47 prominent Indians condemn Delhi Police pressure tactics ahead of October 10 protest
Signatories warn against preventive arrests and restrictions on peaceful assembly
New Delhi : A group of 47 Indian academics, researchers, civil society members and activists has written to Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golchha, saying that police personnel were using “unconstitutional and criminal pressure tactics” to dissuade people from participating in a planned October 10 protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the signatories, including political activist Yogendra Yadav, academic Apoorvanand, economist Jayati Ghosh and former diplomat Gautam Mukhopadhaya, said in their letter that that police personnel were visiting colleges, mosques, resident welfare associations (RWAs) and other public places to discourage citizens from joining peaceful demonstrations in the Indian capital.
They also said that police officials were approaching operators of paying guest accommodations, commonly used by students and young professionals from outside 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), arguing that declaring the entire city out of bounds for protests amounted to a misuse of statutory powers to undermine a constitutional rights.
Describing the police actions as an attempt to intimidate citizens, the letter said 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 urged the Police Commissioner to ensure that the force immediately ceased what it described as “unconstitutional and criminal pressure tactics”. It also warned that any attempts to prevent people from participating in peaceful demonstrations through preventive arrests, detentions, violence, house arrests or similar measures would be challenged in courts.
The letter further stated that the Delhi Police would be held accountable for any such alleged illegality and its consequences.
Other signatories include 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 Cockroach Janta Party (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 were being carried out to restrict participation in the demonstration. Some reports indicate that at least 10,000 people, including students, farmers and members of Dalit organisations, have been detained so far.
