Leaders condemn UP govt for maligning individuals and organisations
Caravan News
NEW DELHI — More than two dozen prominent social groups and eminent leaders including ex-BJP leader and former Union finance minister Yashwant Sinha condemned the Yogi Adityanath government’s “repressive measure in Uttar Pradesh aimed at suppressing democratic protests and human rights violations in the state.”
They also condemned attempts by the BJP government in the state to malign individuals and organisations including the Popular Front of India for their participation in the protests.
In a joint statement circulated by the PFI, these leaders said the UP Police stood exposed for the crimes it committed against innocent people and for the violation of democratic rights of the people to hold protests. It is significant that the signatories to the statement also condemned attempts by the authorities to isolate and suppress individuals and organisations including the PFI for participating in the protests.
UP COPS IN DENIAL MODE
They said the UP Police was in the denial mode on the killing of the protesters, which they did by directly firing at them during the protests and cops were now trying to divert the attention of the media and activists by naming individuals and organisations like the Popular Front of India. The statement read: “Since the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill, massive agitations and rallies have been taking place in almost all the cities and villages. This was a very spontaneous outburst of popular anger against the legislation that goes against the values the country has been built upon.
The protests witnessed active participation of people drawn from all sections of the society. Students, political parties, human rights activists and groups and community organisations took part in the peaceful and democratic expression of dissent.”
It underlined: “However, in BJP ruled states, the police unleashed brutal violence upon the people, including women, children and the elderly. Even those who were not part of any protests were beaten up. Uttar Pradesh has been witnessing unprecedented police brutalities against mostly the Muslim community.”
They pointed out that the police officers were seen, without any regard for the law, barging into homes, destroying properties, beating up the residents, even women and children, abusing them, and telling them to leave the town. They were chasing protesters, beating them up and opening fire at them. Out of the 21 people dead in the state amid the protests, 18 died of bullet injuries.”
“Many prominent activists and organisation leaders are still in prison along with thousands of innocent people. There are also horrifying media reports that Madrasa students were sexually assaulted while in police custody. This must be thoroughly investigated by way of a judicial inquiry. The police action is by far the worst in the living memory of the people,” they said.
“The UP police stands exposed for the crimes they committed against innocent people and for violation of the democratic right of the people to protest. They have now resorted to vilifying people and groups that participated in the protest in an attempt to break the will and create disunity and confusion among the people. Higher officials of the UP Police now claim that the Popular Front was behind all the protests and is reportedly seeking to impose a ban on the organisation in the state.
POLITICAL VENDETTA
“This is contrary to facts. The agitations were and will remain a collective movement of the people. No single organisation, party or individual has any authority or leadership role over it. What the UP government is up to is nothing but political vendetta, a move to demonise and destroy.”
Demanding immediate release of all the innocent people now in custody, they demanded an impartial inquiry into the police atrocities. “We also demand exemplary action against officers who violated the law. While we welcome any impartial investigation about any untoward incident that took place during the protests, we appeal to the people to be vigilant and raise their voice against the denial of our Constitutional right to freedom of association.”
The statement was signed by former minister Yashwant Sinha, general secretary of the all-India Muslim Personal Law Board, Maulana Sayyid Wali Rahmani, Maulana KR Sajjad Nomani, National President of BAMCEF Waman Chindhuji Meshram, Chief Bhim Army Chandra Shekhar Aazad, Former MP Maulana Obaidullah Khan Azmi, former Judge of the Bombay High Court Justice BG Kolse Patil, among others.
Former chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities Wajahat Habibullah; national president of the Social Democratic Party of India MK Faizy; former MP and minister Lalmani Prasad; Director of PR & member of the central advisory council of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Mujtaba Farooq; national president of the Welfare Party of India, Dr. SQR Iliyas; national president of Rashtriya Janhit Sangharsh Party and HSDO, Adv. Bhanu Pratab Singh; Gaddi Nasheen Khadim Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty’s Syed Sarwar Chishty; and Indian National League’s Prof. Muhammed Sulaiman were also among the signatories.
The other signatories were political analyst Nishant Varma; president of the Democratic Teachers’ Front, Delhi University, Nandita Narain; president of SAMLA and legal adviser, Bhim Army, Adv. Mahmood Pracha; president of All India Muslim Majlis e Mushawarat Navaid Hamid; national president of Ambedkar Samaj Party Bhai Tej Singh, former chairman of Delhi minorities commission Kamal Faruqui; chairman of all India Ambedkar Mahasabha Ashok Bharti; and secretary of the Democratic Teachers’ Front at Delhi University, Prof. Abha Dev Habib.
