APCR condemns detention of Goa NEET protesters over posters of political prisoners, alleges criminalisation of dissent
30/07/2026
Maktoobmedia / by Maktoob
According to APCR, the controversy began when activist Danish displayed a placard at a peaceful gathering following the Education Minister’s resignation over paper leaks, calling for the release of undertrial prisoners, including Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid and the Bhima Koregaon accused.
The Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) on Thursday condemned the detention and criminal proceedings against activist Sudeep Dalvi, Danish and other NEET protesters in Goa, alleging that the state was using criminal law to suppress peaceful dissent and violate constitutional freedoms.
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The Jantar Mantar Student Protest: Anger, Accountability, and Democratic Rights
29/07/2026
Countercurrents.org / by Dinkar Kapoor
… It must also be noted that the anger brewing against the Modi government stems partly from the systematic erosion of democratic and constitutional rights. The government has suppressed every voice of dissent through repression. Some of the nation’s finest minds—such as Anand Teltumbde, Gautam Navlakha, Umar Khalid, Prabir Purkayastha, Sudha Bharadwaj, and Satyam Verma—have been imprisoned. Organizing sit-ins, protests, fasts, movements, or marches has become not merely difficult but virtually impossible in the country. Individuals committed to social causes—who strengthen democracy—were branded as “Andolanjeevi” (professional protesters), “anti-nationals,” and even “cockroaches.” Institutions that bolster the democratic system and channel public outrage toward democratic resolutions have been dismantled.
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‘Free Umar Khalid’ placard draws police action at Goa protest
26/07/2026
The Indian Express / by Pavneet Singh Chadha
Goa police detain man for carrying a placard that said ‘Free Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Bhima Koregaon 16’. Came after BJP Yuva Morcha workers staged a protest demanding his arrest
Goa Police Saturday evening detained a man for allegedly carrying a “Free Umar Khalid” placard at a gathering organised to express solidarity with the protests at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and to mark the resignation of former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
According to the police, the incident took place around 7 pm, when people gathered at the Azad Maidan in Panaji were raising slogans. Police said one of the protesters was carrying a placard that read, “Free Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Bhima Koregaon 16”.
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‘Refuse to Lift Your Lathis’: 1800 Citizens Write Open Letter to Security Forces At Jantar Mantar
25/07/2026
The Wire / by The Wire Staff
“Next time an order like this comes to you to savagely attack innocent peaceful protesters you must stop and think, and you must refuse to lift your lathi,” the letter read.
A group of concerned citizens, with over 1800 signatories, have written an open letter to the police and security forces deployed at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, following visuals of a violent crackdown on student protesters on July 20, 2026. Appealing directly to the personnel’s conscience, the letter asks them to resist orders to attack peaceful demonstrators. The letter has been circulated in 15 Indian languages, apart from English: Bengali, Garhwali, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Khasi, Maithili, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Punjabi, Rajasthani, Tamizh, Telugu and Urdu.
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“Hum Bharat Ke Log”: Tushar Gandhi Leads Mumbai Event Highlighting Constitutional Values & Democratic Rights
24/07/2026
Free Press Journal / by Poonam Apraj
Around 200 activists, students, writers and citizens gathered in Mumbai for ‘Hum Bharat Ke Log – Voice of Resistance’, a cultural programme highlighting constitutional values. Presided over by Tushar Gandhi, the event saw the launch of the ‘Lawyers of Students’ app for legal aid to protesting students. Speakers discussed democracy, justice, equality and peaceful civic participation.
… Those present included Dhananjay Shinde, Aamir Kazi, Guddi Tiwari, Sudhir Dhawale, Suvarna Salve, Subodh More, Tejas, Huma Namal, actor Sushant Singh, Akshay from Raigad and Advocate Todkar.
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CJP protest row: Mumbai Police book Shivaji Park organisers for unlawful assembly
20/07/2026
The Indian Express / by Express News Service
The organisers of the Shivaji Park protest are facing an FIR for ‘unlawful assembly’ as the Mumbai Police said, no permission was granted to carry out the demonstration.
… Earlier, the Mumbai Police had registered two FIRs in connection with the protests that were carried out in south Mumbai on Saturday in support of Sonam Wangchuk.The first FIR was registered at the Marine Drive police station against the NCP (Sharad Pawar) faction party workers for protesting near Mantralaya, and the second against left party organisations for protesting near the Press Club. The seven people booked include Sudhir Dhawale, an accused in the Elgar Parishad case who received bail last year.
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Also read:
▪ The exam crisis that became a battle for accountability (SabrangIndia / Jul 2026)
▪ CJP protest: From Shillong to Mumbai, solidarity demonstrations held across India (Scroll.in / Jul 2026)
▪ How Maharashtra’s folk traditions fuel Sudhir Dhawale’s tireless cultural resistance against caste (Scroll.in / Apr 2026)
▪ As Maharashtra Govt Brings Bill Against ‘Urban Naxalism’, Activists Fear Criminalisation of Dissent (The Wire / Jul 2025)
▪ How Kabir Kala Manch, the anti-caste cultural troupe, challenges the hierarchical social order (Scroll.in / Jul 2024)
▪ Kabir Kala Manch: A History of Revolutionary Singing and State Repression (ritimo / April 2022)
▪ Singing on the beats of resistance: Relaa collective and the cultural activists of Maharashtra (ritimo.org / Apr 2022)
▪ Maharashtra: Activists, Lawyers Added to ‘Union War Book’, Listed as ‘Enemies of the State’ (The Wire / Jul 2021)
