Umar Khalid because ABVP adores Nathuram Godse, who was anti-national; the first terrorist of the country. They have no moral right or moral ethics to speak about Umar Khalid,' Hariprasad told reporters.

His remarks drew an immediate and pointed rebuttal from the BJP, with Rao framing the Congress position as an endorsement of what he called anti-national sentiment.

Broader Political Context

The dispute reflects a recurring flashpoint in Indian politics over the framing of dissent, nationalism, and campus free speech. Umar Khalid, a former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student, has been in custody since 2020 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the Delhi riots case; he has not been convicted and denies the charges. His case has become a lightning rod for debates about civil liberties and sedition-era laws. This is not the first time a proposed campus event linked to Khalid has sparked a confrontation between the ABVP and opposition-aligned student groups. The exchange between the two parties is likely to intensify ahead of upcoming state political cycles in both Karnataka and Telangana.