In an addition to the ongoing nationwide protests against the contentious CAA, professors, researchers, students and staff embers of the Azim Premji University in Bengaluru have released an important statement.
In this statement they have expressed their distress over the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act and the proposed nationwide NRC and NPR exercises. They have criticised the government over bringing out what they have termed an “unconstitutional” provision and have gone ahead to condemn the police action in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Mengaluru as well as in other parts of the country. The statement has been issued by 76 members of the university and it reads, “ We stand in solidarity with all those peaceful protestors who are exercising tenor constitutional right to dissent s it is the ‘safety valve of democracy’.
The statement condemns the “undemocratic” manner in which the issue of fee hike was dealt with in JNU and the resultant attack on students and teachers of the university on January 5. The statement reads,” We, the undersigned faculty, post-doctoral researchers and members of the Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, are writing the letter as concerned people of India to express our distress over the recent events in our country over the past few months.”
The statement also said that the CAA was a direct violation of the constitutional ideals and was communal and divisive by nature. It also alleged that the NRC was spreading fear among minorities. It also underlined the hardships that individuals from marginalised, illiterate and backward communities would have to go through in order to furnish documents for the NRC and how this could lead to further oppression and suppression of such communities.
The statement also condemned the brutal attacks by the Uttar Pradesh and Delhi Police on innocent protestors who raised their voices against the contentious CAA. They also expressed their concern over the crackdown in universities such as Jamia Milia Islamia, JNU and AMU among others. The statement also raised the issue of ongoing internet blockade in the Jammu and Kashmir region, calling it a clear violation of the fundamental rights of the people. The statement has also called for the release of political prisoners and ensure the return of normalcy in the erstwhile state.
