It was not just my trial but entire Muslim community's trial: JNU student Umar Khalid

New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid, who was released on interim bail on Friday after being arrested for sedition, said he was being labelled a terrorist because of Islam.

After his release from Tihar jail, the JNU student was welcomed at the gathering by JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar.

While JNU students at the campus, Khalid said, "I never followed Islam but I was called Islamist terrorist. It was not just my trial but entire Muslim community's trial. But I want to ask what if I was practising Muslim? What if I came from Azamgarh and wore a skull cap? That will be enough to give me a terrorist certificate".

He also took pot shots at the press, saying media was not acting independently.

Khalid said getting bail was a big victory for them, noting freedom fighters of the country had also been booked under sedition charges.

"Arundhati Roy, Binayak Sen were also booked under sedition.. We have joined their league," he said.

Umar and Anirban Bhattacharya, arrested last month on charges of sedition for their involvement in a controversial event organised to protest hanging of Afzal Guru, were on Friday granted interim bail for six months by a Delhi court on ground of parity with Kanhaiya Kumar.

Kanhaiya, who was also arrested on charges of sedition in connection with the February 9 event at the JNU, was granted bail earlier this month.