Background – Page 34 – free them all

UAPA And The Authoritarian Tendencies Of A Democratic Government

25/01/2022 Asha

Youthkiawaaz / by Salim Usman

The Modi government has, over the years, used the UAPA to counter any narrative that goes against their views and uses the law to arbitrarily arrest those who have spoken against them.
The unprecedented rise in countries exhibiting authoritarian tendencies throughout the world in the past few years, and the large number of human rights violations committed by state actors, is a matter of concern not just for the particular country’s political, social and economic circles but also for the international political community.
… perhaps the starkest example of the weaponisation of the UAPA was its use against those accused in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence case.
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CJP demands action against Milind Ekbote, main accused in the Bhima Koregaon riots

22/01/2022 Asha

CJP / by CJP Team

The plea highlights the many cases of rioting and hate crimes pending against Ekbote.
JP has sent a plea to the Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil seeking stringent action against Milind Ekbote, a repeat hate offender and main accused in the Bhima Koregaon riots of January 2018. On January 12, 2022, Ekbote was granted bail in a case of hate speech by a Sessions Court in Pune despite being a repeated offender in hate crimes.
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Read CJP plea

Also read:
● “Sambhaji Bhide & Milind Ekbote instigated the Bhima Koregaon Violence,” an accused deposes as witness before Inquiry Commission (LawBeat / Oct 2021)
● India’s Hindu Nationalist Project Relies on Brutal Repression (Jacobinmag / April 2021)

PEGASUS SNOOPING: Bhima Koregaon’s Accused Write To SC’s Technical Committee

19/01/2022 Asha

PEGASUS SNOOPING: Bhima Koregaon’s Accused Write To SC’s Technical Committee

19/01/2022

Law Street Journal / by Komal Kinger

Pegasus is a type of spyware created by the Israeli cyberarms firm NSO Group that can be installed secretly on mobile phones (and other divices) running most versions of iOS and Android.
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Elgar Parishad Accused, Their Lawyers Write to SC’s Committee on Pegasus Spyware Targeting

10/01/2022

The Wire / Sukanya Shantha

On January 3, the committee issued a public notice urging people to contact them in case they have reasons to believe that their phones were compromised using the malware.
Several human rights defenders and academics implicated in the Elgar Parishad case and their lawyers have sent their representation to the Supreme Court-appointed Technical Committee alleging that their phones were infected by the vicious Pegasus malware.
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Bhima Koregaon accused and their counsel write to SC’s Pegasus technical committee alleging snooping

08/01/2022

The Leaflet / by The Leaflet

On January 3, the Supreme Court-appointed Technical Committee (TC) to investigate the snooping allegations using Pegasus spyware had issued a public notice urging citizens to contact it if they felt that their mobile device had been infected…
The Leaflet learns that at least four accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, and their counsel, Nihalsing B. Rathod, have written to the committee separately alleging that their mobile devices had been infected with the Pegasus malware.
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Also read:
● Leaked Data Shows Surveillance Net in Elgar Parishad Case May Have Crossed a Line (The Wire / July 2021)

India: Dangerous Backsliding on Rights – Activists, Critics Targeted

13/01/2022 Asha

By Human Rights Watch

Activists, Critics Targeted: Growing Attacks on Muslims, Groups at Risk
Indian authorities intensified their crackdown on activists, journalists, and other critics of the government using politically motivated prosecutions in 2021, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2022. Tens of thousands of people died during a surge in Covid-19 cases, with the government failing to provide adequate health care to those in need.
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Read full India chapter

Repeat hate offender Milind Ekbote once again rewarded with bail

13/01/2022 Asha

Sabrangindia.in / by Sabrangindia

He has been charged with rioting, disturbing peace, but was granted bail despite his previous track record of allegedly inciting hate and violence.
Milind Ekbote, of the Samast Hindu Aghadi organisation and one of the main accused in the Bhima Koregaon riots case, is now involved in a case of making hate speech and has been granted ad-interim bail by a Pune Court.
Read more

Also read:
● “Sambhaji Bhide & Milind Ekbote instigated the Bhima Koregaon Violence,” an accused deposes as witness before Inquiry Commission (LawBeat / Oct 2021)
● Casting a Veil – What we miss by ignoring Maratha caste politics in the Bhima Koregaon case (The Caravan / Dec 2020)
● Police Watered Down Case Against Milind Ekbote, Says Complainant (The Wire / Oct 2018)

