Barely 24 hours have passed since activist and journalist Teesta Setalvad was forcibly taken away by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, and support for the 60-year-old is flooding every social media platform.
On June 25, the ATS unit barged into the ancestral bungalowof the human rights defender who is the secretary of Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP). They detained her on trumped up charges, that appear to have materialised just a day after the Supreme Court’s judgment in the Zakia Jafri case.
However, impressed and inspired by her work over the years, young digital activists have taken up the mantel of spreading news of her ordeal across the internet. Teesta Stalvad is thus inspiring young India even from behind bars!
On Instagram, digital activists are posting artwork in honour of the veteran journalist and her work in the field of human rights.
Smish Designs is one such young artist who talked about Setalvad’s resolve in the field of human rights.
“This was so painful to draw. I’ve had the honour to work with Teesta, her passion and determination to fight hate in the society left a mark on me. I wish for her security and safety back home,” said Smish.
Another artist concerned by her ordeal is Djinnmakesart. Recollecting a meeting with Setalvad as a young child, she writes how the activist’s words have stated with her till adulthood.
Djinn talked about how she first met Setalvad when she was eight years old. On asking for her autograph, Setalvad wrote, “Love courage and move.”
Regarding this message, Djinn said, “Those words didn’t mean a thing to me back then. But somehow, they have stuck with me. Perhaps a part of me knew that I would need to revisit these words over and over again over the entire course of my life. These words have brought me back to life in the darkest of days when I was left hopeless and helpless.” Djinn further said, “And today when I see her name in the news again for her relentless pursuit of social justice, I am secretly hoping that she is living by these same words that she wrote for my 8 year old self. I hope she does.”
On Saturday, Setalvad accused the personnel of assaulting her and taking away her phone. She was roughed up and taken to the Santacruz Police Station, where she was placed under arrest.Setalvad had filed a hand written complaint with the Santacruz Police Station saying Police Inspector JH Patel of the ATS Ahmedabad and a lady officer in civil clothes came into her bedroom and assaulted her when she demanded to speak to her lawyer. Setalvad says that she was not shown the First Information Report (FIR) or a warrant till her lawyer arrived.
Students Federation of India (SFI) has also thrown their support behind Teesta Setalvad solidifying her fan base among the youth:
Free Teesta!
Dissent cant be arrested.
Truth cant be jailed forever.
✊? pic.twitter.com/zM2qpgCcLR— SFI (@SFI_CEC) June 25, 2022
Protests have been planned in all major cities to demand justice for Teesta Setalvad. Some have sought endorsements online:
*In Solidarity with Teesta & others*
* Condemning the detention and urging all to Join the Nationwide Protest on Monday 27th June 2022*
*Organise in your states, cities, towns, villages, online*
*Endorse the appeal by Sunday , 26th june 10pm*https://t.co/VOUNOTcx0g
— Kavita Srivastava (@kavisriv) June 26, 2022
Indeed #FreeTeesta is trending on Twitter
I strongly condemn the vendetta on @TeestaSetalvad, Sreekumarji and Sanjiv Bhatt arrested for standing by the Indian citizens who had suffered due to state sponsored hatred and cruelty.#TeestaSetalvadArrested #FreeTeesta #FreeTeestaSetalvad pic.twitter.com/PuqM50jsbe
— Sadaf Jafar (@sadafjafar) June 26, 2022
Condemning this abuse of human rights, Kolkata’s CPI(M) unit is observing at 5 P.M in the West Bengal capital.
At 4 P.M on June 27, a protest is planned to be held at Jantar Mantar, Delhi to condemn “Modi’s undeclared emergency and war on progressive groups.”
There is another call for a solidarity protest at 5PM on June 27 at Dadar Station (East), outside Hanuman Mandir.Organisers include noted activists, lawyers and academics such as Prakash Reddy, Vidya Chawan, Adv. Mihir Desai, Vivek Monteiro, Milind Ranade, FerozeMithiborwala, Dolphy D’Souza, Varsha Vidya Vilas, Lara Jesani, Guddi, M A Khalid, Vishal Hiwale, Nuruddin Naik among others.
Support is also pouring in from students’ organisations like the All India Students Federation in Sri Sankaracharya University and the All India Students Association.
Further the All India Lawyers Union(AILU) has also condemned Setalvad’s arrest and demanded her immediate release and withdrawal of charges. “Arrest of Teesta Setalvad, human rights activist, by the Gujarat ATS is the latest illustrative incident of oppressive and vindictive action of the state against dissent… to terrorize the activists and the civil society… to mute and silence the voice of dissent… voice against white terrorism. An action undermining the Constitution and the Constitutional ethos,” said AILU General Secretary P. V. Surendranath.
Related:
PRESS RELEASE: Teesta Setalvad roughed up as Gujarat ATS personnel barge into her home
Support pours in for Teesta Setalvad
I fear for my life: Teesta Setalvad allegedly roughed up by Gujarat ATS personnel