CAA-NPR-NRC: Vengeful state repression, esp in BJP-ruled states, 'deeply' concerning

Azim Premji University students' protest against CAA, NRC

Counterview Desk
Faculty, post doctoral researchers and members of the Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, in a statement against allegedly undemocratic practices in the wake of "vengeful" state repression against peaceful protestors, have asked the Government of India (GoI) to set up an independent body to impartially look into recent cases of campus violence.
Signing as concerned people of India and in individual capacities to express their distress over recent events over the past few months, they also urged the GoI to repeal the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and not implement the National Population Register (NPR) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Text:

We, the undersigned faculty, post-doctoral researchers, and members at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, are writing this letter as concerned people of India to express our distress over the recent events in our country over the past few months. We write this letter in our individual capacities. The views do not reflect the views of the University.
The passage of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Population Register (NPR) and a possible countrywide National Register of Citizens (NRC) has resulted in peaceful protests across the country. While 19 lakh people were left out of the NRC process in Assam, 29 people have already died in the Detention Centres in Assam.
The CAA is in direct violation of Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution, is patently divisive on communal lines and is spreading fear among several communities. The poor, who are also document-poor, especially women, are likely to be the most affected if a nationwide NPR-NRC is rolled out.
The vengeful state repression that these protests were met with, especially in BJP-ruled states, is deeply concerning. The brutal attacks by the Uttar Pradesh (UP) police on innocent protestors, and their usage of stun grenades in Aligarh is reprehensible. Nineteen people have died and at least 1200 people have been arrested in UP.
In Mangalore, not only did the police use teargas inside a hospital, they also killed two people. The Delhi police has also used tear gas on students in the Jamia Millia Islamia library. Apart from these universities, students and teachers from other institutions (e.g., IIM-Ahmedabad, Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, Bengaluru) have had to face intimidation for practising their constitutional right to dissent peacefully.
The sedition charges against students of Mysuru University for merely holding a placard saying ‘Free Kashmir’ presents another grim picture of the complete breakdown of basic freedoms in India.
We appeal to the Government of India (GoI) to set up an independent body to impartially look into cases of campus violence that are being projected as ‘clashes’. We urge the GoI to repeal the CAA, and pledge not to implement the NPR-NRC, which have caused immense fear among minority communities and the poor across the country.
The undemocratic manner in which the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has dealt with the fee hike protests in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is also horrifying. The attack by masked goons in JNU on January 5, 2020, as various news reports show, was abetted by both the Delhi police and the JNU administration.
We also urge the GoI to listen to the students of JNU who are demanding the resignation of their Vice Chancellor, who has failed to protect his students and has lost all moral authority. None of these events can be understood in isolation.
The ongoing internet blockade in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is a clear violation of the fundamental rights of the people of J&K. Further, according to a report of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries, businesses in the Kashmir Valley alone have incurred a loss of Rs 18,000 crore since August 5, 2019 and nearly 5 lakh people have lost employment.
Moreover, about 3.5 to 5 lakh migrant labourers from other parts of India had to leave the Kashmir valley immediately after August 5th 2019. The situation will be much worse if we include the populations of Jammu and Ladakh in the calculation.
Their elected representatives, lawyers and civil society activists are still under arrest. With regards to J&K, we appeal to the GoI to withdraw the internet blockade immediately, restore democratic practices, and release all the political prisoners.
We condemn the highhandedness of the BJP-led government which is at odds with the rich heritage of democratic engagement and dissent in India. We urge the GoI to instead focus on developmental issues, improve government accountability and strengthen public institutions. We stand in solidarity with all those peaceful protestors who are exercising their constitutional right to dissent as it is “the safety valve of democracy.”

---

*Click here for signatories

Comments

Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan raises concerns over Jharkhand Adivasis' plight in Assam, BJP policies

By Our Representative The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan (Save Democracy Campaign) has issued a pressing call to protect Adivasi rights in Jharkhand, highlighting serious concerns over the treatment of Jharkhandi Adivasis in Assam. During a press conference in Ranchi on November 9, representatives from Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh criticized the current approach of BJP-led governments in these states, arguing it has exacerbated Adivasi struggles for rights, land, and cultural preservation.

Promoting love or instilling hate and fear: Why is RSS seeking a meeting with Rahul Gandhi?

By Ram Puniyani* India's anti-colonial struggle was marked by a diverse range of social movements, one of the most significant being Hindu-Muslim unity and the emergence of a unified Indian identity among people of all religions. The nationalist, anti-colonial movement championed this unity, best embodied by Mahatma Gandhi, who ultimately gave his life for this cause. Gandhi once wrote, “The union that we want is not a patched-up thing but a union of hearts... Swaraj (self-rule) for India must be an impossible dream without an indissoluble union between the Hindus and Muslims of India. It must not be a mere truce... It must be a partnership between equals, each respecting the religion of the other.”

Right-arm fast bowler who helped West Indies shape arguably greatest Test team in cricket history

By Harsh Thakor* Malcolm Marshall redefined what it meant to be a right-arm fast bowler, challenging the traditional laws of biomechanics with his unique skill. As we remember his 25th death anniversary on November 4th, we reflect on the legacy he left behind after his untimely death from colon cancer. For a significant part of his career, Marshall was considered one of the fastest and most formidable bowlers in the world, helping to shape the West Indies into arguably the greatest Test team in cricket history.

Andhra team joins Gandhians to protest against 'bulldozer action' in Varanasi

By Rosamma Thomas* November 1 marked the 52nd day of the 100-day relay fast at the satyagraha site of Rajghat in Varanasi, seeking the restoration of the 12 acres of land to the Sarva Seva Sangh, the Gandhian organization that was evicted from the banks of the river. Twelve buildings were demolished as the site was abruptly taken over by the government after “bulldozer” action in August 2023, even as the matter was pending in court.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Will Left victory in Sri Lanka deliver economic sovereignty plan, go beyond 'tired' IMF agenda?

By Atul Chandra, Vijay Prashad* On September 22, 2024, the Sri Lankan election authority announced that Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won the presidential election. Dissanayake, who has been the leader of the left-wing JVP since 2014, defeated 37 other candidates, including the incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP) and his closest challenger Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.

Will Bangladesh go Egypt way, where military ruler is in power for a decade?

By Vijay Prashad* The day after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka, I was on the phone with a friend who had spent some time on the streets that day. He told me about the atmosphere in Dhaka, how people with little previous political experience had joined in the large protests alongside the students—who seemed to be leading the agitation. I asked him about the political infrastructure of the students and about their political orientation. He said that the protests seemed well-organized and that the students had escalated their demands from an end to certain quotas for government jobs to an end to the government of Sheikh Hasina. Even hours before she left the country, it did not seem that this would be the outcome.

A Marxist intellectual who dwelt into complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape

By Harsh Thakor* Professor Manoranjan Mohanty has been a dedicated advocate for human rights over five decades. His work as a scholar and activist has supported revolutionary democratic movements, navigating complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape. His balanced, non-partisan approach to human rights and social justice has made his books essential resources for advocates of democracy.

Tributes paid to pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, who 'dodged' police for 60 yrs

By Harsh Thakor* Jagjit Singh Sohal, known as Comrade Sharma, a pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, passed away on October 20 at the age of 96. Committed to the Naxalite cause and a prominent Maoist leader, Sohal, who succeeded Charu Majumdar, played hide and seek with the police for almost six decades. He was cremated in Patiala.

Search This Blog