Family Connections and Political Struggles: The Case of Umar Khalid

Family Connections Amidst Struggles

The family gathers around their laptop in New Delhi once a week, creating a virtual bridge across distances. Sometimes, relatives join the call from northern India or even the United States. They eagerly wait for Umar Khalid, a 37-year-old Indian political activist, to appear on the screen from his prison cell.

“How are you, Ammi?” Mr. Khalid boomed during a recent video call, addressing his beloved mother, Sabiha Khanam. His voice, filled with warmth and affection, resonated throughout their modest living room.

“Everyone, please get in the frame,” he urged, trying to catch a glimpse of his family, even as he could only hear familiar voices echoing back to him.

In early 2020, Mr. Khalid emerged as one of the most prominent figures during India’s largest and most impassioned protests in decades. This three-month movement was a powerful expression of opposition against government proposals widely perceived as discriminatory towards Muslims.

However, the tide turned when he was arrested later that year. Now, he has spent four long years behind bars without a trial, transforming him into a potent symbol of the extensive suppression of dissent under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s regime. This crackdown on opposition continues unabated, even as Mr. Modi’s political strength has diminished following elections in the spring.

On the video call, Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, along with Sabiha Khanam, Mr. Khalid’s devoted parents, share a moment of connection with their son, despite the physical barriers that confine him.

Credit: Saumya Khandelwal for The New York Times

To silence voices like that of Mr. Khalid, Mr. Modi’s government has increasingly relied on a harsh state security law, a draconian measure previously reserved for quelling violent insurgencies. Activists and dissenters targeted under this law can face prolonged periods of pretrial detention, often stretching indefinitely. Tragically, some have even died while awaiting bail. For those who do manage to approach a trial, they frequently find themselves ensnared in years of convoluted legal battles, further complicating their quest for justice.

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