Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita outside the gates of Tihar Jail, raising slogans and fists, after a year-long incarceration that saw Narwal denied a chance to meet her ailing father before his death. It was a striking image. It is also a picture we have seen before. Young women coming up against the might of… Read More Indian Express editorial: Look at her
NB: It is good news for India that some of our judges are re-establishing minimal standards of justice and fair-play; as also rejecting the dishonest application of law to crush democratic protest. Meanwhile one of those released had to suffer the agony of the death of her father and only remaining parent, without even being… Read More Govt wants to cage women who speak against it, say Narwal & Kalita as they and Asif Tanha walk free / Delhi HC criticises 'wanton, frivolous use of UAPA by the State' / P.B. Mehta: Has the blackbox of UAPA finally been opened?
It was the virtual ‘midnight knock’! The irony was that the knock took place in broad daylight, and expectedly in a blatantly unjust, uncivilised and unconstitutional manner. On 6 June 2018, Sudhir Dhawale, Surendra Gadling, Mahesh Raut, Shoma Sen and Rona Wilson were arrested from their residences in various parts of the country. The arrests… Read More WANTED: Immediate Justice in the Bhima-Koregaon Conspiracy. By Cedric Prakash
The Delhi High Court Tuesday granted bail to student activists Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal and Asif Iqbal Tanha in the main northeast Delhi riots conspiracy case filed under stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. A bench of Justices Siddharth Mirdul and A J Bhambhani pronounced the order, directing that a copy of it be… Read More Delhi riots: HC grants bail to Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal, Asif Iqbal Tanha in UAPA case
The 527-page document is so cluttered with references to the past sexual history of the prosecutrix that it effectively invisibilises the accused On May 21, 2021, the court of additional sessions judge Kshama M Joshi, Mapusa, pronounced her judgement acquitting former Tehelka editor, Tarun Tejpal, of all charges of sexual harassment, molestation, rape etc… Read More Vrinda Grover: How Tejpal judgement ends up slandering the rape survivor / Tejpal case: Trial court verdict like ‘manual for rape victims’, says HC
NB: What remains to be said about Indian justice? When an 84 year old Jesuit father with Parkinson’s disease and loss of hearing is repeatedly denied even a medical bail hearing, kept in jail without trial during a deadly pandemic, and is now found infected with Covid, what may we think? All he ever did… Read More Father Stan Swamy tests positive for coronavirus after being moved to private hospital
NB: The cruelty of this regime is staggering in its implications. Not only does it seek to punish and intimidate its critics by manipulating the justice system for blatantly partisan ends; it also seeks to create and use an atmosphere of fear to intimidate the judiciary. How else may we understand the manner in which… Read More Father Stan Swamy: I’d rather suffer, possibly die if things go on as it is
As the deadly Covid-19 second wave has engulfed India, and ripped like wildfire through its overcrowded, under-resourced prisons, there have been growing calls for those deemed political prisoners – the activists arrested as part of Modi’s vicious crackdown on dissent – to be granted the bail they have been repeatedly denied. The impact of the pandemic on… Read More India’s Covid anguish fuels calls to release rights activists from jail
NB: The whole world should be made aware that India’s criminal justice system is being reduced to a cruel and sadistic mockery in our time. Vigilantes of the so-called Sangh Parivar get away with violence and incitement under the noses of the police, whilst cases are fabricated against activists fighting for human rights and democratic… Read More Pinjra Tod activist Natasha Narwal's father dies of Covid day before her bail hearing // That Monday will not come, Judge Sahib
NB: The only caveat I have to make on this incisive comment refers to the (admittedly conditional) phrase: “instances that must haunt any ruler left with an iota of conscience.” Our rulers do not have an iota of conscience. Within days of the latest lockdown, the RSS general secretary was talking about anti-national forces conspiring to… Read More Suhas Palshikar: A monumental failure of governance // ‘There should be no clampdown on information, people can voice grievances on social media’: Supreme Court
