Human rights lawyer Prashant Bhushan addressed a gathering at Jantar Mantar alongside activist Yogendra Yadav, journalist Arfa Khanum Sherwani, student leaders, and families of anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) activists who were jailed in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case. Bhushan referred to the lengthy delay in granting bail as “unfortunate,” emphasizing that “the trial has not started even in five years.”
Bhushan underscored that “Bail is the rule while jail is the exception,” expressing disappointment with the judiciary’s performance. He remarked, “Their work is to protect our fundamental rights, democracy, and the Constitution. But in the Delhi riots case… the trial has not started even in five years,” adding that the Delhi High Court took over a year to conduct bail hearings.
The lawyer criticized the legal system, stating, “The law is being torn to shreds. Those who openly give communal speeches and spread hate, like Anurag Thakur and Kapil Mishra, have been given complete impunity. The tragedy is that those who stood against hate are themselves being charged with spreading it.”
The protests aimed to highlight “five years of injustice” towards anti-CAA activists detained under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), with demonstrators calling for the release of all political prisoners and denouncing the CAA, National Register of Citizens (NRC), and National Population Register (NPR).
The event coincided with the Supreme Court’s decision to adjourn the bail pleas of five anti-CAA activists, with the case scheduled for further consideration before Justices Aravind Kumar and Manmohan. A previous hearing on September 12 was delayed due to last-minute filings, leaving the judges insufficient time to review the necessary documents.
Activist Yogendra Yadav noted that the ongoing UAPA trial is “not just on these 10 people but against India’s criminal justice system,” drawing parallels to the historical trials of figures like Mahatma Gandhi, which reflected broader injustices.
Journalist Arfa Khanum Sherwani asserted that the jailed individuals are “not victims, but defenders of democracy,” while criticizing media representations and reiterating the Shaheen Bagh movement as a significant example of democratic resistance.
Shamsad Ahmad, father of accused Shadab Ahmed, questioned the judiciary’s motives, asking, “What is the fault of our children?” Umar Khalid’s father, Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, indicated that neither he nor those incarcerated had lost hope, affirming, “The courage hasn’t faded… the spirit hasn’t weakened.”
Munteha, General Secretary of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU), stated that those jailed are being punished for upholding constitutional values. “They spoke on constitutional rights, spoke against communal laws. These are not individual cases but an attempt to target one section of people and criminalize them,” she stated.
The individuals detained under the UAPA related to the “larger conspiracy” case surrounding the Delhi riots include Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, Shifa-ur-Rehman, Meeran Haider, Athar Khan, Khalid Saifi, Saleem Munna, Mohd. Saleem Khan, and Shadab Ahmed, all of whom have been held in custody for five years without trial or bail.
Tags: protest, rights activists, Jantar Mantar, anti-CAA, jailed activists
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