TCN News
Prominent leaders from Opposition parties during an online news conference on Monday condemned the arrests of scholars and activists amid the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown.
“There’s a need for a united political movement to oppose this government,” said CPI general secretary D. Raja. He discussed that the Delhi Police reports to Home Minister Amit Shah and therefore he must be held responsible for their actions against peaceful protestors in the anti-CAA mass movement before the lockdown.
The situation in US in the aftermath of police brutality against George Floyd was put into the Indian context, citing the example of the anti-Muslim violence in northeast Delhi in February. Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain remarked that the whole US boiled up in anger with the killing of one man whereas here in India we witness lynching and torture of people every day only because they belong to a particular community. He further spoke about Safoora Zargar, Ishrat Jahan, Khalid Saifi, Gulfisha Fatima, Sharjeel Imam, Shifa Ur-Rahman and others who were arrested during the lockdown under UAPA, demanding their release.
Hussain expressed that every person with democratic values must rise against such arbitrary arrests and imprisonment of rights activists as they were being falsely accused of inciting Delhi pogrom against Muslims claiming 53 lives, hundreds of injuries and major loss of property.
In the virtual conference, Opposition leaders voiced their support for these scholars and demanded that the government inquire into the real culprits who spread hate speech leading to communal violence. NCP leader Majeed Memon highlighted that Delhi Police is purposely delaying FIRs against BJP leaders who had engaged in hate speech hours before the massive communal rioting.
Manoj Jha, RJD MP echoed support for activists saying that theirs is a constitutional fight and they, as leaders, would not allow the efforts to go to waste.
The conference ended on a note to fellow politicians to act immediately to support those being prosecuted under false accusations.