Bengaluru: The National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru has cancelled the planned screening of a documentary on Umar Khalid, the former student activist, following protests that included members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

The screening was scheduled to take place on the university campus. The cancellation came amid objections raised over the subject of the documentary, turning what was planned as a campus event into a wider debate about free expression in academic spaces.

Umar Khalid has been a deeply polarising public figure since his time as a student activist at Jawaharlal Nehru University. He has faced prolonged legal proceedings, and any event connected to him tends to draw both strong support and strong opposition.

Protests and the decision to cancel

The ABVP, the student wing associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, was among the groups that protested the planned screening. Such protests are a familiar feature of campus politics in India, where screenings, talks, and seminars on contentious topics frequently face pressure from one side or another.

The university administration’s decision to call off the event rather than let it go ahead under protest has drawn criticism from those who argue that campuses should protect open discussion, and support from those who felt the screening itself was provocative.

A recurring campus debate

NLSIU is widely regarded as India’s premier law school, and its handling of the episode will be watched closely. Universities across the country have repeatedly faced the same dilemma: balancing the safety of campus events against the principle that students should be free to watch, discuss, and debate controversial material.

For now, the documentary will not be screened at the campus. Whether the organisers seek an alternative venue, or the debate moves into classrooms and student forums, remains to be seen. Student groups on both sides of the debate say the episode reflects the wider national argument over what belongs on a university campus in an era of sharp political divides.