AISA President Slams Karnataka Congress Government Over FIRs Against Students

All India Students Association (AISA) national president Neha Bora condemned the Congress-led Karnataka government on Sunday for filing FIRs against students who raised slogans demanding the release of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam.

Speaking in Bengaluru at the 'Gen Z on the March' programme, Ms. Bora argued that political parties claiming to oppose the BJP must lead by example rather than offering lip service to an anti-fascist agenda. She noted that while the State government extended solidarity to student protests at Jantar Mantar in Delhi against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, it filed FIRs against protesting students locally.

Ms. Bora warned that if parties opposing the BJP behave similarly and mistreat youth and students, young people across the country will treat them no differently.

During her address, Ms. Bora also extended solidarity to students of Azim Premji University who faced suspension for two years after holding a discussion on the 1991 Kunan-Poshpora incident in Kashmir. She further backed organisations in Karnataka protesting against the forced closure of government schools and centralised KPS magnet schools.

Actor Kishore and musician T.M. Krishna also took part in the programme, which focused on youth politics and accountability. Addressing the gathering, Mr. Kishore urged youth movements not to restrict themselves to narrow agendas like examination paper leaks while ignoring wider injustices.

Referring to objections over invoking the names of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam and raising the slogan 'Azadi', Mr. Kishore said movements must not create unity by erasing certain communities, people, and histories. Musician T.M. Krishna spoke about how youth have introduced creativity into politics and challenged notions that students should stay away from political engagement.