As the student activist completes five years behind bars for opposing the CAA, her prison letter offers a heart-wrenching reflection on fear, faith, and fading freedoms in Modi’s India
NEW DELHI – In a country where the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and the right to protest, Gulfishan Fatima has spent 1,831 days in prison simply for raising her voice.
On 9 April 2025, she will complete five years of incarceration after being arrested during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh. Gulfishan was one of the thousands who protested against what they perceived as a discriminatory law, but five years later, she remains in jail without a conviction.
In a heartfelt letter written to her friends from her cell, Gulfishan paints a stark picture of the rising climate of fear and repression in India. Despite the hardship, her words reflect an unwavering belief in the goodness of ordinary people. However, she laments that the political climate, particularly under the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has made dissent—especially from Muslims—more dangerous than ever.
“I firmly believe that the majority of the Indian people are neither intolerant nor violent,” she writes. Her words stand in contrast to the growing hate speech and violence permeating Indian society, fuelled by media narratives that often demonise Muslims.
In the same letter, Gulfishan speaks of the emotional toll her imprisonment has had on her family, particularly her father, who was visibly shaken during the court hearings. “In a soft voice, he replied, ‘There’s always a feeling of fear as if something bad is about to happen. That’s why I get stuck while speaking,’” she recalls. “I will never forget the look in his eyes. His fear has etched itself into my soul.”
Gulfishan’s imprisonment is far from unique. Across India, Muslim youth, students, and activists remain behind bars, often under fabricated charges, facing prolonged trials, delayed bail, and little hope for justice. In a country where dissent is increasingly being criminalised, those who challenge the government’s policies—especially Muslims—face severe consequences.
The use of draconian laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) has allowed authorities to silence critics with impunity. The Indian state has increasingly weaponised the legal system to label peaceful protesters as “terrorists” or “anti-national” under the guise of national security.
“Even in this extremely polarised world, there are still some people who are striving for unity and stability,” Gulfishan writes, refusing to surrender to despair. “There are people who stand for humanity… even though they have never seen us or met us.”
Despite the persecution she faces, Gulfishan maintains that the spirit of resistance among ordinary citizens persists. She ties rakhi to her fellow inmates in prison, offering them the same protection and humanity that the state has denied her. “In return, protect me from…” she writes, showing that even in the darkest of times, the light of human connection and solidarity remains.
In her letter, Gulfishan also aims the Indian mainstream media, which she describes as “biased and screaming.” She condemns the media’s role in stoking communalism and misinformation, noting how it frequently paints Muslims as the sole perpetrators of unrest, diverting attention from the government’s failures.
“This biased media constantly tells you that whatever unpleasant experiences you face today are solely because of a specific community,” she writes. “In this era, no other minority is openly defamed like ‘a particular community.’”
Human rights groups and legal experts have long criticised the role of the media in spreading hate and stigmatising Muslims. They argue that media outlets controlled by right-wing ideologies have allowed the demonisation of Muslims to become mainstream, with little regard for truth or justice.
As Gulfishan completes five years in prison, she reflects on how her spiritual journey has evolved during her incarceration. She finds solace in the poetry of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, whose words have helped her cope with the emotional turmoil of jail life.
“When I feel like I’m drowning, I read his poetry for two or three days straight,” she writes. “And in doing so, all emotions seem to dissolve into the air.”
Despite being imprisoned in Tihar Jail, Gulfishan has refused to let her spirit be broken. She celebrates every festival, whether it is Raksha Bandhan, Women’s Day, Holi, or Easter, even in prison. “I never miss a chance to celebrate,” she writes. “I am here in jail. Now, it is solely my responsibility to decide in which direction I can guide my mind and soul.”
Her resilience is a testament to her strength, her refusal to let injustice define her, and her belief that the truth will one day prevail.
The legal battles surrounding Gulfishan’s case raise serious questions about India’s shrinking democratic space. Despite multiple bail applications, she remains imprisoned, trapped in a system that has failed to uphold her basic rights. Legal experts, such as senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, have expressed concern over the delay in granting bail to anti-CAA protesters, a delay that underscores the growing authoritarianism in the country.
Kavita Krishnan, a prominent activist, has also questioned the judiciary’s silence in the face of such blatant injustice. “How long will the judiciary remain silent while lives are wasted behind bars without trial?” she asked, highlighting the glaring disregard for human rights under the current regime.
The persecution of Muslim activists like Gulfishan Fatima reveals a darker reality for India. Once a proud symbol of secularism and democracy, India is increasingly becoming a state that uses its legal and media machinery to target Muslims, suppress dissent, and consolidate power under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Gulfishan’s case is emblematic of a broader pattern of institutionalised Islamophobia and the government’s efforts to silence any form of protest, especially when it comes from Muslim communities. While Hindutva vigilantes continue to operate with impunity, Muslims like Gulfishan are incarcerated for peacefully voicing their opposition to discriminatory laws.
Anjali Bhardwaj, a transparency activist, has noted the disproportionate treatment of Muslims in India. “The shrinking democratic space is most visible when you look at how Muslims are treated when they speak out,” she said.
Despite the growing oppression, Gulfishan’s unwavering belief in justice remains strong. As she completes 1,831 days in jail, her story serves as a stark reminder of the price of dissent in Modi’s India.
Her words, quoting Faiz, echo through the darkness: “My love, do not grieve over today—for who knows, the scribe of time may have unknowingly written some happiness in the pages of tomorrow.”
It is a glimmer of hope, a hope that one day, the soul of India may awaken and the voices of dissent may be heard once again. Until then, Gulfishan’s story endures as a testament to the resilience of those who continue to fight for justice and humanity in a nation that seems to have forgotten both.
