NEW DELHI: A group of 47 citizens, including political activist Yogendra Yadav, academic Apoorvanand, economist Jayati Ghosh and former diplomat Gautam Mukhopadhaya, on Friday wrote to the Delhi Police Commissioner, alleging that police personnel were using “unconstitutional and criminal pressure tactics” to dissuade people from participating in the proposed October 10 protest against the Election Commission.
In their letter, the signatories alleged that police personnel were visiting colleges, mosques, resident welfare associations (RWAs) and other public places to make announcements discouraging citizens from joining peaceful demonstrations in the national capital.
They also alleged that police officials were approaching people who provide paying guest (PG) accommodation, a common arrangement for outstation students and young professionals in Delhi, and asking them to restrain their tenants from participating in the protest.
The signatories objected to the imposition of Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), alleging that declaring the entire city out of bounds for protests amounted to a misuse of statutory powers to undermine a constitutional right.
Describing the alleged police actions as an attempt to intimidate citizens, the letter stated that discouraging people from exercising their democratic choice and fundamental right to assemble peacefully was unacceptable. It warned that such actions, particularly when carried out by police personnel, could amount to criminal intimidation.
The group has urged the Police Commissioner to ensure that the force immediately ceased what it described as unconstitutional pressure tactics. It further warned that any attempts to prevent citizens from participating in peaceful demonstrations through preventive arrests, detentions, violence, house arrests or similar measures would be challenged in courts.
The letter stated that the Delhi Police would be held accountable for any such alleged illegality and its consequences.
Among the other signatories are academics Radha Kumar, Mridula Mukherjee, Rajeev Bhargava, Zoya Hasan and Aditya Mukherjee; former diplomat Amitabha Pande; defence analyst C Uday Bhaskar; Ashok Kumar Sharma; Kamini Tankha; and transparency activist Anjali Bhardwaj.
The letter comes amid heightened security measures ahead of the October 10 mobilisation called by the CJP and student organisations over concerns regarding the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The signatories' allegations come as student organisations and protest organisers have also claimed that preventive detentions are being carried out to restrict participation in the demonstration.