In a gathering organized by Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) in New Delhi on September 17, noted human rights activists, journalists, politicians, artists, students, and concerned citizens united under the theme “Curtailed Freedoms: A Travesty of Justice” to demand the immediate release of political prisoners who have been jailed for dissenting against the ruling government. The event focused on the growing crackdown on civil liberties, with several speakers calling for justice and the restoration of democratic freedoms.
Dr. SQR Ilyas, father of Umar Khalid, strongly criticized efforts to allow laws that indiscriminately target citizens while protecting real perpetrators. He questioned the accountability of police and denounced absurdity of using code names such as “Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta” for witnesses. Ilyas highlighted the damage caused to the nation by imprisoning brilliant minds and urged citizens to speak up against the state’s growing authoritarian tendencies.
Dipankar Bhattacharya, General Secretary of CPI(ML) Liberation, referred to today’s jailed activists as the “freedom fighters of this era” and “soldiers of democracy.” He noted that even the Chief Justice of India had questioned lower courts’ reluctance to grant bail, wondering what fear was preventing hearings in the Supreme Court. Bhattacharya also criticized opposition parties for failing to elevate the issue of political imprisonment to a national level.
Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh stressed the need for unity among citizens in opposing the violence inflicted by the state on ordinary people. He pointed out that protests against the CAA and NRC had brought together Muslims and others alike, because this was “a fight for the whole country.”
[Read more on Radiancenews.com]