The government will find it difficult to run roughshod on sensitive issues such as this because of a rejuvenated Opposition and the need for allies’ consent.
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacks “urban Naxals”, it surprises many. For it was just this August – less than four months ago – that home minister Amit Shah had declared that the war on Naxalites was nearing its end and left-wing extremism in the country would be wiped out by March 2026.
If the war is in the mopping-up stage, why has Modi intensified his rant? Consider his relentless attacks on extremists and their presumed urban supporters in recent months. Read more
Marking Human Rights Day, Students Gather At Jantar Mantar To Demand The Release Of Political Prisoners
11/12/2024
Outlook / Apeksha Priyadarshini
Led by the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union, the students came together to demand the release of various political prisoners—many of them students—who have been incarcerated for more than four years. Read more
Video: Human Rights Day Special: Sudha Bharadwaj on activism, human rights in India
Part 1: en | 01:02:00 | 2022
Part 2: en | 45:43:00 | 2022
On this Human Rights Day, Newslaundry is removing the paywall from our interview with prominent human rights lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj, who had walked out of prison in 2021 after being repeatedly denied bail in the Bhima Koregaon case.
Working with people on the ground, Sudha is only too aware of how “alien” the judicial process is to the majority of India’s population. She also thinks it’s important for young lawyers to cut their teeth by representing the most marginalised.
In this interview, the activist talks about her childhood in Bilaspur and her educational journey, culminating in Jawaharlal Nehru University and IIT Kanpur. Her mother, a JNU professor, helped shape the ideology of this self-proclaimed Marxist who began working with trade unions at the age of 25.
In Byculla jail, Sudha tried to secure legal aid for those imprisoned with her. She believes in the importance of a “united front” and worries that the lack of this unity gives rise to dogma. Watch video Part 1 Watch video Part 2
Also read: ▪ From Phansi Yard: My Year with the Women of Yerawada Author: Sudha Bhardwaj Publishing Date: Oct 2023 Publisher: Juggernaut Pages: 216 Read more / order
▪ Sudha Bharadwaj speaks – A Life in Law and Activism Publishing Date: January 2021 Interview: Darshana Mitra and Santanu Chakraborty Publisher: Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) Pages: 316 Access a free PDF copy of the book here
“Not a usual matter”: SC after State seeks adjournment in Surendra Gadling bail plea
“Not a usual matter”: Supreme Court after State seeks adjournment in Surendra Gadling bail plea
04/12/2024
Bar & Bench / by Anadi Tewari
The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court had in January rejected the bail plea of lawyer and activist Surendra Gadling in the 2016 Surajgarh arson case
The Supreme Court on Wednesday took exception to the Maharashtra government seeking adjournment in the bail plea filed by lawyer and activist Surendra Gadling in connection with the 2016 Surajgarh arson case [Surendra Pundalik Gadling vs State of Maharashtra]. Read more
SC gives Maha govt two weeks time to respond to lawyer Surendra Gadling’s bail plea
04/12/2024
Dajiworld.com / by IANS
The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted the Maharashtra government two weeks’ time to file a counter affidavit to the bail plea filed by lawyer Surendra Gadling, who is behind bars in connection with the 2016 Surjagarh iron ore mine arson case.
A bench, headed by Justice M.M. Sundresh, was hearing a special leave petition filed by Gadling against the dismissal of his appeal filed under Section 21(4) of the NIA (National Investigation Agency) Act seeking bail. Read more
SC defers bail plea of advocate Gadling in 2016 Surjagarh mine arson case
04/12/2024
Business Standard / by ANI
The state sought adjournment on the ground that some documents are yet to be filed
The Supreme Court granted two weeks time to the Maharashtra government on Wednesday to file additional documents on the bail plea of advocate Surendra Gadling in connection with the 2016 Surjagarh iron ore mine arson case. Read more
Koregaon-Bhima Violence: Inquiry Points to Possible Third-Party Involvement
02/12/2024
The Bridge Chronicle / by Salil Urunkar
These elements, according to Adv. Hiray, may be anti-democratic and opposed to the established system. He provided evidence supporting this claim to the commission.
The Koregaon-Bhima violence that erupted on January 1, 2018, is more complex than initially perceived, according to Special Public Prosecutor Adv. Shishir Hiray.
