Counterview Desk
The civil rights network Campaign Against State Repression (CASR)*, in a statement to mark the anniversary (June 6) of the first arrest in the Bhima Koregaon ‘conspiracy’ case after a series of raids in April 2018, has said that over the last five years, despite multiple reports like the one brought out by Arsenal Consulting, a US based forensic agency, suggesting how malware was used to “support” the state’s onslaught, most arrested activists are “made to languish in jails without trial.”
Seeking their unconditional release, the statement says, there is a need for unity to fight the allegedly “Brahminical Hindutva fascist onslaught” which continues to suppress “any democratic resistance against the imperialist backed corporate loot of people’s resources under the cover of suppressing the Maoist movement.”
Text:
The 6th of June was a day that saw the Brahmanical Hindutva Fascist State launch one of its most audacious attacks on Democratic Rights and Political Activists. It also marked the beginning of a new era in which UAPA and conspiracy charges were used to great effect. These cases had been known by the working class, peasantry, and oppressed but not the urban democratic movement.
What is Elgaar Parishad all about?
On the 31st of Decemeber 2017, nearly 200 Left and Dalit Organisations organised a Conference to mark the 200th Anniversary of Bhima Koregaon Victory, fought and won by oppressed Mahar Soldiers, against the Brahmanical Peshwa Army. The conference was held near Pune in an effort to organize the oppressed and abused masses of the nation, thus forging wider solidarity to defeat the rising Brahmanical Hindutva Fascism.
One of the convenors and Retired Supreme Court judge gave call to lakhs of people attending the program and the whole country to bury the ‘New Peshwai’ represented by Brahmanical Hindutva Fascist BJP-RSS. On the 1st of January 2018, more than 2000 armed Militia, led by Hindutva Terrorists Sambhaji Bhide & Milind Ekbote, attacked the people at the program with a brutal fascist coordinated attack. Hundreds of people were injured, mostly those from working class and oppressed caste backgrounds.
Instead of targeting the Bhide, Ekbote and other Dalit and working-class bastis in Mumbai that were the subject of the initial FIR, the police conducted raids and combs of these areas and then targeted the Bombay Electricity Contract Workers Union activists. Several activist of the union were picked up and later with raids on residence of Kabir Kala Manch activists in April, 2018, the infamous Bhima Koregaon ‘Conspiracy’ case was in its inception.
Arun Ferreira and Gautam Nalakha were arrested in a second raid and arrest shortly after the initial arrests to suppress the growing movement for the defense and release of the five activists. Sudha Bhahardawaj and Varavara Raio were arrested. Anand Teltumbde and Fr. Stan Swamy and Hany Babu. Ramesh Gauichor, Sagar Gokhe, Jyoti Jagtap. Father Stan Swamy who was incarcerated for a long time, died in prison on the 5th July, 2021 due to deliberate medical negligence.
Since then, the case of Bhima Koregaon has lasted five years. Multiple reports such as the one released by Arsenal Consulting a US-based forensics agency have claimed that the malwares, and the incriminating documents, were planted in the activists who were arrested, Rona, Wilson in particular. There was also a lot of uproar when it became known that the Israeli-made spyware Pegasus had been used to target these political prisoners.
In spite of all of this, and despite the fact that the BK case is a clear example of state malice, civil liberties are being violated by these activists who languish without charge or trial in prisons. The fact that they were imprisoned without a trial is another example of how draconian laws such as UAPA turn the process into punishment.
It is another example of how the UAPA laws punish process as punishment.
The institutions and the judiciary have shown an utter disregard of civil liberties, allowing the fascist machinery to grow. They are now able to bring a new series of conspiracy charges against the oppressed under the name Hathras Conspiracy Case or the Delhi Riots Conspiracy Case to suppress all democratic assertions, and to stoke the oppressed, exploited, and oppressed unity in the country.
It is also important to remember that the activists jailed in Bhima Koregaon case have been vocal against the state’s genocidal operations like Salwa Judum and Operation Green-Hunt which has been constantly unleashed on people in different names at different times, in a bid to suppress any democratic resistance against the imperialist backed corporate loot of people’s resources under the cover of suppressing the Maoist movement.
Campaign Against State Repression reaffirms that it will honour Father Stan Swamy’s struggle and all those who are jailed in order to create unity for the oppressed, exploited people to fight the fascist upsurge and brutal state repression. We call on the citizens of the country to join forces with democratic progressive forces to form a powerful movement that will ensure the release Bhima Koregaon, as well all other political prisoners.
We demand:
- All activists in Bhima Koregaon Case should be released immediately and without conditions.
- Take immediate action against Hindutva terrorists Sambhaji Bhide (left) and Milind Ekbote (right).
- Abolish the UAPA (undemocratic, anti-people) and other draconian law.
- Release all political Prisoners
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*AIRSO,AISA, AISF, APCR,BASF, BCM, Bhim Army, Bigul Mazdoor Dasta, BSCEM, CEM, CRPP, CTF, Disha, DISSC, DSU, DTF, Fraternity ,IAPL, Karnataka Janashakti, LAA,Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, Mazdoor Patrika, Mehnatkash Mahila Sangathan, Morcha Patrika, NAPM, NBS, Nowruz, NTUI, People’s Watch, Rihai Manch, Samajwadi Janparishad, Smajwadi lok manch, Satyashodak Sangh, SFI, United Against Hate, WSS,Y4S