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Various Opposition parties, civil society organisations and activists held a protest march here on Thursday against the arrests of rights activists by Maharashtra police. They alleged that the arrests were a “coup against the Constitution” and more dangerous than Emergency.
In a joint statement, the organisations said they oppose and condemn the “illegal raids” and arrests of Gautam Navlakha, Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and Varavara Rao.
“These are only the most recent arrests in a continuing wave of repression spearheaded by the police at the behest of their political leaders and, communal and casteist agendas against people’s movements. The targeting of these democratic rights activists and organisations is an attack on the poor and marginalised sections on whose behalf these activists have been raising voices,” the statement said.
The activists said none of the persons figure in the FIR filed in Bhima Koregaon clashes and added that the use of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) has become an instrument to target political dissent.
UAPA misuse
“Stringent UAPA sections on unlawful activities, terrorist acts, recruiting for terrorist acts, being members of terrorist organisations, support for terrorist organisations and providing funds for terrorist organisation were added to the FIR and tailored for the arrests made in June and August,” the statement said.
They said “habitual offender” Milind Ekbote and “god man” Sambhaji Bhide were named in the first FIR in Bhima Koregaon clashes and have never been penalised under the act.
They also objected the use of the term urban Naxalites and said the Centre is indulging in spreading falsehood. “The invoking of UAPA against rights activists, which ensures long-term incarceration and denial of bail is meant to muzzle democratic dissent,” the statement said.
Author and activist Arundhati Roy said ‘divert and rule’ has become the theme of the Narendra Modi government. She said the Centre knew that the arrests will invite a large-scale response and wanted to divert attention from its diminishing popularity.
CPI(M) mouthpiece People’s Democracy said that the arrests are an ominous pointer to how the country is coming under an authoritarian regime. “The authoritarian regime is targeting all sections —– the political opposition, human rights activists, academics, lawyers, journalists and writers.”
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