Legal experts and movements release report on UAPA misuse, demand accountability

By A Representative

The National Alliance for Justice, Accountability & Rights (NAJAR), an initiative of the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), concluded a three-day national conclave in Dharwad, Karnataka, held from November 22 to 24, 2025. The gathering brought together legal professionals, senior advocates, activists, researchers, social movement representatives and law students from across the country to discuss the current democratic landscape and collective legal strategies.

The conclave opened with cultural performances and the distribution of constitutional preamble–themed material, followed by reflections on NAJAR’s two-year journey of legal interventions. The inaugural plenary, titled “Constitution in Crisis: Possibilities for Collaboration between Legal Fraternity and Progressive Movements,” featured Senior Advocate Gayatri Singh, activist Medha Patkar, advocates Vasudha Nagaraj and Jabeena Khanum, and academic Dr. Isabella Xavier. Speakers expressed concerns regarding the perceived erosion of constitutional values and the shrinking autonomy of democratic and judicial institutions, emphasizing the need for solidarity between legal experts and people’s movements.

Reports detailing NAJAR’s work since its inception and the performance of its Karnataka chapter were released. Over multiple thematic sessions, participants discussed gender justice, labour rights, civil liberties, environmental governance, forest and land rights, and the rights of marginalized communities, along with strategies such as public-interest litigation, legal aid systems, policy advocacy, fact-finding, research, capacity building and state-level mobilization. Law faculty and students explored ways to strengthen constitutional learning and critical legal education.

The conclave adopted several resolutions on ongoing national and international issues, including concerns related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, post-facto environmental clearances permitted by a recent Supreme Court judgment, judicial accountability and autonomy, opposition to the implementation of labour codes, and support for equity-based reforms in legal education. Resolutions expressing solidarity with struggles in Ladakh, Palestine and other people’s movements were also passed.

The Dharwad Declaration — outlining NAJAR’s principles and commitments for the coming year — was adopted unanimously. A key session titled “Plural Pathways Towards Comprehensive Justice” included speakers Adv. Indira Unninayar, Prof. Ganesh Devy, Adv. Albertina Almeida, Arvind Narrain and Adv. Seilenmang Haokip, who emphasized diverse approaches to securing justice.

During the conclave, NAJAR and the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) jointly released a detailed report on the alleged misuse of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in cases in Hubli, affecting working-class Muslims. Participants later interacted with sanitation workers from Gulbarga and members of civil society organizations from Hubli-Dharwad, extending solidarity to their struggles for wages, safety and dignity.

A press conference was held in Hubli announcing the resolutions and the release of the report. The conclave concluded with multilingual slogans at the statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in Hubli.

A 25-member National Working Group was constituted to coordinate NAJAR’s activities. NAJAR also announced a nationwide campaign, the NAJAR Nyay Abhiyan, to be held from November 26, 2025 (Constitution Day) to January 26, 2026 (Republic Day), aiming to promote justice, accountability and constitutional values through decentralized actions across the country.

NAJAR said the conclave concluded with renewed commitment to supporting people’s movements and expanding democratic space.

Comments

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

Why Indo-Pak relations have been on 'knife’s edge' , hostilities may remain for long

By Utkarsh Bajpai* The past few decades have seen strides being made in all aspects of life – from sticks and stones to weaponry. The extreme case of this phenomenon has been nuclear weapons. The menace caused by nuclear weapons in the past is unforgettable. Images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from 1945 come to mind, after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Modi’s Israel visit strengthened Pakistan’s hand in US–Iran truce: Ex-Indian diplomat

By Jag Jivan M. K. Bhadrakumar , a career diplomat with three decades of service in postings across the former Soviet Union, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Germany, and Turkey, has warned that the current truce in the US–Iran war is “fragile and ridden with contradictions.” Writing in his blog India Punchline , Bhadrakumar argues that while Pakistan has emerged as a surprising broker of dialogue, the durability of the ceasefire remains uncertain.

Lata Mangeshkar, a Dalit from Devdasi family, 'refused to sing a song' about Ambedkar

By Pramod Ranjan* An artist is known and respected for her art. But she is equally, or even more so known and respected for her social concerns. An artist's social concerns or in other words, her worldview, give a direction and purpose to her art. History remembers only such artists whose social concerns are deep, reasoned and of durable importance. Lata Mangeshkar (28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was a celebrated playback singer of the Hindi film industry. She was the uncrowned queen of Indian music for over seven decades. Her popularity was unmatched. Her songs were heard and admired not only in India but also in Pakistan, Bangladesh and many other South Asian countries. In this article, we will focus on her social concerns. Lata lived for 92 long years. Music ran in her blood. Her father also belonged to the world of music. Her two sisters, Asha Bhonsle and Usha Mangeshkar, are well-known singers. Lata might have been born in Indore but the blood of a famous Devdasi family...

'Batteries now cheap enough for solar to meet India's 90% demand': Expert quotes Ember study

By A Representative Shankar Sharma, Power & Climate Policy Analyst, has urged India’s top policymakers to reconsider the financial and ecological implications of the country’s energy transition strategy in light of recent global developments. In a letter dated April 10, 2026, addressed to the Union Ministers of Finance, Power, New & Renewable Energy, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, and the Vice Chair of NITI Aayog, with a copy to the Prime Minister, Sharma highlighted concerns over India’s ambitious plans for coal gasification and the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR).

Labour unrest in Manesar trigger tensions: Recently enacted labour codes blamed

By A Representative A civil rights coalition has expressed concern over recent developments in the industrial hub of Manesar in Haryana, where a series of labour actions and police responses have drawn attention. A statement, released by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), said it stood in solidarity with workers in IMT Manesar and other parts of the country, while also alleging instances of police excess during ongoing unrest.

Search This Blog