Rise against the increasing attacks on democratic space within campuses!
Today, the democratic spaces within university and college campuses are shrinking rapidly. It is worth noting that most campuses do […]
Read more →Tag: campus democracy
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Disha Students' Organization/ दिशा छात्र संगठन
Flee Not, Change The World !
UAPA is a weapon of political oppression!![]()
Drop cases against Rejaz Sydeek!!![]()
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On May 7, Rejaz M. Sheeba Sydeek, a student-activist and independent journalist was arrested in Nagpur. Days later, police slapped him with UAPA charges. This is a clear attempt to terrorize anyone who dares to talk against the actions of the state machinery.![]()
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Rejaz had spoken against the destruction of Kashmiri homes and ‘Operation Kaagar’ in Bastar. Raising voice for democratic rights, or casting questions on the actions of the state itself has been made a crime now. This is how the state machinery today works, a merciless machine that kills democratic spaces and tries to turn it into deserts of fear, one that silences all voices of dissent that dare to rise out of this swamp of lies and injustice.![]()
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Under UAPA, one is presumed guilty from the moment one is named. Bail is a cruel joke. Trials drag on for years. The burden of proof is pushed onto the accused. Hundreds have been shoved into prisons and left to languish without any possibility of trial. Look at the numbers. Between 2016 and 2020, over 5,000 cases were filed under UAPA, affecting more than 24,000 lives. But only 212 convictions. That shows the law is essentially used for the persecution of political opponents. Over 97 percent of those accused remain behind bars without being proven guilty. Their only trial is that of endurance. Their only punishment is the long, slow destruction of their lives. Section 43D(5) of the UAPA is perhaps the cruelest of all. Under this clause, the courts are bound to take the state’s word at face value. No need for evidence, no room for doubt. The result is that bail becomes nearly impossible. Innocent until proven guilty, a cornerstone of justice, is flipped on its head. Under UAPA, you are guilty the moment you are accused. Meanwhile, in India, the warmongering bloodthirsty maniacs and the peddlers of hate walk free untouched and unashamed, everywhere.![]()
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UAPA has been used again and again, not against those with guns or bombs, but against students, journalists, tribal leaders, poets and such people whose only weapon is a voice. To speak, to assemble, to question are our democratic rights, but those very rights are trampled upon everyday by laws like UAPA. ![]()
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Disha Students' Organization (DISHA) stands for the democratic right of everyone, including Rejaz, to raise questions on actions of the state and criticise it. ![]()
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We demand:![]()
• Release of Rejaz M. Sheeba Sydeek and revocation of UAPA charges against him![]()
• Repeal the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, UAPA![]()
• Dropping of all false cases against Rejaz, all other students, journalists, human-rights defenders, and those who raise their voice against the oppressive acts of the government![]()
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#uapa #rejaz #freerejaz #oppression #democraticrights
Stand in Solidarity with Prof. Ali Khan!![]()
Resist the fascist attacks on dissent!![]()
In yet another instance of state crackdown on dissent around the country, Prof. Ali Khan Mahmudabad was arrestted by the Haryana Police from his home in Delhi over a social media post against warmongering and the fascist politics of BJP. His only "offence" was to call out the BJP's hate campaign against the muslims and demand that the same love and respect shown to figures like Sofia Quereshi be extended to ordinary Muslim as well. The Harayana State Commission for Women booked him stating that he "disparaged women officers in the Indian Army" and "promoted communal disharmony." But is asking for basic human dignity an act of communal provocation or is the act of dividing the country on the lines of Hindu and Muslims? The real communal disharmony was the systematic upsurge in communal tensions around the country after the Pahalgam attack. This was not just civilian outrage after the incident, but rather a systematic attack by the BJP-RSS and its many fronts. Muslim and Kashmiri students were being harassed and dragged from institutions, around 3,000 people were arrested in Kashmir, teachers and professors were suspended, among many more instances. All these point towards systematic attack on Muslims and in reality "promoting communal disharmony."![]()
This is the classic ploy of the BJP-RSS to twist facts, criminalize dissent, and use the state machinery to silence opposition. The whole sage of 'war' under the guise of 'national security' has allowed them to arrest and detain people who are raising questions and refusing to be silent. Be it Kerala student Rejaz being booked under the draconian laws like UAPA, or professors, activists, and journalists, around the country whose voices are being supressed. Rejaz, an independent journalist and student activist, was booked for merely criticizing 'Operation Sindoor' and Indian state's warmongering. The space for democratic voices continues to shrink as the Fascist RSS-BJP has weaponized institutions to become its echo-chambers and suppress the voice of anyone who raises question at them. This arrest falls in line with many such instances after the said 'Operation Sindoor' started. We must resist such blatant attack on our rights and stand in solidarity with justice-loving people like Prof Mahmudabad and Rejaz!
एचएसआरए (HSRA) के महान क्रान्तिकारी महावीर सिंह के शहादत दिवस (17 मई) पर क्रान्तिकारी सलाम!
Disha Students' Organization strongly condemns the violent assault on activists from Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine and BDS India, as well as the wrongful FIR filed against them.![]()
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On 10th May, students and activists associated with BDS India and Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine were brutally attacked by RSS-BJP goons during a peaceful protest outside a Domino’s outlet in Karve Nagar, Pune. The demonstrators were distributing pamphlets to raise awareness about the ongoing genocide in Gaza and urging a boycott of corporations like Domino’s, which profit from and support the Israeli occupation. Domino’s operates numerous outlets in Israel and has openly supported the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) by providing them with free food. This protest highlighted how Zionist Israel has massacred over 51,000 Palestinians in the last 18 months.![]()
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Despite repeatedly clarifying that their protest was peaceful and solely focused on opposing war crimes in Gaza, the activists were physically assaulted, their banners were snatched, and female activists were subjected to horrific rape threats. Shockingly, this attack occurred in full view of the Pune police, who neither intervened nor took action against the perpetrators afterward. Now, an FIR has been filed against the activists themselves, exposing the alarming collapse of democratic spaces and institutional accountability under this fascist regime.![]()
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To whitewash this violence and shield the perpetrators, BJP’s IT Cell has orchestrated a malicious propaganda campaign, falsely accusing the activists of shouting “pro-Pakistan slogans” and “supporting Hamas.” This deliberate smear campaign, filled with lies, seeks to criminalize dissent and vilify a peaceful movement. We urge all democratic-minded individuals to reject these fabrications, expose the lies, support the activists, and defend the fundamental right to protest.![]()
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Disha Students' Organization stands firmly in solidarity with the Palestinian people’s struggle against racist Zionist imperialism. We condemn the police harassment of activists and demand that the Karve Nagar police provide an immediate explanation for their failure to take action against the attackers. The FIR filed in this case deliberately omits critical charges, exposing a clear attempt to shield BJP-RSS-affiliated perpetrators. Meanwhile, unjust and non-bailable charges have been wrongfully imposed on activists from BDS India and Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine activists.![]()
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We therefore demand:![]()
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An impartial investigation into the incident.![]()
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Stringent action against those responsible for violently suppressing dissent.
दिशा छात्र संगठन
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