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

By A 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.

Anirudh Rajan, a dedicated labour rights advocate based in the Delhi-NCR region, has been instrumental in organizing workers in Manesar under the banner of the Manesar General Mazdoor Sangh. His activism began with the New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI) and later extended to efforts for the release of political prisoners in CASR. He has led numerous protests advocating for improved working conditions and has critically examined the misuse of public funds for the benefit of large corporations.

According to CASR, while traveling from NCR to Bengaluru to visit friends and family, Anirudh was apprehended by police as he was about to board a bus to Chennai. Allegations have surfaced claiming he was attempting to meet his girlfriend and was involved in fundraising for the banned CPI (Maoist) party—claims that have been denied as false. He has been labeled a criminal and arrested under the repressive Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

State aims to suppress discourse surrounding exploitation of working class, with all forms of unionization facing severe backlash

According to CASR, the Indian government is targeting trade union activists nationwide, resulting in heightened surveillance, raids, and arrests based on accusations over the past decade. The state's tactics aim to suppress any discourse surrounding the exploitation of the working class, with all forms of unionization facing severe backlash. Activists have been alleged to be associated with conspiracy charges, designed to undermine legitimate organizing activities.

Believes CASR, Anirudh's arrest is part of a broader conspiracy, which casts a shadow over democratic rights activists in northern India. Activists unrelated to any criminal activity are often ensnared in this web of intimidation and persecution, with the state working to criminalize public action by infringing on fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution, including the right to freely associate and organize.

The ongoing repression of union activists, alongside those opposing social and economic injustices from marginalized backgrounds, aims to instill fear among ordinary to citizens and facilitate the unchecked rise of authoritarian, crony-capitalist governance, it adds.

Gujarat Sachivalaya blacklists, denies entry to woman social activist: Will NHRC probe?

By Kantilal Parmar* I have approached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) seeking an independent, impartial, and transparent investigation into a serious incident that took place at the Gujarat Secretariat in Gandhinagar on August 18, 2026. The matter concerns social activist and women’s rights leader Chandrikaben Solanki, who, according to the information available to me, was denied an entry pass to the Secretariat when she went there to meet Gujarat’s Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, Dr. Manishaben Vakil, to raise an issue concerning social justice.

Tibetan activist’s self-immolation sparks fresh concerns over cultural rights

By Kumar Krishnan* The question of Tibet has once again entered international discourse, raising difficult questions about human rights, religious freedom, cultural identity, language, and the relationship between political power and the rights of indigenous communities. On 20 August 2026, the Kashag and the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile jointly organised a solidarity prayer service and peace march to mark the 49th day since the death of Lobga Rangzen, a Tibetan activist who died after self-immolating on 2 July in front of the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

IMF's policies 'stabilise' external creditors' balance sheets, 'generate' crisis in Africa

By Grieve Chelwa, Vijay Prashad Across Africa, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) presents itself as the custodian of macroeconomic stability. Its latest Article IV staff reports on Ethiopia . Malawi , Nigeria , South Africa , and Zambia are written for economies with very different histories and institutions. Yet they converge on a familiar prescription: fiscal consolidation, tighter monetary policy, market-determined exchange rates, subsidy reform, deregulation and ‘private-sector-led growth’. No serious economist can dismiss macroeconomic stability.

Counterview

Search This Blog