Bhima Koregaon case: Commission suspends all hearings citing rise in Covid-19 cases

10/01/2022 Asha

Hindustan Times / by Nadeem Inamdar

The Bhima Koregaon Commission which is conducting the hearings in connection with the Bhima Koregaon riots which took place on Jan 1, 2018 has suspended its hearings in the wake of the rising Covid-19 cases and new government guidelines.
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Bhima Koregaon Accused, Their Lawyers Write to SC’s Committee on Pegasus Spyware Targeting

10/01/2022 Asha

Elgar Parishad Accused, Their Lawyers Write to SC’s Committee on Pegasus Spyware Targeting

10/01/2022

The Wire / Sukanya Shantha

Bhima Koregaon accused and their counsel write to SC’s Pegasus technical committee alleging snooping

08/01/2022

The Leaflet / by The Leaflet

Counsel Of Bhima Koregaon Accused Writes To SC-Appointed Technical Committee Suspecting Hacking Of His Device

09/01/2022

Live Law / by Srishti Ojha

A lawyer, who represented several persons implicated in the Bhima Koregaon Elgar Parishad case has written to the Technical Committee appointed by the Supreme Court to probe into the allegations of snooping through Pegasus, suspecting compromise of his mobile device by Pegasus Malware.
Advocate Nihalsing B Rathod, a practicing lawyer based in Nagpur has argued that his phone was intercepted for accessing the privileged communication and legal strategies drawn on behalf of his clients in the Bhima Koregaon Elgar Parishad.
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Bhima Koregaon accused, counsel write to SC appointed Committee alleging phones were compromised

08/01/2022

Bar & Bench / by Abhimanyu Hazarika

Advocate Nihal Singh Rathod has offered to appear before the committee and submit his phone for probe.
A Nagpur-based lawyer on Friday wrote to the Supreme Court appointed Technical Committee probing the Pegasus spyware scandal, stating that he has reasons to believe his phone was hacked and compromised by the spyware.
Read more

Also read:
● Leaked Data Shows Surveillance Net in Elgar Parishad Case May Have Crossed a Line (The Wire / July 2021)

UAPA Annual Digest 2021: Important Judgments Of Supreme Court & High Courts

08/01/2022 Asha

Live Law / by Aaratrika Bhaumik

As we step into 2022, LiveLaw brings to you a yearly Round-up of important cases pertaining to the controversial Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 from the Supreme Court, High Courts and trial courts across the country. This yearly digest includes 90 judgments and orders.
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Also watch: Repeal UAPA – Persecution by Prosecution (PUCL, Jan 2021)

Three Day consultation on 20th, 21st and 22nd January, 2021
► Repeal UAPA – Day One (video: en + … | 2h 17min)
► Repeal UAPA – Day Two (video: en +… | 2h 22min)
► Repeal UAPA – Day Three (video: en + … | 2h 51min)

Thousands visit ‘Jaystambh’ monument to mark 204th anniversary of Koregaon-Bhima battle

02/01/2022 Asha

Pictures by Jignesh Mistry

Battle anniversary event at Jaystambh remains peaceful, Covid norms go for a toss

02/01/2022

The Indian Express / by Chandan Haygunde

The event took place exactly four years after violence had broken out in the area, leading to the death of a youth.
An event to mark the 204th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon at the Jaystambh in Perne village in Pune district remained peaceful on Saturday. But as a large number of visitors turned up at the ‘military monument’, social distancing was not maintained and the Covid-prevention norms laid down by the government went for a toss.
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Dalits offer tributes at Bhima Koregaon to mark the 204th anniversary of the battle

03/01/2022

Justice News / by Nadeem Inamdar, National Herald

Thousands, by some estimates over half a million, of people from across the country converged on New Year’s Day to observe and celebrate the victory of Dalit Mahar troops under the British over the Bahmin Peshwa’s army at Bhma Koregaon over two centuries ago.
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by Collective Delhi (Jan 1):
Keep alive the flame against Neo-Peshwa Raj of RSS BJP, free the #BhimaKoregaon political prisoners. Let the history of Bhima Koregaon inspire us to demand #RepealUAPA and #FreeAllPoliticalPrisoners so that more such heroic victories can be won by our people’s struggles.

by The Dalit Voice (Jan 1):
The battle of Pride.
The battle of self-respect.
The battle against untouchability.
The battle against injustice.
The battle against inequality.

