Hate crime: 'Act against BJP, RSS leaders, repeal of CAA-NPR-NRC programme'

Counterview Desk
In a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind, about 1200+ citizens ranging from farmers to housemakers to academics, retired bureaucrats and senior citizens to civil society activists, doctors and lawyers to journalists, have endorsed a statement seeking his intervention for the repeal of the Citizens Amendment Act-National Population Register-National Register of Citizens (CAA-NPR-NRC) immediately.
Celebrating two years of the Shaheen Bagh protests which rocked Delhi in 2019, in an open letter, they said, "The CAA-NPR-NRC project of the government of India has been deeply problematic since it was first proposed and rushed through Parliament."
"In fact", the letter said, "Starting in the Shaheen Bagh area of New Delhi in late 2019, protests against it rose spontaneously in over 100 neighbourhood sites across the nation, and indeed the globe. These protests articulated the Constitutional right of every citizen of India to be treated as an equal irrespective of caste, gender, religion, region, ethnicity, etc."
Stating that the protests were "withdrawn or forcibly shut down following the Coronavirus pandemic", it noted, "The peoples’ demand for the withdrawal has remained as steadfast as ever", pointing out, "Citizens across caste, religion, creed and gender" have again come together at "more than 25 sites across the country to reiterate our plea for the repeal of CAA-NPR-NRC" with memorandums already submitted to many district and state level officials across the country "to this effect as well."

Text:

We, citizens from villages, towns and cities across the country write to you with regard to the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 and the NPR-NRC project linked to it.
We write to you to register our strong opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 and demand its repeal. This Act threatens the very foundation of our Constitution by redefining citizenship on the basis of religion. It violates Article 14 of our Constitution that accords that no person residing in India will be discriminated against on the basis of religion, caste, gender etc.

Nationwide implementation of a project like NRC that would demand its citizens to submit elaborate documentation that a large majority of the working poor population of the country do not possess, would only be an instrument of harassment and exclusion for stripping citizens from citizenship rights. It is clear to us that the combination of CAA-NPR-NRC is being used to target religious minorities in our country and to further communalise and polarise our society on religious lines.

All through the months after the passing of the CAA in Dec '19 until the national lockdown imposed due to Covid-19 on 24th March 2020, citizens organised peaceful demonstrations and sit-in protests across the country to register their democratic dissent against this law. However, our demands still remain unaddressed.

Instead, many who exercised their right to democratic dissent have been framed in fabricated cases and even anti-terror laws. Most still continue to languish behind bars facing a harsh pre-trial incarceration. In a dubious and false narrative, peaceful protestors who raised their voices against this law, particularly from the Muslim community, have been labeled and targetted by the police as 'rioters', 'conspirators' and 'terrorists'.

It is the responsibility of a democratic government to listen to its citizens and engage with voices of dissent. What we have instead encountered with regard to the movement demanding the repeal of CAA is state repression and violence from the ruling government. We once again come together to put forward the following demands to you:

The repeal of CAA-NPR-NRC and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
Enquiry by a sitting Supreme Court judge into the Delhi violence ‘20.
The immediate and unconditional release of all anti-CAA-NPR-NRC protestors and withdrawal of all false cases against them
Justice and rehabilitation for all victims of the Delhi riots ‘20
Action against the BJP politicians and RSS workers responsible for hate crimes.

---

Click here for prominent signatories

Comments

'300 Nazis fell by your gun': Most successful female sniper in history

By Harsh Thakor* "Miss Pavlichenko’s well known to fame, Russia’s your country, fighting is your game. The whole world will always love you for all time to come, Three hundred Nazis fell by your gun." — from Woody Guthrie's “Miss Pavlichenko"

TU activist Anirudh Rajan, lawyer Ajay Kumar in custody: Wounded reputation of world's largest democracy?

By Vedika S* Over the last few days, India's National Investigation Agency (NIA), known to be tasked with suppressing revolutionary, democratic, and progressive forces, conducted a series of raids across Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi. Targets included human rights attorney Pankaj Tripathi, student leader Devendra Azad, and peasant union leader Sukhwinder Kaur. Lawyer and anti-displacement activist Ajay Kumar was arrested and taken to his home in Mohali, which was subsequently raided. He is now imprisoned in Lucknow as a suspect in the NIA's "Northern Regional Bureau (NRB) Revival case."

RG Kar saga: Towards liberation from the constraints of rigid political parties?

By Atanu Roy* There's a saying: "There is no such thing as a half-pregnancy." This adage seems particularly relevant when discussing the current regime of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The party appears to be entrenched in widespread corruption that affects nearly every aspect of our lives. One must wonder, why would they exclude the health sector—a lucrative area where illicit money can flow freely, thanks to a network of corrupt leaders colluding with ambitious bureaucrats?

'No to risky 11,000 MW hydroelectric project': Call to protect Siang river

Beverly Longid, Jiten Yumnam* The civil rights network, International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), has voicesd its support for the residents of Siang District, Northeast India, as they resist the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation's (NHPC) efforts to monopolize the Siang River for its Upper Siang Hydroelectric Project, a massive undertaking proposed at 11,000 MW.

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.

Unwavering source of ideological inspiration in politics, life: Personal tribute to Yechury

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak Sitaram Yechury was everyone's comrade. He lived his life in public like an open book of praxis. Everyone was familiar with his family background, student life, many talents, achievements, and political journey that defines his everyday life as a committed communist.

Trailblazer in literary innovation, critic of Indian mythology, including Ramayana

By Harsh Thakor* Ranganayakamma, commonly known as RN, stands out as a transformative figure in promoting Marxist thought, democratic ideals, and anti-caste principles through her remarkably clear and engaging writing style. A trailblazer in literary innovation, her works span a broad array of topics, from critiques of Indian mythology and revivalism to discussions on civil liberties, the Indian Communist Movement, and Maoism in China.

'Abduction' of labour activist Anirudh Rajan part of a 'troubling trend': CASR

By Our Representative The civil rights network Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) has issued a strong denunciation of the "abduction" of labour rights activist Anirudh Rajan, who was taken by state authorities on September 5, 2024, while traveling to meet his family. This incident is part of a troubling trend, as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and various state forces have increasingly targeted trade union and democratic rights activists over the past year.

Damaging signal sent to various levels of judiciary? Modi at religious function at CJI's residence

Counterview Desk The civil rights group, National Alliance for Justice, Accountability and Rights (NAJAR), has expressed its "grave concern" over the Prime Minister’s recent presence at a religious event at the Chief Justice of India's residence, underlining, "Independence of Judiciary from Executive must be ensured in all circumstances".

Search This Blog