Skip to main content

Civil rights coalition terms sedition case against Kranthi Chaitanya 'arbitrary'

By A Representative 
Andhra Pradesh police have arrested Kranthi Chaitanya, a senior leader of the Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee (APCLC), on charges including sedition and violations under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, as well as laws related to national honour and use of the State Emblem.  
Officials confirmed that the arrest took place while APCLC was holding its state conference. The registered offences include sections U/sec 196(1), 197(1), 152, 292, 294(2), 352, 351(3), 353, 61(2) r/w 3(5) of BNS, 2023; Section 2 of the Prevention of Insults to the National Honour Act, 1971; and provisions under the State Emblem of India Acts of 1950 and 2005.  
The police have not yet released detailed information on the specific allegations, but the charges collectively pertain to sedition, improper use of national symbols, and related offences.  
The arrest has drawn criticism from civil society groups. In a press statement issued on Sunday, the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), a civil rights coalition, condemned the action, describing it as “illegal and arbitrary” and calling for Chaitanya’s immediate release. CASR argued that the use of sedition laws undermines democratic rights and reflects a broader pattern of repression against activists and organisations.  
APCLC, known for its work on civil liberties and rights advocacy, has not yet released an official response.  
The case is expected to draw further attention as legal proceedings unfold, with rights groups likely to continue pressing for Chaitanya’s release and withdrawal of charges.  

Comments

Post a Comment

NOTE: Hateful, abusive comments won't be published. -- Editor

TRENDING

To Sonam Wangchuk: 'Will undertake 70 hour solidarity fast in Gujarat'

By Martin Macwan *  Dear Colleague Sonam Wangchuk, I have never met you personally. I wrote a short article at the time of your arrest. Your work correctly introduces you. There is truth in your words. You have embarked on a fast, following the footsteps of Gandhiji. Your intention is to make people think. Your demand is reasonable; I believe that the resignation of a single education minister will not improve the state of education in India. However, the question you have raised is extremely important for the future generation of the marginalized. Education is the key to power, development, and progress, which empowers a citizen.
1 comment
»

US civil society coalition slams Hudson Institute for hosting RSS leaders

By A Representative   The Hudson Institute ’s “New India Conference,” held on April 23, featured senior figures from India’s ruling political ecosystem, including RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale and BJP foreign affairs head Vijay Chauthaiwale . The event also included U.S. officials and former diplomats such as Kurt Campbell, Kenneth Juster, and Nisha Biswal, alongside India’s Ambassador to the U.S., Vinay Kwatra.  
Post a Comment
»

Remembering Rampur ka Tiraha: State violence and the birth of Uttarakhand’s struggle

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  In the turbulent political landscape of the early 1990s, India witnessed events that reshaped its social and regional equations. After the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992, Uttar Pradesh politics shifted dramatically, bringing the Samajwadi Party–Bahujan Samaj Party coalition to power in 1993 under Mulayam Singh Yadav. But the partnership was uneasy. Mulayam was never entirely comfortable playing the “Mandal card.” While Kanshi Ram and the BSP had consistently demanded the implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations, Mulayam hesitated, wary of how the move might play out.
Post a Comment
»