In his final argument before the Koregaon-Bhima Inquiry Commission, Adv. Hiray argued that while outsiders and locals are highlighted as key groups in the incident, there is a possibility of a third element influencing the violence. Read more
‘Police took appropriate action following Koregaon Bhima violence’
27/11/2024
Hindustan Times / by Nadeem Inamdar
Special public prosecutor Shishir Hiray in final arguments before Bhima Koregaon commission hearing said Pune rural police took appropriate legal action after the communal riots at Bhima Koregaon on January 1, 2018.
Special public prosecutor Advocate Shishir Hiray while making the final arguments before the Bhima Koregaon commission hearing on Tuesday said that in the aftermath of the communal riots which took place in Bhima Koregaon on January 1, 2018, the Pune rural police took appropriate legal action as per the procedure.
… The hearing of this case will continue till Friday, November 29. Read more
Koregaon-Bhima Riot Investigation: Special Prosecutor to Submit Detailed Report
26/11/2024
The Bridge Chronicle / by Salil Urunkar
Special public prosecutor’s final argument is anticipated to delve into several contentious aspects, including whether similar crimes occurred elsewhere following the Koregaon-Bhima event.
The special public prosecutor is scheduled to submit a comprehensive 500-page final written argument before the Koregaon-Bhima Inquiry Commission on November 26.
This marks a critical phase in the inquiry into the violent riots that occurred in Koregaon-Bhima in January 2018. Read more
This is not a mere work of translation; this is the confluence of two great poets who defied the oppressive states of their respective times.
The following is the foreword to Varavara Rao’s translation of Kazi Nazrul Islam’s Bengali poems into Telugu, Vidrohi. It has been edited for style, grammar and clarity. The volume is being published by the Hyderabad Book Trust.
In what is called the second freedom movement in Bangladesh against the autocratic Sheikh Hasina government, the state police’s guns aiming at the students and the students singing the poem and songs of Kazi Nazrul Islam is the hair-raising moment for all people who aspire for and dream of freedom. Read more
Different memories: Editorial on a farmer’s fight to put up a memorial for Stan Swamy
30/11/2024
The Telegraph / by The Editorial Board
In the perception of the district authorities, the priest was marked as ‘anti-social,’ because the govt had arrested him in the Bhima-Koregaon case for his alleged link with extremists
Certain figures show up the widely varying perceptions between administrative authorities and the people. The Jesuit priest, Stan Swamy, who died in prison waiting for bail, is a striking example. A farmer from Tamil Nadu, engaged in teaching other farmers about sustainable practices and in cooperative watershed development, had wished to erect a pillar on his private land at his own cost in memory of the priest. He was an admirer of Stan Swamy’s work with tribal communities and considered the priest his mentor. Read more
Madras High Court removes government hurdle to Stan Swamy memorial in Tamil Nadu
28/11/2024
The Telegraph / by M.R. Venkatesh
The court ruled that the petitioner had decided to build the pillar in remembrance of Fr Stan as he was ‘impressed by the work done by him for the welfare of tribals’ and that the construction site was Sethia’s private land.
Madras High Court has allowed a farmer who reveres the life and work of Fr Stan Swamy, the 84-year-old tribal rights defender who died waiting for bail after spending nine months in jail, to erect a pillar in his memory in Tamil Nadu’s Dharmapuri district, overriding the district authorities’ contention that Fr Swamy was related to “Naxals and Maoists”. Read more
‘Father Stan Swamy Has Taken Efforts For Tribal Welfare’: Madras High Court Allows Installation Of His Statute In Private Land
26/11/2024
Live Law / by Upasana Sajeev
The Madras High Court has allowed a man to install a stone pillar containing Father Stan Swamy’s photo on his private land, honoring the work done by the latter for the Tribal persons.
Quashing a notice issued by the State authorities, Justice M Dhandapani remarked that Fr Stan Swamy had taken a lot of efforts for the welfare of the tribal persons. The court also noted that citizens had a right to install statues in their private property and the only restriction was that communal conflicts should not result from such erection. Read more
Madras High Court allows activist to install statue of Stan Swamy despite State opposition
26/11/2024
Bar & Bench / by Ayesha Arvind
The petition was opposed by the State and the district authorities who argued that the proposed memorial was to commemorate the work of a person “related to the Naxals and Maoists.”
