Trinamool's 'fascist curtailment' of democratic rights: Arrest of Kolkata student activists

Counterview Desk
The civil rights network*, Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), commenting on the recent arrest of student activists in Kolkata, has said that the move to suggests the Trinamool Congress West Bengal government has ensured “fascist curtailment of democratic rights struggle” and “overall curtailment of political dissent” in a ruthless manner.
CASR said, “During this same time period, the police failed to act when the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) attacked political activists and book stall owners who had put up posters in solidarity with Palestinian national liberation movement in the same book fair.” The state government’s “politics is visible in the way it treats pro-people democratic minded activists versus fascist mobs”, it adds.

Text:

On 29th January 2024, students of the Revolutionary Students’ Front (RSF) in Kolkata, Shakhdeep and Abhinav Das, were arrested by the Bidhannagar police sent to jail till 1 February. Multiple democratic rights, such as Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) and student organizations were organizing a protest at the International Calcutta Book Fair where the police unleashed violence upon the protestors and detained 14 persons.
Shakhdeep and Abhinav Das were among the detainees and later had cases lodged against them under Indian Penal Code’s 353, 186, 506 and 34. Incidences of police brutality and torture against the two have been also reported. As of our current knowledge, bail has been denied to the two on 30th January 2024 and they have now been moved to judicial custody until 1st February.
The matter began on 28th January 2024, when the students of RSF and many other social-political activists were holding a protest at the same International Calcutta Book Fair demanding the release of political prisoners Prashant Bose, Pramod Mishra, Sheela Marandi, Arun Kumar Bhattacharya, Jayita Das, Sabyasachi Goswami, Pratik Bhowmik, Montu Mallick, Manik Biswas and Amiruddin Ahmed.
CASR released a statement regarding some of these arrests recently and how the Indian state continues to violate all legal procedure and makes a mockery of its democratic rights when it brands political activists with the redtag of “Maoism.” Some of these activists are in their late 70s, with their lives now in the custody of the same Indian state that enacted the custodial killings of Pandu Narote and 84-year-old Father Stan Swamy via medical negligence.
The protest on 28th January sought to address the growing number of such arrests of political activists with the excuse of capturing “senior Maoist leaders.” The particular targets of these arrests are political activists struggling for the issues of the working class, the peasantry, oppressed women and castes as well as against the landgrab of Adivasis and the fight for jal-jangal-jameen.

Police failed to act when VHP attacked book stall owners who had put up posters in solidarity with Palestinian national liberation movement

The protest on 28th also sought the demand for immediate initiation of judicial process for these political activists, with many of them being stuck in police custody for days without any reports and information being released to their families and the public about their whereabouts. The protestors on 28th January too, were met with undemocratic suppression, with the police cancelling the protest at a short notice. The police attempted to snatch the phones of the activists and tried to undemocratically delete the recordings of their attacks on the activists during detention.
During this same time period, the police failed to act when the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) attacked political activists and book stall owners who had put up posters in solidarity with Palestinian national liberation movement in the same book fair. The Mamata Bannerjee-led West Bengal government’s compliance and service to the Brahmanical Hindutva fascist forces and their politics is visible in the way it treats pro-people democratic minded activists versus fascist mobs.
The same Trinamool Congress West Bengal government has ensured that the fascist curtailment of democratic rights struggle and the overall curtailment of political dissent is ruthlessly pursued, with even the demand of release of political prisoners like Pramod Mishra, Prashant Bose, Sheela Marandi, Sabyasachi Goswami and others becoming an act warranting police brutality, torture and arrests of students.
CASR is deeply concerned about the wellbeing of Shakhdeep and Abhinav Das and condemns the police brutality and their politically motivated arrests.
---
*AIRSO, AISA, AISF, APCR, BASF, BSM, Bhim Army, Bigul Mazdoor Dasta, bsCEM, CEM, CRPP, CTF, Disha, DISSC, DSU, DTF, Forum Against Repression Telangana, Fraternity, IAPL, Innocence Network, Karnataka Janashakti, Progressive Lawyers Association, Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, Mazdoor Patrika, NAPM, NBS, Nishant Natya Manch, Nowruz, NTUI, People’s Watch, Rihai Manch, Samajwadi Janparishad, Smajwadi Lok Manch, Bahujan Samjavadi Manch, SFI, United Against Hate, United Peace Alliance, WSS, Y4S

Comments

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.

Workers' groups condemn Gujarat Ordinance increasing working hours, warn of statewide agitation

By A Representative At a consultation organised today by the Asangathit Shramik Hit Rakshak Manch at Circuit House in Ahmedabad, leaders of major trade unions and labour rights organisations strongly opposed the Gujarat government’s recent ordinance amending the Factories Act and the draft rules notified under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code, 2020. Around 50 representatives from central trade unions, independent unions, and labour welfare organisations participated in the meeting.

Deaths in Chhattisgarh are not just numbers – they mark a deeper democratic crisis

By Sunil Kumar For a while, I had withdrawn into a quieter life, seeking solace in nature. But the rising tide of state-sponsored violence and recurring conflict across India has compelled deeper reflection. The recent incidents of killings in central India—particularly in Chhattisgarh—are not isolated acts. They point to a larger and ongoing crisis that concerns the health of democracy and the treatment of marginalised communities.

'Bengali Muslim migrant workers face crackdown in Gurgaon': Academic raises alarm

By A Representative Political analyst and retired Delhi University professor Shamsul Islam has raised serious concerns over the ongoing targeting and detention of Muslim migrant workers from West Bengal in Gurgaon, Haryana. In a public statement, Islam described the situation as "brutal repression" and accused law enforcement agencies of detaining migrants arbitrarily under the pretext of verifying their citizenship.

Gender violence defies stringent laws: The need for robust social capital

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra* The tragic death of Miss Soumyashree Bisi, a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan College, Balasore, who reportedly self-immolated due to harassment, shocked the conscience of Odisha. Even before the public could process this horrifying event, another harrowing case emerged—a 15-year-old girl from Balanga, Puri, was allegedly set ablaze by miscreants. These incidents are not isolated; they highlight a disturbing pattern of rising gender-based violence across the state and the country.

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

The myth of population decline: India’s real challenge is density, not fertility

By N.S. Venkataraman* India’s population in 2025 stands at approximately 1.4 billion. In 1950, it was 359 million, rising sharply to 1.05 billion by 2000. The population continues to grow and is projected to reach around 1.7 billion by 2050.

How natural and organic farming can be a key to combating the climate crisis

By Raj Kumar Sinha* On July 9, while addressing the “Sahkar Samvad” in Ahmedabad with women and workers associated with cooperatives from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized that natural farming is essential for both our health and the health of the soil. This is a significant statement in the context of addressing the climate change crisis. Natural farming can play a crucial role in combating climate change. Also known as organic farming, it is a system of agriculture that can increase food production without harming the environment. Natural farming has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by 35% to 50%.

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

Search This Blog