Karnataka Congress president BK Hariprasad called jailed activist Umar Khalid a 'nationalist' on Tuesday, responding to a controversy over a proposed documentary screening at Bengaluru’s National Law School of India University (NLSIU). The documentary, titled 'Prisoner No. 626710 is Present,' was to be shown by the law and society committee, a student organisation at the university, to mark six years since Khalid’s imprisonment without trial under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots. The screening was postponed due to 'logistical and security considerations,' according to NLSIU.

Hariprasad accused the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) of opposing the screening because it 'adores Nathuram Godse, who is anti-national and the first terrorist of the country.' The ABVP, which represents the RSS’s student wing, had demanded the cancellation of the event and an inquiry into the university administration. ABVP Bengaluru city secretary Abhinandan Mirji questioned Hariprasad’s claim, asking how the Congress could label Khalid as a 'nationalist' given his alleged support for Afzal Guru, a convicted terrorist. Mirji also challenged the Congress on its stance toward the 'Bharat Tere Tukde Honge' slogan and the violent anti-India rhetoric associated with JNU and the 2020 Delhi riots.

The BJP, which has been critical of the Congress for its alleged sympathies toward separatist leaders, linked Hariprasad’s remarks to the party’s past interactions with Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik. Sambit Patra, BJP MP, accused the Congress of 'appeasement' for its meetings with Malik and for allegedly harboring Khalid, who faces UAPA charges related to the Delhi riots. The BJP shared a video clip of Khalid on X, accusing the Congress of glorifying anti-India rhetoric as part of its vote-bank politics.

NLSIU’s decision to postpone the screening followed a request from the police, who cited the Ganesha festival as a reason for their personnel being unavailable for security duties. The documentary, directed by Lalit Vachani, explores Khalid’s arrest and prolonged incarceration. He was detained on September 13, 2020, under UAPA for his alleged involvement in the 'conspiracy' behind the Northeast Delhi riots. ABVP’s statement on September 13 emphasized that academic campuses must remain dedicated to national integrity and learning, rather than serving as platforms for political propaganda or glorifying civil unrest. However, the ABVP has not received a response from NLSIU, and no further details on the event’s cancellation have been provided.

The documentary’s screening was intended to express solidarity with Khalid and to mark Political Prisoners’ Day, observed on September 13. The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between political parties and student groups over the portrayal of activists and the role of academic institutions in political discourse. The full context of Khalid’s alleged involvement in the Delhi riots and the legal proceedings against him remains unclear, with no additional information provided in the sources.