NEW DELHI: Over 1,100 women activists, authors, academics, filmmakers, journalists, students and other individuals and feminist groups on Sunday condemned the crackdown on Muslim and women activists “who were at the forefront of the peaceful protests against the unconstitutional CAA-NRC-NPR” in Delhi.
In a statement, the network of feminists condemned the arrest of the anti-CAA protesters as an attack on the peaceful and constitutional movement. Denouncing “false narratives that try to link anti-CAA protests with the violence in Delhi”, they demanded action against the real perpetrators of communal violence, including BJP leaders Anurag Thakur, Kapil Mishra and Pravesh Verma, and the release of jailed activists.
ALSO READ | Anti-CAA protests at Jamia: UAPA invoked against former JNU student Sharjeel Imam
“The impunity with which the Delhi Police is carrying out this sweep under direct orders from the Home Ministry is facilitated by the reduced media, public and legal scrutiny under the lockdown,” said the statement.
Those arrested have no access to lawyers and legal aid and their families were given no information of their whereabouts while they were in custody, it said.The activists demanded that the Delhi Police must make public all FIRs, arrests and detentions and conduct a free investigation into incidents of violence. They also demanded that the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and sedition laws be repealed.