Skip to main content

Journalists attacked for reporting on Govt of India's 'anti-people, undemocratic' policies

Counterview Desk 
The civil rights network, Campaign Against State Repression (CASR)* has said that the recent police raid and arrest of senior journalists and activists associated with the news portal NewsClick.in, mainly in Delhi, is part of the “overall onslaught on democratic voices all over the country”. In a statement, CASR said, while in Delhi, the pretext was “Chinese terror funding”, elsewhere – whether in UP, Bihar, Telangana or Odisha – alibi was “Maoist links”.
Calling institution of cases registered under the anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in each of them as “fabricated”, CASR said, the whole government move is meant to “unleashed its agencies against any and all democratic voice, laying out the message that all democratic dissent will result in repression”.

Text:

On 3rd October 2023, the homes of prominent journalists and human rights activists associated with the online portal Newsclick were raided by the Delhi Police special cell, encompassing more than 30 locations.
The culmination of these raids is the arresting of the Prabir Purkayastha, the editor of Newsclick and Amit Chakravarty, the HR head of Newsclick under the draconian UAPA. These raids come in light of the FIR filed under the draconian UAPA law, Sections 153A (promoting enmity between two groups) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC which allege that the suspected persons have been taking “Chinese terror funding” to foster unrest in India.
The targeted persons in this fabricated case are Prabir Purkayastha, video journalist Abhisar Sharma, writer Githa Hariharan, journalist Bhasha Singh, activist and historian Sohail Hashmi, journalist Subodh Verma, comedian Sanjay Rajaura, journalist Urmilesh, veteran journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and economic analyst Aunindyo Chakravarty.
Activist Teesta Setalvad’s home in Mumbai was also visited by the Delhi Police for questioning, with Setalvad being the director of Tricontinental Institute of Social Research which writes for Newsclick too. The home of Sitaram Yechury, Secretary-General of Communist Party of India (Marxist) was also searched as the Delhi Police was looking for Sunmit Kumar, a graphics designer for Newsclick who is the son of CPM party office staffer Sri Narayan.
These raids and arrests become part of the overall onslaught on democratic voices all over the country. What began as the attack on Bhagat Singh Students Morcha in Benaras Hindu University, Uttar Pradesh along with very many intellectuals and kisan activists in the state became a country-wide attack on all streams of democratic rights activists and organizations.
In many States, the excuse of the NIA was investigation into “Maoist links” among the various activists it was raiding, which including even an arrest in Telangana just yesterday (2nd October 2023) along with raids in 62 locations all over Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. This led to an arrest in Telangana of Chandra Narasimhulu of Pragathiseela Karmika Samakya (PKS) under UAPA.
It is in preparation of 2014 polls like in 2019, which saw onslaught on democratic forces through bogus Bhima Koregaon case
In Jharkhand, be it Gandhian, Marxist-Leninist, anti-caste, Adivasi rights, human rights or civil liberties organizations, 64 such organizations were deemed as part of the Naional Investation Agency's (NIA’s) suspected list of “Maoist-linked” organizations as part of their investigation. In Odisha, the valiant land struggles in Niyamgiri hills and Mali Parbat are being attacked with blatant abductions of activists by the police. In Bihar, the activists associated with Kaimur Mukti Morcha leading a land struggle for the rights of Adivasis were similarly suppressed.
Now in Delhi, journalists have been targeted for reporting which exposes the highly undemocratic and anti-people policies of the current government. In preparation of the 2024 elections, like the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, which saw the onslaught on democratic movement through the bogus Elgaar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case, the government has unleashed its agencies against any and all democratic voice, laying out the message that all democratic dissent will result in repression under the regime of Brahmanical Hindutva fascism.
CASR condemns the raids against Newclick journalists, associated activists and NIA raids all over the country in the name of national security as well as the arrests made after these raids.
CASR demands immediate end to the raids conducted by the Delhi Police and the NIA all over the country and demands the immediate release of all political prisoners arrested after these raids. CASR urges all democratic organizations and activists to come together in united struggle against Brahmanical Hindutva fascism.
---
*AIRSO,AISA, APCR,BASF, BSM, Bhim Army, bsCEM, CEM, CRPP, CTF, DISSC, DSU, Fraternity ,IAPL, Karnataka Janashakti, LAA,Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, Mazdoor Patrika, Morcha Patrika, NAPM, Nowruz, NTUI, People’s Watch, Rihai Manch, Samajwadi Janparishad,Smajwadi lok Manch, Bahujan Samajavadi Manch, United Against Hate, WSS,Y4S

