Student leader Talha Mannan booked for raising pro-Palestine slogans
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Aligarh police have registered an FIR against Talha Mannan, National Secretary of the Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) and a PhD scholar at Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU), Hyderabad, along with 8–10 unidentified students, for raising pro-Palestine slogans during ongoing protests at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
The case was filed on the basis of a complaint by Sanjay Arya, district president of the Hindu Raksha Dal, who alleged that videos circulating on social media showed Mannan and others carrying a Palestinian flag and chanting slogans in support of Palestine.
Arya claimed the act “threatened social peace and harmony in the city.”
The FIR, lodged at Civil Lines police station, cites Sections 223 (disobedience of an order duly promulgated by a public servant) and 353(2) (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to the complaint, the protest was “unauthorised” and had been taking place “since 04.08.25 without any permission.” It further alleged that “protest marches are also being taken out inside the campus, almost daily by different faculties, without approval.”
The complaint specifically accused Mannan of wearing a scarf depicting the Palestinian flag and “inciting the crowd in various ways.” It warned that the circulation of images and videos from the protest could have an “adverse effect on maintaining harmony among different sections of society.”
The FIR comes amid ongoing demonstrations at AMU after a sudden fee hike, which students described as “unfair” for those from poor and marginalised backgrounds. Students have also demanded the reinstatement of the Students’ Union, withdrawal of detentions, and reinstatement of suspended students.
On August 12, Mannan joined the protest at the Baab-e-Syed gate, wearing a black-and-white keffiyeh patterned with the Palestinian flag, to express solidarity with Palestine. He accused the administration of attempting to “change the demography and character of the university” through the fee hike and increased police presence on campus.
Condemning the FIR, Umar Faruq Quadri, National Vice-President of the Fraternity Movement, said Mannan had merely stood with AMU students in their struggle.
He described Mannan’s speech as “a call for justice, not hate,” and alleged that “BJP-backed Hindutva groups, along with a complicit AMU Vice-Chancellor,” were attempting to suppress student voices.
Quadri further accused the UP Police of bias, claiming the FIR was filed “without any investigation” and targeted Mannan because of his identity and outspoken stance.
“This is not just an attack on Talha Mannan, it’s an attack on every student fighting for their rights,” Quadri said. “Dissent is not a crime. Solidarity is not provocation.”