Controversy surrounds student, labour rights activist's arrest amidst ongoing crackdown

By A Representative

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested student and labour rights activist Priyanshu Kashyap in connection with the Lucknow Conspiracy Case (FIR No. RC/01/2023/NIA/Lucknow). Kashyap, a former history student at Delhi University and associated with the Delhi General Mazdoor Front (DGMF), was apprehended by the Haryana Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) from Hisar around July 26–27 before being formally arrested by the NIA and transferred to Lucknow.

Kashyap’s arrest marks the latest development in a case that has seen multiple raids and arrests across Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab since its registration in 2023. The case reportedly pertains to alleged efforts to revive the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist)'s North Region Bureau. Authorities claim that individuals affiliated with student, labour, and human rights organisations are acting as overground workers (OGWs) for the CPI (Maoist).

The Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), a collective of over 30 organisations, has issued a public statement condemning the arrest. According to CASR, Kashyap had previously been subjected to a raid in December 2024 in relation to the same case. The group described the case as "fabricated" and part of a broader pattern of targeting student and labour activists, especially those from marginalised communities.

Kashyap, originally from Bastar in Chhattisgarh, has been active in campaigns related to education, labour rights, and Adivasi issues. Supporters assert that his arrest reflects an increasing trend of state surveillance and repression against democratic dissent.

The Lucknow Conspiracy Case has drawn comparisons to the 2018 Bhima Koregaon case, in which several activists were arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Critics of these cases allege that such arrests amount to the criminalisation of dissent and democratic activism, while government agencies maintain that the actions are part of legitimate counterinsurgency operations against banned groups.

No formal charges have yet been filed against some individuals arrested earlier in the Lucknow case, including advocates Ajay and Vishal Singh. Rights groups argue that such prolonged detentions without trial violate principles of natural justice and the rule of law.

In its statement, CASR called for the immediate release of Priyanshu Kashyap and all others it refers to as “political prisoners.” The organisation urged the public and civil society to remain vigilant against what it characterises as the misuse of anti-terror laws and the suppression of dissenting voices.

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