Comments

Post a Comment

TRENDING

70,000 migrants, sold on Canadian dream, face uncertain future: Canada reinvents the xenophobic wheel

By Saurav Sarkar*  Bikram Singh is running out of time on his post-study work visa in Canada. Singh is one of about 70,000 migrants who were sold on the Canadian dream of eventually making the country their home but now face an uncertain future with their work permits set to expire by December 2024. They came from places like India, China, and the Philippines, and sold their land and belongings in their home countries, took out loans, or made other enormous commitments to get themselves to Canada.
Post a Comment
Read more

Kerala government data implicates the Covid vaccines for excess deaths

By Bhaskaran Raman*  On 03 Dec 2024, Mr Unnikrishnan of the Indian Express had written an article titled: “Kerala govt data busts vaccine death myth; no rise in mortality post-Covid”. It claims “no significant change in the death rate in the 35-44 age group between 2019 and 2023”. However, the claim is obviously wrong, even to a casual observer, as per the same data which the article presents, as explained below.
1 comment
Read more

PM-JUGA: Support to states and gram sabhas for the FRA implementation and preparation and execution of CFR management plan

By Dr. Manohar Chauhan*  (Over the period, under 275(1), Ministry of Tribal Affairs has provided fund to the states for FRA implementation. Besides, some states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra allocated special fund for FRA implementation. Now PM-JUDA under “Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan(DAJGUA) lunched by Prime Minister on 2nd October 2024 will not only be the major source of funding from MoTA to the States/UTs, but also will be the major support to the Gram sabha for the preparation and execution of CFR management Plan).
Post a Comment
Read more

Operation Kagar represents Indian state's intensified attempt to extinguish Maoism: Resistance continues

By Harsh Thakor Operation Kagar represents the Indian state's intensified attempt to extinguish Maoism, which claims to embody the struggles and aspirations of Adivasis. Criminalized by the state, the Maoists have been portrayed as a threat, with Operation Kagar deploying strategies that jeopardize their activities. This operation weaves together economic, cultural, and political motives, allegedly with drone attacks on Adivasi homes.
Post a Comment
Read more

How Amit Shah's statement on Ambedkar reflects frustration of those uncomfortable with Dalit assertion, empowerment

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  Dr. B.R. Ambedkar remains the liberator and emancipator of India’s oppressed communities. However, attempts to box him between two Brahmanical political parties betray a superficial and self-serving understanding of his legacy. The statement by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the Rajya Sabha was highly objectionable, reflecting the frustration of those uncomfortable with Dalit assertion and empowerment.
Post a Comment
Read more

This book delves deep into Maoism's historical, social, and political dimensions in India

By Harsh Thakor*  "Storming the Gates of Heaven" by Amit Bhattacharya is a comprehensive study of the Indian Maoist movement. Bhattacharya examines the movement's evolution, drawing from numerous sources and showcasing his unwavering support for Charu Mazumdar's path and practice. The book, published in 2016, delves deeply into the movement's historical, social, and political dimensions.
Post a Comment
Read more

Ideological assault on dargah of Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti will disturb pluralistic legacy: Modi told

Counterview Desk Letter to the Prime Minister about "a matter of the utmost concern affecting our country's social fabric": *** We are a group of independent citizens who over the past few years have made efforts to improve the deteriorating communal relations in the country. It is abundantly clear that over the last decade relations between communities, particularly Hindus and Muslims, and to an extent Christians are extremely strained leaving these latter two communities in extreme anxiety and insecurity.
Post a Comment
Read more

Defeat of martial law: Has the decisive moment for change come in South Korea?

By Steven Lee  Late at night on December 3, soldiers stormed into South Korea’s National Assembly in armored vehicles and combat helicopters. Assembly staff desperately blocked their assault with fire extinguishers and barricades. South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol had just declared martial law to “ eliminate ‘anti-state’ forces .”
Post a Comment
Read more