India, Oct. 23 -- Sharjeel Imam, a former JNU scholar and activist, remains in Tihar Jail in the larger-conspiracy case linked to the February 2020 North-East Delhi riots, which killed 53 people. Arrested in January 2020, he faces charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) over alleged involvement in a conspiracy behind the violence that erupted amid protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Imam denies the allegations, and the case remains pending trial. From challenging the Constitution and revisiting Partition to advocating a blockade of the Northeast, jailed activist Sharjeel Imam 's views put him at odds with the very existence of India's mainstream secular and nationalist traditions.

Sharjeel Imam has...