More than two dozen rights groups, student unions, and academics in India and abroad have condemned the alleged “illegal abduction and wrongful incarceration” of activist Priyanshu Kashyap, who has spent over 100 days in custody under what supporters call the “bogus Lucknow conspiracy case.”
In a joint statement released this week, the signatories, including Delhi University faculty members, demanded Kashyap’s “immediate and unconditional release,” calling his detention a “direct assault on democratic rights and dissent.”
Kashyap, a 22-year-old former Delhi University student from Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, was reportedly taken by the Haryana Crime Investigation Agency in late July before being transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the case. The statement alleges he was held for several days without access to family or legal counsel, violating constitutional protections.
According to a statement from NIA, Kashyap was a “key Naxal operative from Haryana”, who was “actively working to promote anti-national activities.”
The “Lucknow conspiracy case,” initiated in 2023, has seen the arrests of several activists, lawyers, and journalists accused of links to banned Maoist organisations. Critics have compared it to the Bhima Koregaon case, in which activists and intellectuals were jailed on charges of conspiracy and sedition.
The statement accused authorities of using laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to “silence voices of opposition” and said the case reflects “a pattern of repression” targeting those who oppose government policies toward Adivasi and labor rights.
According to the statement, Priyanshu was a member of BhagatSingh Chatra Ekta Manch and was involved in student activism, fighting against fee hikes, paper leaks, and advocating for a democratic and equitable campus. He also raised concerns for the oppressed and exploited masses of the country.
Among the individual signatories were noted academics Prof. Nandita Narain, Prof. Abha Dev, Prof. Haragopal, and lawyers Prashant Bhushan and Gaurav Bansal, along with international groups from the United States and France.
The post Activists, academics call for release of activist held for Lucknow conspiracy case appeared first on Maktoob media.
