UAPA, A WEAPON TO OPPRESS DISSENT

The Present Government’s tactics to control its people criticizing it, is to stick UAPA on everyone’s head. How far will it go to manipulate and misuse the laws against common people?

The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 (UAPA) was developed as an anti-terrorism law to prevent unlawful activities and maintain the sovereignty and integrity of India. Throughout the years it has been amended for effective application and to serve the primary intent of the act.

But recently the Government is throwing UAPA around as if confetti, it is an act which is only for emergencies, an emergency which comes rarely. The Government has been targeting dissenters and using UAPA as a shield to protect itself so that its façade of greatness doesn’t come to an end. It has been targeting top journalists, students of some high institutions such as Jamia Millia Islamia, Aligarh University and Jawaharlal Nehru University and common people who have been protesting against inhumane acts like CAA and NRC and on false charges for Delhi pogrom. Right now, it is wickedly getting people arrested on the charges of instigating caste based riots which is also a propaganda. 

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The idea for forming these fake allegations of instigating caste-based riots comes from the case of the recent brutal gang-rape and murder of a 19 year-old Dalit girl named Manisha by high-caste men in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh which sparked major concerns regarding the safety of not only women but also the targeting of minorities in India. Now nationwide and also worldwide doubt and disgust against the present Government’s tactics is on rise. 

Masood Ahmed, a student of Jamia Millia Islamia has been illegally detained along with a journalist named Atikur Rehman under UAPA when they were on their way to extend solidarity with the family of Manisha, whose body was forcefully burned (last rites) against the family’s wishes. They were arrested on 5^th October by UP police at Mathura Toll plaza and were produced before court after a secret detention of 24 hours and then were granted bail. A day later, the UP police charged them with sections of UAPA and sedition which is illegal as well as illogical. Masood is the fourth Jamia student after Meeran Hyder, Safoora Zargar and Asif Iqbal to be booked under UAPA. 

Masood Ahmed is a social worker and has been studying in Jamia for the last 7 years. He has completed his MA in Social exclusion this year. Currently, he is serving as Delhi State Secretary for Campus Front which is a student’s organisation based in India. The organisation claims to struggle against imperialism and fascism. They have been criticized for spreading religious fundamentalism in Campuses in recent years, but such allegations are rejected by the group. Masood has worked towards the empowerment of children living in backward areas by starting the School Chalo Abhiyan in Backward areas with Rehab India Foundation, through which hundreds of children were sent to school. He is also a freelance journalist and a photographer. 

The Government is trying its best hush up the matter by making all sorts of corrupt statements, ignoring and diverting the actual news of open lynch and torture of  Muslims and the Dalits by criminals. The UP police is releasing wrong statements of how the girl was never raped and how the matter is just an international conspiracy. Let’s see what kind of next level lies the people of our country will be hearing.

Saher Hiba Khan is a student pursuing B.A Hons. from Jamia Millia Islamia

Edited by: Rutba Iqbal

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of The Jamia Review or its members.