India: CASR strongly condemns the combing operation and murder of a student and activist
We hereby share a statement by Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) that we have received.
19 December 2024
CASR STRONGLY CONDEMNS THE COMBING OPERATION IN DALIT BASTIS AND ‘CUSTODIAL MURDER’ OF 35 YEAR OLD LAW STUDENT AND AMBEDKARITE ACTIVIST SOMNATH SURYAVANSHI BY BRAHMANICAL HINDUTVA MAHARASHTRA POLICE
In the early morning of December 15, Ambedkarite Activist Somnath had chest pain and died in police custody. He was arrested after a protest against desecration of a replica of Constitution in Parbhani District of Maharashtra. Later, medical examination found that there were internal and external injuries on his body, suggesting custodial torture. It is to be noted that the bail application of Somnath was allowed by the local court in view of the examinations of the Law course pursued by Somnath.
Before the protests which led to his arrest, a replica of the Constitution was desecrated in Parbhani district in Maharashtra on December 10, International Human Rights Day. After the desecration, a call of bandh was given by some organisations in Parbhani to condemn Maharashtra police’s act of shielding the perpetrators by declaring them as “mentally deranged”. After the protest on December 11, the police registered 8 FIRs against 50 Known and Unknown people and started combing operations in nearby Dalit Bastis, Bhim Nagar and Priyadarshini Nagar, brutally beating men and women. Those arrested by the police were sent to judicial custody without medical examination, flaunting every due process of law in cases of arrest and detention that are meant to act as a safeguard for human rights and civil liberties of the arrested individuals.
This is not the first time such incidents have happened. Whenever the exploited and oppressed sections of society raise their voice and demand their rights, they are met with brutal repression. State police, intelligence agencies and security forces, all come into action to maintain the status quo and suppress any democratic assertion of the masses. Similar events unfolded in 2018, Elgaar Parishad program at Bhima Koregaon memorial where Brahmanical Hindutva forces attacked the masses gathered to oppose the “New Peshwai” in the form of Brahmanical Hindutva Fascism of RSS-BJP. Instead of arresting the attackers, police raided the poor Dalit Bastis and unleashed brutality to suppress the anti-fascist vision of the oppressed and exploited people. Repression continued in the form of an attack on democratic progressive forces under the pretext of “Urban Naxalism”, later known as Bhima Koregaon 16, who have been working for the exploited and oppressed sections for many years. History of Maharashtra police dealing with assertion of people from exploited and oppressed sections, particularly from Dalit and Adivasi communities, is very cruel because the police are particularly brutal in suppressing movements that question the structural inequalities behind the exploitation and oppression. Somnath belongs to the Waddar community that is listed as denotified tribes by the government. These communities are treated by the Indian state as habitual offenders and Police simply pick them up and send them behind bars, whenever any kind of criminal offense happens in the areas near their bastis.
It is a matter of grave concern that brutal crushing of any agitation that raises its voice against violation of fundamental rights and demands justice and accountability of government, is being normalised. We need to understand that the rising Brahmanical Hindutva Fascism is behind the police acting like goondas to attack protesting people, torturing and eventually killing them. We urge all progressive, democratic organizations and individuals to come together and raise their voice against brutal suppression of the right to protest in general and murder of the Ambedkarite Activist Somnath by Brahmanical Hindutva Fascist State, in particular. We demand that a judicial inquiry be constituted and the responsible police officers be held accountable.
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, Samajwadi Lok Manch, Bahujan Samajvadi Manch, SFI, United Peace Alliance, WSS,Y4S)
