On 10th April,2020 the “special cell” of anti-terror wing of Delhi police arrested Ms. Safoora Zargar, a Sociology research scholar of Jamia Milia Islamia University, who is also in her second trimester of pregnancy. She has been accused for involving in protest against
controversial CITIZENSHIP AMENDMENT BILL. Where Health Ministry is saying that pregnant women are in greater risk in the time of worldwide pandemic, she is in overcrowded Tihar jail since more than a month. From her arrest she has been only allowed to make two five minutes
calls to her husband and lawyer and asked not to visit or write letters to her family.
Ms. Zargar is one of the students and activists who have been jailed due to north east Delhi riot (23rd-25th February) where, Hindu mobs were seen attacking Muslim neighbourhoods, armed with sticks, stones and Molotov cocktails, chanting Hindu religious slogans. Many Muslims were lynched, their homes and businesses were vandalised and set on fire, mosques were
gutted and thousands were forced into relief camps. Although the police denied any wrongdoing, there have been well-documented examples of police complicity, aiding the rioters, or simply looking away. On a video some members of Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) were seen to make incendiary remarks against the protesters before the violence
and there is a pending petition against some BJP leaders in Delhi High Court.
Besides Ms Zargar, Meeran Haider, a research scholar and member of the Jamia Coordination Committee, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, president of the Jamia Millia Islamia Alumni Association, Gulfisha, an MBA student, and Ishrat Jahan, a former municipal councillor have been arrested
for participating in anti-CAA protests. In all the cases, the police have used a similar way -accusing them of conspiracy to riot, indulging in hate speech and inciting mobs - and throwing them in jail under the repressive Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
In addition, on last week, hundreds of right-wing trolls tried to slut-shame her, posting vulgar comments suggesting she was unmarried and raising questions over her pregnancy and several members of a Facebook group called We Support Narendra Modi shared an image
from a porn video falsely claiming it was her. Some of the right-wing press, sympathetic to the government, carried reports accusing Ms Zargar of being "responsible for the deaths of
innocent people" during the riot.
The case of Safoora Zargar is particularly moving and an evidence of how the government and its hydra headed right wing extensions target activists by going to the lowest depths possible. Ms. Zargar who has problem of nausea has been repeatedly denied bail. In an instance when she was about to be given bail, the court observed that the Investigating officer have filed a superficial charge sheet, more drastic sections including UAPA to stop her release. Even as progressive voices and citizens have been running campaigns for her speedy release, one of the chief instigators of the Delhi violence BJP leader Kapil Mishra, who gave an provocative
speech days before the riots began advocated the use of violence, put out disgraceful tweet which sought to defameMs.Zargar through patriarchal degeneracy that fills up the minds of the
right wing. The continued custody of Safoora Zargar is an indignation and cannot be allowed in a democratic country.
At a time when the whole world is already going through a crisis, it becomes obligatory upon us to hold highthe voice of democracy. Itis the very time to forget about the political and communal
issues and the high time to prove our humankind. It is time to question our ruler why our democracy is not allowing a would be mother to give safety to her baby, who is aiming to have a safe and secure world after birth.
----Zavizah
References:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-52608589
https://thewire.in/rights/safoora-zargar-saboor-ahmad-sirwal-interview
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/pregnant-jamia-student-in-jail-for-3-weeks-family-says-believe-in-judiciary-6395952/
controversial CITIZENSHIP AMENDMENT BILL. Where Health Ministry is saying that pregnant women are in greater risk in the time of worldwide pandemic, she is in overcrowded Tihar jail since more than a month. From her arrest she has been only allowed to make two five minutes
calls to her husband and lawyer and asked not to visit or write letters to her family.
gutted and thousands were forced into relief camps. Although the police denied any wrongdoing, there have been well-documented examples of police complicity, aiding the rioters, or simply looking away. On a video some members of Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) were seen to make incendiary remarks against the protesters before the violence
and there is a pending petition against some BJP leaders in Delhi High Court.
Besides Ms Zargar, Meeran Haider, a research scholar and member of the Jamia Coordination Committee, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, president of the Jamia Millia Islamia Alumni Association, Gulfisha, an MBA student, and Ishrat Jahan, a former municipal councillor have been arrested
for participating in anti-CAA protests. In all the cases, the police have used a similar way -accusing them of conspiracy to riot, indulging in hate speech and inciting mobs - and throwing them in jail under the repressive Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
In addition, on last week, hundreds of right-wing trolls tried to slut-shame her, posting vulgar comments suggesting she was unmarried and raising questions over her pregnancy and several members of a Facebook group called We Support Narendra Modi shared an image
from a porn video falsely claiming it was her. Some of the right-wing press, sympathetic to the government, carried reports accusing Ms Zargar of being "responsible for the deaths of
innocent people" during the riot.
The case of Safoora Zargar is particularly moving and an evidence of how the government and its hydra headed right wing extensions target activists by going to the lowest depths possible. Ms. Zargar who has problem of nausea has been repeatedly denied bail. In an instance when she was about to be given bail, the court observed that the Investigating officer have filed a superficial charge sheet, more drastic sections including UAPA to stop her release. Even as progressive voices and citizens have been running campaigns for her speedy release, one of the chief instigators of the Delhi violence BJP leader Kapil Mishra, who gave an provocative
speech days before the riots began advocated the use of violence, put out disgraceful tweet which sought to defameMs.Zargar through patriarchal degeneracy that fills up the minds of the
right wing. The continued custody of Safoora Zargar is an indignation and cannot be allowed in a democratic country.
At a time when the whole world is already going through a crisis, it becomes obligatory upon us to hold highthe voice of democracy. Itis the very time to forget about the political and communal
issues and the high time to prove our humankind. It is time to question our ruler why our democracy is not allowing a would be mother to give safety to her baby, who is aiming to have a safe and secure world after birth.
----Zavizah
References:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-52608589
https://thewire.in/rights/safoora-zargar-saboor-ahmad-sirwal-interview
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/pregnant-jamia-student-in-jail-for-3-weeks-family-says-believe-in-judiciary-6395952/
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