Kiwi-Indians in Auckland, protest the arrest of journalists, activists and students in India

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Organised by the Facebook group New Zealanders United to Save the Indian Constitution, a small group of protestors gathered on Sunday at Auckland’s Aotea Square, to highlight what they called “arrest and intimidation by instruments of the State of journalists, activists and students”.

Protest organiser Dr Sapna Samant noted how the “crackdowns on media and protestors have intensified as COVID-19 and social division spreads in India, under PM Modi’s failing leadership”.

Anu Kaloti of the Migrant Workers Association added how this “harassment and intimidation didn’t start with the Modi Government. Congress which started all this is equally guilty”. “Thus, we should work towards fighting and changing the entire system,” she said.

Meanwhile, as part of the protest, Prateek Vadgaonkar, who has been in New Zealand for the last eight years, read the name of the students imprisoned in India for opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019.

And Richard Pamatatau, who teaches journalism at AUT, read the names of the journalists either arrested, or are constantly facing harassment in India due to the work they have been doing exposing the shortcomings of the Indian Government.

Radhika Reddy who comes from Chennai, brought focus on the issue of transgender rights in India.

Ikhlaq Kashkari, President of New Zealand Muslim Association, talked about the prevailing situation in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, especially after the abrogation of Article 370, which gave special status to the state. “After March 15th Christchurch terror attacks, I made a pledge that I’ll no longer be a part of the silent majority. I will speak up if I see injustice, if I see abuse.”

As has been the norm in such protests all over the world, the gathering also read the Preamble to the Indian constitution.

The protest ended with a rousing rendition of Jana Gana Mana, India’s National Anthem.

The protest organisers distributed pamphlets at the event detailing some of the people, which they said have been “arrested, intimidated by instruments of the Indian state”. As below:

Journalists

Sudhir Dhawale – dalit rights activist, editor of Marathi magazine, Vidrohi

Gautam Navlakha – civil liberties, democratic, human rights activist

Gowhar Geelani – author and commentator

Andrew Sam Rajapandian – arrested for writing about COVID-19 issues

Varavara Rao – activist, renowned poet, journalist, literary critic and public speaker

Masrat Zahra – freelance Kashmiri photojournalist

Peerzada Ashiq – Kashmiri journalist

Damodharan – TV journalist arrested for doing an investigative story on a pharmacy’s malpractice in Chennai

Students

Meeran Haider – student at Jamia Millia Islamia University

Asif Iqbal Tanha – student at Jamia Millia Islamia University

Safoora Zargar – student at Jamia Millia Islamia University

Gulfisha Khatoon – student at Jamia Millia Islamia University

Devangana Kalita – student at Jawaharlal Nehru University

Sharjeel Imam – student at Jawaharlal Nehru University

Natasha Narwal – student at Jawaharlal Nehru University, women’s and human rights defender; a founding member of the Pinjra Tod

Kris Chudawala – trans student at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, arrested for protesting Mumbai Queer Pride in support of Sharjeel Imam

Activists

Surendra Gadling – human rights lawyer and dalit rights activist based in Nagpur

Mahesh Raut – land rights activist working with gram sabhas in the mining area of Gadhichiroli

Rona Wilson – member of Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners (CRPP), against the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act

Arun Ferreira – human rights lawyer

Sudha Bharadwaj – trade unionist, communist, and civil rights activist against land acquisition

Vernon Gonsalves – academic and writer, who writes extensively on dalit and advasi rights

Anand Teltumbde – scholar, writer, civil rights activist, management professor at the Goa Institute of Management

Khalid Saifi – activist

Umar Khalid – former student leader of Jawaharlal Nehru University

Ishrat Jahan – activist, ex-Congress Party Councillor, lawyer

Shifa-Ur-Rehman – President of Jamia Alumni Association

Soneswar Narah – human rights activist

Pranab Doley – human rights defender and secreatry of Jeepal Krishak Shramik Sangha, a farmer rights organisation

Akhil Gogoi – peasant leader and Right to Information activist

Sanjiv Bhatt – former Indian Police Service officer, Gujarat riots whistle-blower

Dr Kafeel Khan – doctor

Shoma Sen – professor at Nagpur University and a long-time dalit and women’s rights activist

Chingiz Khan – research scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University

Dr Laifungbam Debabrata Roy – medical practitioner and prominent human rights defender in Imphal, Manipur

Konsam Victor Singh – member of the Manipur People’s Party known for speaking up on social, political, and justice issues

Ardya Narayanan – queer activist arrested for counter-protesting a hate rally against improsoned student Amulya Leona

Parwan Rao Ambhedhkar – dalit activist and mathematician based in Lucknow