Last week we reported about the aftermath of the riots in Bhima Koregaon, Maharashtra. During these riots thousands of Dalits fought over days after being attacked by Hindu-nationalist reactionaries. In this context the old Indian state repressed not the reactionaries, who killed one Dalit, but the lawyers and activists who demanded justice.
Several intellectuals and democratic activists and organizations took a stand against this repression. Virasam, the Committee for Release of Political Prisoners, the Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights, the Telangana Democratic Forum, and the Democratic Students’ Union held a joint press conference. At this conference, the revolutionary poet Varavara Rao said that the Central government “is branding every questioning voice as Maoist”. Furthermore, he criticized the attitude of the national media channels, who uncritically accept the allegations of the police and therefore denounce the justified protests.
At the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) many students have demanded that the five imprisoned activists, who were arrested in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon riots – and are accused of having links with the Maoists – should be immediately released. Over 200 people associated with TISS signed a statement that says the activists were arrested on the basis of “flimsy baseless allegation.”. Further the statement says: “The arrests have been made under UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act), which has several draconian provisions that ensure detention of up to six months without any evidence required and make it difficult to obtain bail. Manohar Bhide, one of the two main accused in the violence unleashed on the Dalit bahujan masses marching to celebrate the Bhima-Koregaon Shaurya Din, remains unarrested.” The students are right when they claim, that the activists were being persecuted for their work with marginalized communities, what actually means going to the most oppressed and exploited masses.
And the students and activists are not the only ones who condemn the repression of the old Indian State. Even the former Bombay High Court Judge Abhay Thipsay questions the UAPA, which is used to suppress every opposition that might be a threat. Basically, it’s just a flexible clause under which all activities directed somehow against the Indian state can be indicted, on the pretext that they would jeopardize its "integrity" and "sovereignty".
In an interview hesaid, “What I’ve seen is the police claim they go in for extensive searches, and say a number of documents have been recovered from the accused. And they keep analysing them slowly, saying they have to go through with that process, saying something has been found. Whether that is true or not cannot be determined at this stage.” and added “Under UAPA, bail is difficult. You have to rely solely on what the police say. The defendant cannot be taken into consideration at that time. It’s a draconian provision which says that if it is prima facie true, you cannot be released on bail. The idea is to detain, whatever may happen in the trial. The police use it for effect during the pre-trial detention. They’re not bothered very much with what happens subsequently. Their purpose is served because the accused remains in custody for one or two years.”
The government, with their army and police won’t stop the masses’ justified rebellion. Every time they repress and humiliate the masses it just imperialist bourgeoisie. increases the urge to rebel. Every revolutionary activist who is being arrested or killed will lead to many others joining the struggle because everyone will be aware who stands for the Indian people and who stands for the foreign imperialist bourgeoisie and the domestic reactionaries.
