Erroneously linked with Maoist party, activist arrested under UAPA for his bold voice

By Harsh Thakor*
On Monday 11 th of March, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) of the repressive Indian State presented fabricated charges against Sanjoy Deepak Rao in the jurisdiction of a special court for the NIA in Hyderabad. Sanjoy Deepak Rao, a progressive intellectual from Jammu and Kashmir, was already arrested several times for his bold voice. Last September he was arrested again, in Telangana, this time charged of being a leader of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), a party which leads the People’s War against the old Indian State.
The accusation includes enforcement of the Indian Penal Code in several of its sections, but especially numerous sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) are included, specifically sections 17, 18, 18-B, 20, 38, 39 and 40. This unconstitutional law has been described as “draconian” by the media all over the world. Documents that would incriminate him by repressive forces, Sanjoy Deepak, such as the laptop and alleged literature linked to Maoism, were confiscated, the routine practice in the raids of the UAPA. Rao was on his way to medical treatment when he was arrested, and the CPI (Maoist) has declared that Rao has been erroneously linked to the party.
Numerous activists and organizations for democratic rights have consistently condemned the merciless attacks ssion committed by the old Indian State, using among other repressive mechanisms, the UAPA to imprison those who disagree with the policy of the Indian ruling classes and imperialism in India. Organisations that denounce this use of UAPA, are the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) and the Forum Against Corporatization And Militarization (FACAM), of which we have reproduced and translated many statements and press releases.
Between 2015 and 2020, more than 8,000 people have been imprisoned using the UAPA, 97.2 percent of them being imprisoned for a long time, and finally acquitted. It is very common that these accusations are baseless, and this law endangers activists from the whole country. They are usually branded as Maoists even though they are only activists waging struggle for democratic rights, against state repression or in defence of oppressed segments s of the people. This was the case of Professor Saibaba, recently acquitted and released, after being framed without evidence, which was overturned by the Indian courts.
What several medias are camouflaging is that the UAPA is was not a baby of the government led by Modi and the BJP, but that it is a manifestation of the repressive character of the Indian ruling classes and imperialism, set up in 1967, when there was an uprising against the old Indian State. Since this year there has been a daunting suppression of democratic rights and freedoms, capitalising on the instrument already planted.
---
*Freelance journalist

Comments

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.

Study links sanctions to 500,000 deaths annually leading to rise in global backlash

By Bharat Dogra International opinion is increasingly turning against the expanding burden of sanctions imposed on a growing number of countries. These measures are contributing to humanitarian crises, intensifying domestic discord, and heightening international tensions, thereby increasing the risks of conflicts and wars.

Dhurandhar: The Revenge — Blurring the line between fiction and political narrative

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* "Dhurandhar: The Revenge" does not wait to be remembered; it arrives almost on the heels of its predecessor, released on March 19, 2026, just months after the first film’s December 2025 debut. The speed of its arrival feels less like creative urgency and more like calculated timing—cinema responding not to storytelling rhythm but to the emotional climate of its audience. Director Aditya Dhar, along with actor Yami Gautam, appears acutely aware of this moment and how to harness it.

BJP accounts for 99% of political donations in Gujarat: Corporate giants dominate

By Jag Jivan An analysis of the official data on donations received by national parties from Gujarat during the Financial Year 2024-25 reveals a staggering concentration of funding, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accounting for nearly the entirety of the contributions. The data, compiled in a document titled "National Parties donations received from Gujarat during FY-2024-25," lists thousands of transactions, painting a detailed picture of the financial backing for political parties from one of India’s most industrially significant states.

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.

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.

Captains extraordinaire: Ranking cricket’s most influential skippers

By Harsh Thakor* Ranking the greatest cricket captains is a subjective exercise, often sparking passionate debate among fans. The following list is not merely a tally of wins and losses; it is an assessment of leadership’s deeper impact. My criteria fuse a captain’s playing record with their tactical skill, placing the highest consideration on their ability to reshape a team’s fortunes and inspire those around them. A captain who inherited a dominant empire is judged differently from one who resurrected a nation’s cricket from the doldrums. With that in mind, here is my perspective on the finest leaders the game has ever seen.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

‘No merit’ in Chakraborty’s claims: Personal ethics talk sans details raises questions

By Jag Jivan A recent opinion piece published in The Quint by Subhash Chandra Garg has raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the resignation of Atanu Chakraborty from HDFC Bank , with Garg stating that the exit “raises doubts about his own ‘ethics’.” Garg, currently Chief Policy Advisor at Subhanjali and former Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India, writes that the Reserve Bank of India ( RBI ) appears to find no substance in Chakraborty’s claims, noting, “It is clear the RBI sees no merit in Atanu Chakraborty’s wild and vague assertions.”

Search This Blog