Let’s pay homage to our brave, fearless, lion-hearted, courageous warriors.
#भीमा कोरेगांव शौर्य दिवस

Maharashtra govt.’s ‘recognition’ of Bhima Koregaon Jaystambh reflects shift in narrative

01/01/2021

The Hindu / by Shoumojit Banerjee

The violent clashes that erupted in the village of Bhima Koregaon and surrounding areas on New Year’s Day in 2018 seared Maharashtra’s social fabric, while heightening social tensions across the State.
The clashes resulted in massive destruction of property belonging to Ambedkarite members and its reverberations were felt throughout the country.
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Bhima Koregaon Commission: Govt apathy, Covid situation delay panel probe, yet again

01/01/2021

Hindustan Times / by Nadeem Inamdar

The two-member commission was constituted on February 19, 2018, by the Devendra Fadnavis government. However, due to Covid-19, lack of manpower, and on an occasion, government apathy has led to delay for the commission to submit the report.
Read more

Also read:
● Bhima Koregaon: The Mystery of Fadnavis’ Terms of Reference (Rediff.com / Dec 2021)
● Let’s Remember the Lesson of Bhima Koregaon: Down with the New Peshwai (Sanhati│by Sudhir Dhawale│March 2018)
● The Myth of Bhima Koregaon Reinforces the Identities It Seeks to Transcend (The Wire | by Anand Teltumbde | Jan 2018)

Bhima Koregaon: Four Different Theories, but No Justice in Sight / Video: Four years after violence

01/01/2022 Asha

Video: 4 Years of Bhima Koregaon Violence – Stories of Loss, Fear, and Grief

01/01/2022

The Quint / by Himanshi Dahiya

hindi (english subtitles) | 10 min | 2022

Ground report: four years on, revisiting families who lost their homes in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence.
Watch video

4 Years After Bhima Koregaon, Caste Fault Lines Deepen In Neighbouring Village

01/01/2022

The Quint / by Himanshi Dhiya

An uneasy silence and a sea of policemen characterise Vadhu Budruk, the village at the heart of Bhima Koregaon case.
A police personnel accompanies 60-year-old Panduram Gaikwad everywhere he goes. “He is here for my protection, in case they come to kill me,” says Gaikwad. A Dalit Mahar farmer, he is the owner of the land which was at the heart of the controversy which allegedly led to the the 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence in Pune.
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Bhima Koregaon Violence: Four Different Theories, but No Justice in Sight

01/01/2022

The Wire / by Sukanya Shantha

From the Reliance Infrastructure workers’ arrest to the Naxalite angle, the Bhima Koregaon violence case is mired in multiple theories.
In 2018, months before the Pune police had launched a country-wide raid at the houses and offices of activists, academics and lawyers, the Maharashtra state Anti- Terrorism Squad (ATS) had had rounded up five men – all contractual workers at the Reliance Infrastructure Ltd – for their alleged involvement in the disruption caused at the anti-caste commemoration at Bhima Koregaon near Pune on January 1 that year.
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Bhima Koregaon: Four years after violence, cases registered by rural police await trial

31/12/2021

Hindustan Times / by Shalaka Shinde

In the aftermath of violence in Bhima Koregaon in January 2018, three major chains of investigation have emerged
Four years after the Bhima Koregaon violence that claimed one life and left multiple others injured with large scale damage to property, a chargesheet of at least 1,500 pages has been filed in the case against 41 people including Samasta Hindu Aghadi convener Milind Ekbote but excluding Sambhaji Bhide of Shiv Pratishthan in the case of attempted murder and rioting that was registered against them in January 2018.
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Pune Police books Kalicharan, Ekbote and four others for alleged hate speeches

29/12/2021

Scroll.in / by Scroll Staff

The Pune Police have filed a first information report against seer Kalicharan Maharaj, Hindutva leader Milind Ekbote and four other persons for allegedly making inflammatory speeches at an event in the city, the officials said on Wednesday according to PTI…
One of the accused persons, Hindutva leader Ekbote, had allegedly made provocative speeches before the caste violence took place in Bhima Koregaon village in 2018. No action has been taken against him so far in this matter.
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