The student activist’s heartfelt letter from Tihar Jail reveals suppression of Muslim voices and biased narrative by the BJP and mainstream media
NEW DELHI — Sharjeel Imam, a former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) researcher and activist, has been lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail for nearly five years. He is accused of conspiring in the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots, where 53 people lost their lives, including 40 Muslims. Recently, a letter he wrote from jail has gone viral on social media, bringing new attention to his case and the broader issues faced by Indian Muslims involved in anti-CAA protests.
In this long letter of about 6,000 words, Sharjeel recounts his early life, academic work, and the political events leading up to his imprisonment. Most importantly, he denounces the BJP government and its supporters for unfairly making him a scapegoat in a larger political agenda.
“I worked continuously for a month giving speeches during the movement against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Shaheen Bagh and Jamia Millia Islamia,” Sharjeel writes. “But all my years of study and research have been ignored. I am targeted only because of a video clip, deliberately twisted by the BJP and their supporters.”
Sharjeel’s letter points to what many Indian Muslims have long argued — that the government and mainstream media portray them unfairly, often labelling them as troublemakers or anti-nationals without evidence. He urges people not to judge him or others based solely on opposing views or propaganda.
“We should never judge a person by the words or views of his opponents, especially when he thinks like us or walks with us,” he states, emphasising the need for empathy and fair treatment.
Sharjeel accuses the BJP of using nationalist rhetoric to silence dissent and target minorities. “The main reason for the resentment against me is also the ‘nationalism of Congress,’” he writes, adding that he has suffered much because of it.
He goes further to reflect on India’s political history, criticising leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru for spoiling the Cabinet Mission Plan in 1946, rather than Muhammad Ali Jinnah, as commonly believed. Quoting historians like Parthasarathi Gupta and freedom fighters like Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Sharjeel calls for a true federal structure in India that respects the rights of minorities and communities.
Sharjeel warns that misrepresenting voices like his through a “troll army” and media bias only deepens divisions. “I am called a mad person or a BJP agent because my opponents cannot accept my views,” he says, pointing to the toxic environment Indian Muslims face online and offline.
The letter also touches on the role of Muslim youth in the anti-CAA movement, which gained worldwide attention with sit-ins like the Shaheen Bagh protest. “We worked continuously from day one to day eighteen in Shaheen Bagh, but our names do not even appear in some books,” Sharjeel laments. “Myself, Asif Mujtaba, Afreen Fatima and others were ignored. This shows either dishonesty or lack of understanding by some so-called journalists and thinkers.”
This omission highlights a larger problem where the sacrifices and leadership of Indian Muslims in defending their rights are sidelined or erased from public memory.
Despite all the pain, Sharjeel’s letter ends on a note of hope. “The truth cannot be suppressed forever,” he writes. “I have no complaint against anyone. I have faith in my Allah and the love of my people is enough for me.”
The riots erupted in February 2020 amid widespread protests against the CAA and NRC, laws seen by many Muslims as discriminatory. Violence broke out in Northeast Delhi after inflammatory statements by BJP leaders and their supporters.
During the riots, properties belonging to Muslim residents were destroyed, and many families lost their homes. Despite this, the investigations and arrests have disproportionately targeted Muslim activists and students from Jamia Millia Islamia and JNU, including Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Meeran Haider, and Safoora Zargar.
More than 2,200 people have been arrested in connection with the riots, with many still awaiting trial. Activists argue that the police have failed to bring justice for the Muslim victims and instead cracked down on dissenting voices.
Sharjeel Imam’s letter has resonated strongly with many Muslims across India, who see it as an honest and courageous account of their struggles. Afreen Fatima, a fellow activist, said, “Sharjeel’s words remind us how we have been wronged and silenced for years. It is time for justice and truth to prevail.”
Legal experts also criticised the delays in Sharjeel’s case. Advocate Farhan Khan said, “Sharjeel has been in jail for nearly five years without a fair chance to prove his innocence. His letter exposes serious flaws in the way the case has been handled.”
Sharjeel Imam’s letter offers a rare inside look into the life of a political prisoner and the hardships faced by Indian Muslims who raise their voice for justice. It calls on the nation to reconsider the official narrative and to treat all citizens fairly, regardless of religion.
