
India: CASR strongly condemns the NIA raids all over Bengal
We hereby share a statement from CASR that we have received.
India: CASR strongly condemns the NIA raids on the houses of various activists all over Bengal in the name of a “Maoist Links” conspiracy case
WE DEMAND AN IMMEDIATE RESTRICTION ON NIA RAIDS ALL OVER INDIA UNDER THE EXCUSE OF MAOIST LINKS
In the early morning of 1 October, NIA raided 12 locations in Bengal, including houses of various activists in Bengal , claiming “Maoist links” as the reason. Mobiles and laptops of many activists have been taken away. In the name of “search” all the houses of the activists have been ransacked. Some of the activists were issued with notices to report at NIA’s Ranchi office for further interrogation.
The activists includes Researcher & Independent Filmmaker, Abhijnan Sarkar, trade union activist in Asansol collieries Sudipta Pal, rights activists Bipasha Sarkar, Sipra Chakraborty, Journalist Prasenjit Charaborty, member of CRPP( Committee for Release of Political Prisoners) Siddheswar Biswas and many others. These are activists working on issues of students, women’s rights, labourer’s rights, release and rights of political prisoners , an independent journalist and even a filmmaker, This targeting is not a new tactic by the NIA, but is an extension of its countrywide clampdown on dissent and systematic repression of human rights defenders and pro-people activists working for the interests of the toiling masses .
This particular FIR (number RC-01/2022/NIA/RANCHI )that has lead to these raids across Bengal were registered in 2022 by Ranchi NIA and after that the NIA started its crackdown on various activist. Last year, on the 2nd May 2023, NIA raided the house of anti displacement Activist Damodar Turi and Majdoor Samgharsh Samiti (MSS) President and trade union leader Baccha Singh and other members of the union. They also raided the office of VISTHAPAN VIRODHI JAN VIKAS ANDOLAN (VVJVA) in Ranchi and sealed the office claiming that these activist are over Ground workers of Maoist party and MSS AND VVJVA are frontal organisation of Maoist party . A few days later , the Trade union organization MSS were banned. Now, the NIA is trying to create an environment to justify the banning of VVJVA . This is closely linked to creating consensus and a justification for Stan Swamy’s arrest and institutional murder – since he was working closely with VVJVA. We should not forget that Father Stan Swamy, a beloved anti displacement activist in the Adivasi regions of Jharkhand, strongly opposed the setting up of NIA offices in Ranchi, as he foresaw the repression and red- tagging that was to follow.
Today, the NIA is an agency working at the forefront to crush all voices of dissent in the name of national security. For more than one Year NIA has been targeting human rights activists,Tade Union leaders, advocates, writers, journalists, intellectuals ,poets, filmmakers, anti-displacement activists , cultural activists, women’s rights activists and others who expose the true nature of the Indian Brhamanical Hindutva fascist state. NIA by foisting false cases onto these people seeks to intimidate and silence them.
We, the CAMPAIGN AGAINST STATE REPRESSION strongly condemn the NIA Raids all over Bengal targetting dissenting voices .We urges all democratic and progressive organizations and individual to come together and build a movement against the NIA and call for the repeal of laws such as UAPA that are utilised in this ploy to murder dissent.
Repeal NIA !!
REPEAL UAPA !!
REPEAL ALL DAROCONIAN LAW. !!
CAMPAIGN AGAINST STATE REPRESSION
Organizing Team
(AIRSO,AISA, AISF, APCR,ASA,BAPSA BBAU,BASF, BSM, Bhim Army, bsCEM, CEM,COLLECTIVE,CRPP, CSM CTF, , DISSC, DSU, DTF, Forum Against Repression Telangana, Fraternity ,IAPL, Innocence Network, Karnataka Janashakti, LAA,Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, Mazdoor Patrika, , NAPM, NAZARIYA , Nishant Natya Manch, Nowruz, NTUI, People’s Watch, Rihai Manch, Samajwadi Janparishad,Smajwadi lok manch, Bahujan Samjavadi Mnach, SFI, United Peace Alliance, WSS,Y4S)