Skip to main content

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

Post a Comment

TRENDING

When democracy becomes a performance: The Tibetan exile experience

By Tseten Lhundup*  I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.
Post a Comment
»

Civil society flags widespread violations of land acquisition Act before Parliamentary panel

By Jag Jivan   Civil society organisations and stakeholders from across India have presented stark evidence before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj , alleging systemic violations of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013 , particularly in Scheduled Areas and tribal regions.
Post a Comment
»

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan   In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.
Post a Comment
»

Dr. Ram Bux Singh: Biogas pioneer’s legacy gains urgency amid energy crisis

By A Representative   In an era defined by a global energy crisis and a desperate search for sustainable solutions, the visionary work of an Indian scientist from the mid-20th century is finding renewed, urgent relevance. Dr. Ram Bux Singh , a pioneering figure in biogas and renewable energy , is being posthumously honored by the Government of India, even as his decades-old innovations provide a blueprint for today’s challenges.
1 comment
»

Alarming decline in India's repair culture threatens circular economy goals: Study

By Jag Jivan  A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.
1 comment
»

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

​ By Syed Ali Mujtaba*  ​The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.
Post a Comment
»

Protesters in UK cities voice concerns over alleged developments in Bastar region

By A Representative   Demonstrations were held across several cities in the United Kingdom on March 28, as groups and activists gathered to protest what they described as state actions in India under the reported “Operation Kagar.”
Post a Comment
»

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.
Post a Comment
»

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.
Post a Comment
»