The State cannot stop an individual from installing a memorial or a statue on his or her private land, the Madras High Court recently said while permitting a Salem-based activist to construct a memorial in honour of Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist late Stan Swamy. Read more
Madras HC quashes govt notice banning installation of memorial to Stan Swamy
24/11/2024
The News Minute / by Bharathy Singaravel
Contrary to the public stand taken by Chief Minister MK Stalin and his government, Dharmapuri district authorities claimed in court that Stan Swamy “had relations with Naxals and Maoists” and that “tribal villages are a paradise for the convergence and breeding of anti-social elements”.
The Madras High Court has quashed a notice from the tahsildar of Nallampalli in Dharmapuri district that banned an environmentalist from installing a memorial pillar for Stan Swamy on private land. Environmental activist Piyush Manush had been forced to approach the Madras High Court after the Dharmapuri Superintendent of Police (SP), district Collector and the Nallampalli tahsildar banned him from installing the memorial pillar on his own land. Read more
HC nod for statue of Stan Swamy on private land
22/11/2024
Times of India / TNN
Citizens have the right to install statues on their own private property. The only restriction is that such statues should not cause any conflicts between communities or in a way that would hurt the feelings of any segment of the society, Madras high court has said. Read more
Madras HC allows construction of memorial structure for Father Stan Swamy
21/11/2024
The New Indian Express / by R Sivakumar
The judge says that the government authorities can’t stop a person from raising statues on private land.
Holding that government authorities cannot stop a person from raising statues in private land unless it may cause serious issues, the Madras High Court has permitted a Salem-based activist to raise a memorial structure for late Father Stan Swamy who had rendered service for the upliftment of the highly oppressed tribal communities in Central India. Read more
Women in prisons booked under laws like UAPA and the colonial law sedition become a critical site of the exposition of the fallacy of law.
The state as a modern capitalist notion often pursues eliminationist policies to repress dissent. The law in a regime change becomes a repressive state apparatus which functions to crush revolutionary people’s movement and penalise dissent. The identity of a political prisoner thus becomes a contested category with an attempted condensation with criminalisation. The notorious Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act was amended in 2019 which is an instrumental act in dealing with the procedures to deal with terrorist activities. Read more
Also read: ▪ From Phansi Yard: My Year with the Women of Yerawada Author: Sudha Bhardwaj Publishing Date: Oct 2023 Publisher: Juggernaut Pages: 216 Read more / order
▪ How Long Can the Moon Be Caged? Voices of Indian Political Prisoners Authors: Suchitra Vijayan and Francesca Recchia Publishing Date: Aug 2023 Publisher: Pluto Press Pages: 247 Read more / order
SC defers bail plea of Surendra Gadling in 2016 Surjagarh mine arson case
25/11/2024
The Print / by pti
The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned to December 4 the bail plea of advocate Surendra Gadling in connection with the 2016 Surjagarh iron ore mine arson case.
A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Aravind Kumar deferred the matter after the counsel appearing for the Maharashtra government sought time to file a reply in the matter.
The top court on October 10, 2023, issued notice to the state government and sought its response on the petition within four weeks. Read more
Judicial Deliberations: Surendra Gadling’s Awaited Bail in Surjagarh Arson Case
25/11/2024
Devdiscourse / by Devdiscourse News Desk
The Supreme Court has postponed the bail plea of advocate Surendra Gadling in the 2016 Surjagarh iron ore mine arson case to December 4. Gadling is accused of aiding Maoists in the arson and is also linked to the Elgar Parishad case. His bail had been previously denied.
… The adjournment came after a bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Aravind Kumar agreed to a request from the Maharashtra government’s counsel, who sought more time to prepare a response. Read more
Here is a list of 5 academicians who have transformed higher education into an inclusive model of academia through theory and research.
Academic freedom has become a contested term in contemporary Higher Education in India. While the spaces of universities have always been political, the current trend is best described as Saffronisation. Political interference in the recruitment process of faculty has become a persistent problem hindering the scope of research. A curb on critical voices seems in place to evoke a culture of self-censorship. Read more
