Cop 'clampdown' on pro-Palestine protests, social media comments across India

By Our Representative
The civil rights network* Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) has said that "attacks" by the Indian government have intensified following the 7th October 2023 "Palestinian resistance against the Zionist entity of Israel, against all who are coming in solidarity with the Palestinian people".
In a media communique, it said, "In Uttar Pradesh, four students at Aligarh Muslim University were booked under IPC’s Sections 153A (promoting enmity among different groups), 188 (disobedience to order promulgated by public servant) and 505 (statements conducting to public mischief) for taking a pro-Palestine march."
Similarly, "students at Jamia Millia Islamia were detained, and their posters were torn by the police for a demonstration in support of Palestine."
In Kashmir, CASR said, the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar was pre-emptively shut down prior to its Friday prayers out of fear that pro-Palestine protests would emerge after the conclusion of the prayers. Chairperson of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was again been placed under house arrest as part of this pre-emptive clampdown.
Then, in Karnataka, Aslam Basha was detained for a WhatsApp status in support of Palestine. Activists associated with Revolutionary Workers’ Party of India, Shivani Kaul, Prasen, Baban Thoke, Ashay, Shashank, Dhananjay were put under house arrest and then subsequently detained in Delhi, Allahabad, and Mumbai when they called for a protest on October 13.
In Mumbai, activists Ruchir and Supreeth suffered physical injuries at the hands of the police and were detained. Eight other activists were detained in Delhi for similar reasons. In Allahabad, members of Disha Students Organization were detained. In Telangana, Bhargavi, Hina, Sreeja, Sam, Geetha, Anita, Mahipal and Anand were detained.

All this happened as Minister of External Affairs reiterated India’s old diplomatic position of supporting Palestinian self-determination

Then, on 16th October, in Delhi, various civil society and intellectuals called for a citizen’s protest at Jantar Mantar, but people were detained before they could make it to Jantar Mantar, including Delhi University professor Saroj Giri. "The police brought forth large cohorts of male and female constables in a display of the desperation of the government to clamp down on this protest", CASR said.

"These cohorts attacked and detained people joining the protest which also included various trade union activists. A Delhi University student was chased down by the police and physically assaulted. She was then detained", it added.
Ironically, CASR said, all this happened at a time when the Minister of External Affairs reiterated India’s old diplomatic position of supporting Palestinian self-determination and the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state.
"In AMU, the university authorities and the police have gone so far as to say that Narendra Modi’s tweet, which offered its support to Israel, is the ‘stand of the country’ and any protest in support of Palestine and its self-determination is deemed to be in contravention to the law of the land, which happens to be determined by a tweet of the Prime Minister", CASR said.
"Based on this tweet, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered the police to clampdown on any social media or any other statement in support of Palestine, suggesting, India’s formal position has little meaning in his eyes, it added.
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*AIRSO,AISA, AISF, APCR,BASF, BSM, Bhim Army, Bigul Mazdoor Dasta, bsCEM, CEM, CRPP, CTF, Disha, DISSC, DSU, DTF, Fraternity ,IAPL, Karnataka Janashakti, LAA,Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, Mazdoor Patrika, , Morcha Patrika, NAPM, NBS, Nowruz, NTUI, People’s Watch, Rihai Manch, Samajwadi Janparishad, Samajwadi Lok Manch, Bahujan Samjavadi Manch, SFI, United Against Hate, WSS, Y4S

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