Delhi convention: Over 100 activists raise concerns over totalitarian shift in India
New Delhi: A group of over a hundred Indian civil society members, human rights defenders, former civil servants, media professionals and academics have voiced their concerns about the escalating shift towards totalitarianism in India.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the concern was expressed during a two-day Democracy Convention 2024 held in New Delhi. The event was convened by Indian academic and author Radha Kumar.
The convention emphasized the need to review certain laws and repeal draconian legislations that threaten the very fabric of democracy in India. It highlighted measures to tackle leading issues, such as unemployment, especially amongst youth and women, stem the tide of majoritarian communalism, safeguard constitutional rights and the autonomy of statutory institutions, strengthen the federal contract and promote equality and social justice.
Among the proposals put forth by the Democracy Convention were calls to review the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Bills, which allow arrest on mere suspicion and broaden the definition of terrorism to include peaceful protests, such as roadblocks.
Additionally, it recommended the repeal of draconian legislations like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and IIOJK’s Public Safety Act (PSA).
The convention urged the government to refrain from deploying armed forces and instead engage in dialogue to find peaceful resolutions. The assembly also expressed concern over the increasingly oppressive measures taken by the state, which, they said, undermine the basic tenets of democracy.
Furthermore, the convention demanded a comprehensive overhaul of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), citing its use for targeting critics of the government.
Other key proposals included strict adherence to the 1992 Places of Worship Act with the 1947 cutoff date and the enactment of a comprehensive domestic anti-discrimination law, safeguarding citizens against discrimination across various fields and repealing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) of 2019.
The convention was addressed by historian Romila Thapar, senior Congress leaders Salman Khurshid and Manish Tewari, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah, CPI-M Kashmir leader Mohamad Yusuf Tarigami and PDP spokesman Suhail Bukhari. They expressed their concerns regarding India’s current trajectory.
