Time that UAPA is made to Quit India!

Repeal UAPA Image Courtesy:theleaflet.in

On August 9, a day that is observed as the Quit India movement day, as well as the International Day for Indigenous People, a call has been given by over 165 groups from across India, including SabrangIndia’s sister organisation Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), demanding the repeal of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other draconian laws.

They have also demanded the “release of all political prisoners, the restoration of the Right to Bail, compensation for all those booked under these laws and demanding accountability from those officials who fabricate cases and justice for Father Stan.”

Leading activists and rights organisations from across the country marked August 9 as a day of Public Action. A call has been given for an intensive campaign and street action from August 15-28, to “Defend the Right to Dissent, Repeal the Sedition Law, UAPA and Repressive State Laws, Restore the Right to Bail, Justice for Stan Swamy.”

The activists said, “State repression and attacks on the right to dissent and the Constitution are growing. UAPA, NIA and other draconian laws are being used as instruments of repression.” Now the leading civil society networks are “undertaking a country wide action campaign” to protest “the institutional murder of Stan Swamy and the repression”.

Hatred Quit India. Venom Quit India. Division Quit India. Draconian Laws Quit India #RepealUAPA #QuitIndiaMovement #QuitIndiaMovementDay https://t.co/RmFFojzXjp
— Teesta Setalvad (@TeestaSetalvad) August 9, 2021

The campaign, which is de-centralised and launched in a major way on August 9, in states such as Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, has made the following demands:

1) Justice for Stan Swamy

2) Repeal of UAPA, sedition section and all other draconian laws, including state laws that allow preventive detention

3) Restore Right to Bail

4) Release all Political Prisoners

5) Accountability for filing false cases and Compensation to victims

6) Stop illegal detentions and weaponising the criminal justice system.

Following the August 9 launch, a country-wide protests and various action programmes will now be organised between August 15-28. On August 15, a pledge to campaign for repeal of the draconian laws and to protect democracy will also be taken across the country.

The Pledge to defend the legacy of Freedom Movement, spirit of the Preamble and values of the Constitution, may be read here:

On the occasion of the 74th Independence Day on 15th August, we pledge to defend the legacy of our Freedom Movement, the spirit of the Preamble and the values of our Constitution.
We pledge to campaign for repealing all draconian laws and assert the right to bail of every citizen.
We believe that the right to question and the Right to Dissent are the foundation of our democratic, secular and socialist republic.
We commit to campaign against all ideologies, laws, and state actions that deprive us of the freedoms of speech and opinion, conscience, association, and to non-violent opposition.

The pledge may be read here in Hindi:

15 अगस्त 2021 के लिए प्रतिज्ञा
15 अगस्त को 74वें स्वतंत्रता दिवस के अवसर पर हम अपने स्वतंत्रता आंदोलन की साँझा विरासत, संविधान के प्रस्तावना की भावना और हमारे संविधान के मूल्यों की रक्षा करने का संकल्प लेते हैं।
हम सभी जनविरोधी कानूनों को निरस्त करने के लिए अभियान चलाने का संकल्प लेते हैं और प्रत्येक नागरिक के जमानत के अधिकार पर जोर देते हैं।
हम मानते हैं कि सवाल करने का अधिकार और असहमति तथा विरोध का अधिकार हमारे लोकतांत्रिक, धर्मनिरपेक्ष और समाजवादी गणराज्य की नींव हैं।
हम उन सभी विचारधाराओं, कानूनों और राज्य के कार्यों के खिलाफ अभियान चलाने के लिए प्रतिबद्ध हैं जो हमें विचार, विवेक, संगठित होने की स्वतंत्रता से वंचित करते हैं ।