A well-known historian from Bangalore, Janaki Nair, who used to teach at Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, has shared her deep thoughts on the Supreme Court’s recent decision. The court said no to bail for her former students, Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid, who have been in jail for more than five years. Nair posted this on her Facebook page, talking about how we should look at the court’s order in a different way, like reading old records to find hidden stories of brave people. She connects this to India’s fight for freedom and the big protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in 2019 and 2020.
Nair starts by explaining her way of reading history. As a historian, she often reads old British records not for what they say directly, but to find out about the people who fought against colonial rule. She gives examples like peasants in Mysore in the 1830s who rebelled, or villagers in Issur in 1942 who said they were free from British rule. These people suffered a lot so that we can be free today. Nair hopes that one day, people will read the Supreme Court’s decision on Sharjeel and Umar in the same way, seeing them as heroes who stood up for rights.
The Supreme Court made this decision on January 5, 2026. It denied bail to Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid in the case linked to the 2020 Delhi riots. The court said they played a big role in what the police call a conspiracy. But it gave bail to five others: Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Shadab Ahmed, and Saleem Khan. These people were also arrested under the tough Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, or UAPA. The court said Sharjeel and Umar are different because the charges against them are stronger.
Nair remembers the time in late 2019 and early 2020 when big protests happened in Delhi against the CAA. This law made it easier for some non-Muslims from nearby countries to become Indian citizens, but many saw it as unfair to Muslims. The protests were peaceful and strong, with many Muslim women coming out on the streets for the first time. They sat at places like Shaheen Bagh for weeks, without much help from political parties. Nair says she was lucky to see this movement, which was full of new ideas and ways to protest.
She thinks it’s no surprise that young people like Sharjeel and Umar got pulled into this. They were interested in history and politics. Nair taught them at JNU’s Centre for Historical Studies. She says they were smart, hardworking, and thought in new ways. Sometimes she didn’t agree with them, and their bold style annoyed her. But they loved to argue, read, write, and speak freely. That’s what JNU is for, she says – a place where young people can try out ideas without fear.
JNU has classrooms, seminars, canteens, and hostels where talks go on all night. Nair asks, can we blame Sharjeel, Umar, and others like Natasha or Devangana for dreaming of a better India? Many students from her centre wanted to change things. They learned to ask questions and think on their own. Some ideas were silly, some great, but the university let them debate without punishment.
But now, Sharjeel and Umar have lost more than five years in jail, just for words they said in public. This year, as India marks 75 years since becoming a republic, Nair says we must remember people like them who are suffering for their ideas. She points out that others who called for violence openly are still free, even in high posts, because they have the right connections.
Nair talks about what BR Ambedkar warned long ago. He said democracy in India is just on the surface, and our unequal society can break it. She quotes Rahamat Tarikere, a writer, who says India has great ideas but bad practices. How can we make a fairer world if we lock up young dreamers?
Still, Nair believes Sharjeel and Umar will come out strong. Even in jail, they might be reading and thinking, changing the bad place around them. She ends with a poem by Mahmoud Darwish, a Palestinian poet, about turning prison into freedom. The poem says you can ride a horse in a cell, turn walls into rocks, chains into pencils. The guard gets mad but comes back surprised by water from the Nile, trees from Damascus, moon from Baghdad. In the end, the guard begs for his own freedom back. Nair wishes Sharjeel and Umar to be free soon.
Background on the Anti-CAA Protests
The protests started in December 2019 against the CAA and plans for a National Register of Citizens. People feared it would hurt Muslims and poor people who might not have papers. In Delhi, places like Shaheen Bagh became famous for women-led sit-ins. Songs, art, and talks happened there. Young students from JNU, Jamia Millia Islamia, and others joined. But in February 2020, riots broke out in northeast Delhi, killing over 50 people, mostly Muslims. Police arrested many under UAPA, saying there was a plot.
Sharjeel Imam was a PhD student at JNU, known for speeches. Umar Khalid was also a student leader. They said their words were twisted. Courts have denied bail many times, saying the case is serious. But groups like Amnesty International say it’s wrong to keep them in jail so long without trial. Aakar Patel from Amnesty said it’s shameful and raises big worries about rights.
Reactions to the Supreme Court Decision
Many people spoke out after the court’s order. Umar Khalid’s partner, Banojyotsna Lahiri, shared his words on social media. He said he was happy for those who got bail, but for him, “Ab yahi zindagi hai” – this is life now. Families of Sharjeel and Umar were sad but hoped for justice.
Jawhar Sircar, a former MP, tweeted about the weight of names and intellect. Saket Gokhale, an MP, also condemned it. The court said Sharjeel and Umar can try for bail again after one year or when some witnesses are done.
Janaki Nair’s post has been shared widely. Maktoob Media put it on their site, calling it a teacher’s testimony. Other teachers and activists agree with her. One JNU professor, who didn’t want name out, said, “These students were full of fire for a better India. Jailing them for speech is against what our freedom fighters wanted.”
India’s Democracy and Young Voices
Nair’s words remind us of India’s mixed story. We have a constitution that promises equality, but old problems like caste and religion still hurt. Ambedkar knew this. Today, laws like UAPA are used a lot, keeping people in jail without quick trials. Rights groups say over 100 were arrested in this case, many still inside.
But hope remains. Protests showed people can come together. Nair ends positive, saying Sharjeel and Umar will keep their dreams.
What This Means for the Future
As India grows, stories like this ask if we are true to our republic. Young people want change, but facing jail for words makes many scared. Nair calls for remembering them on Republic Day, pushing for fairness.
FAQs
Who is Janaki Nair and why did she write this?
Janaki Nair is a retired professor from JNU’s Centre for Historical Studies. She lives in Bangalore now. She wrote on Facebook after the Supreme Court denied bail to her students Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid on January 5, 2026. She wants people to see the decision as a record that shows their bravery, like old freedom fighters.
What happened in the Supreme Court case?
The court looked at bail pleas in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case under UAPA. It gave bail to five people but said no to Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid, calling them main players. They can try again after one year. The riots killed over 50, linked to anti-CAA protests.
What were the anti-CAA protests about?
In 2019-2020, people protested the CAA, which helps non-Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan become citizens faster. Critics said it leaves out Muslims and with NRC, could hurt many. Protests were peaceful, with women at Shaheen Bagh sitting for months. Young like Sharjeel and Umar joined for equal rights.
Why does Nair mention BR Ambedkar and Rahamat Tarikere?
She quotes Ambedkar’s warning that India’s society is unequal and can break democracy. Tarikere says India has big ideas but poor actions. Nair uses this to say jailing dreamers stops a fair world.
What is the poem at the end about?
It’s by Mahmoud Darwish, showing how prisoners can find freedom in mind. Nair uses it to say Sharjeel and Umar can turn jail into something better, and one day be free.
What are reactions from others?
Umar Khalid said jail is his life now, but happy for others. Amnesty called it shameful. Families are disappointed. Politicians like Jawhar Sircar criticized it.