Students, lawyers, professors detained in Delhi for demonstrating in support of farmers

By Our Representative

About 25 protestors, belonging to the civil rights network, Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), a coalition of over 40 organisations, were detained at Jantar Mantar for holding a demonstration in support of the farmers' stir on Friday. Those detained included students, lawyers and professors, including Prof Nandita Narain and Prof N Sachin.

The demonstration was called to protest against the massive crackdown, tear gas and stun grenade shelling, use of pellet guns and the death of Shubhkaram Singh and other protesting farmers allegedly by Haryana Police.

In a statement, CASR said, "Our protest was curbed by Delhi Police to suppress people’s assertion for democratic rights against state repression. The protestors were brutally detained, and women protestors were manhandled by male officers. Sharda Dixit, ex-school Principal of the All-India Save Education Committee was badly affected and went unconscious."

It added, "We believe that by putting up concrete blockade and using above mentioned means to stop the farmers from protesting against their doom at the hands of the state and the corporates, Indian state under the leadership of Brahmanical Hindutva Fascist BJP-RSS is exposing it militaristic and fascist nature blatantly, which needs to be resisted by patriotic, democratic minded and justice loving people."

According to CASR, "It is important to point out that the farmers are protesting against the imperialist aggression on our country in the form of World Trade Organization, for the just demands of minimum support price (MSP), waiver of farmers' loans, and ensuring the right of tribal peasantry over their land, water and forest."

It added, "These demands are being replied by militarized force, the likes of which we witness in Bastar when drones are used to drop bombs on people and in Kashmir, when pellets are used on people of oppressed nationalities."

Asserting that "such militarized repression is very concerning for the future of the country and needs immediate attention of the people of country and the world", CASR put forward the following demands:

1. All concrete blockades must be lifted and farmers be allowed to march to Delhi.

2. Initiate independent judicial inquiry into the crackdown on Shambhu and Khanauri border and hold the officers and personnel responsible for killing of farmers, injury to others and destruction of properties of the farmers.

3. Stop threatening and harassing the farmer union leaders and farmers with threats of attachment of property and other penal actions.

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