India: CRPP-WB condemns the recent raids by NIA

We hereby share a statement published by the Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners – West Bengal.

CRPP STRONGLY CONDEMNS THE NIA’S ONGOING WITCH-HUNT TARGETING POLITICAL ACTIVISTS ACROSS INDIA!

In the early morning of December 20, 2024, a series of raids were conducted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) at the homes of several political activists:

• Rampal Singh, a labour rights activist from Manesar General Mazdoor Front (Punjab)

• Damanpreet Singh, ex-president of Students for Society (SFS) (Punjab)

• Ajay Kumar, Priyanshu, & Jagdish Singh, members of Delhi General Mazdoor Front (DGMF) (Delhi)

• Shree Ram, anti-displacement activist (Delhi)

• Bindu Ram, member of Manesar General Mazdoor Sangh (Haryana)

• Nodeep Kaur, labour Rights Activist associated with Majdoor Adhikar Sangathan (Punjab)

• Harveer Kaur, student activist associated with the Punjab Students’ Union (Punjab)

• Rajveer Kaur, activist and member of Forum Against Corporatisation and Militarisation (Delhi)

The raids are linked to FIR No. RC-01/2023 NIA Lucknow, also called the “Maoist’s NRB Revival Case”. Ajay Kumar, an advocate and anti-displacement activist was arrested earlier under false charges by the NIA in the same case. In early October this year, similar raids had taken place in West Bengal at 11 locations. Before that, similar raids were conducted in Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. Therefore, in all the instances, we can see that pro-people and pro-democracy political activists are being targeted; the Indian state has developed a tendency to silence the voice of dissent and people’s movements. Much like the Bhima Koregaon conspiracy case, these actions are a clear attempt to criminalize political activism. It proves that the NIA is motivated to work as the Indian ‘Gestapo’ persecuting political activists for their opinions and activism.

CRPP appeals to all progressive and democratic individuals and organizations to unite and raise their voices against this pattern of gross injustice that is being committed by the Indian state.