Statement issued by human rights activist, UP state President of PUCL, editor of Dastak magazine, and lawyer Seema Azad after the NIA raid:
To intensify the election atmosphere, NIA has carried out raids in 5 districts of Uttar Pradesh!
Journalist friends and comrades,
As you all must be aware, National investigation agency (NIA) team from Lucknow conducted a raid at our house from yesterday morning until the evening. Without conducting any search or investigation at our house, they took my and my partner Vishwa Vijay's phones with SIM cards, and also my laptop. They have not just seized my laptop but all my poems, stories, articles, fact-finding reports, and copies of my books. This is a huge loss for me, whereas there was nothing objectionable or suspicious in them.
Actually, this policy from NIA to ATS is a part of withholding social activists from their primary equipment of working under the guise of investigation. The absence of laptops will make it even more difficult for the next issue of Dastak to come out.
Furthermore, they have taken away a lot of literature from our house, which is published and in public domain, labeling it as suspicious literature. They have taken all published and openly accessed literature, which had the word 'Naxal' written in it, along with several investigation reports from PUCL. This includes the two books of renowned writer Veer Bharat Talwar, "Rassakashi" and "Naxal Andolan in Bhojpur Bihar," as well as Varvara Rao's article on "People's Government". Books related to communist ethics, Marxism, Lenin, and Mao, along with notes taken while reading them, a biography of Charu Majumdar, a compilation of articles against Salwa Judum, and a souvenir published by the author's organization "Virsam" on the occasion of 50 years of Naxalbadi, as well as pamphlets from all states read during programs, were deemed objectionable and taken away. Is it a crime to keep literature at home on subjects that are published in public domain and are in open discussion in seminars? This can either be called foolishness or a mockery of democracy. Seeing knowledge-sharing books turned into a shroud was extremely painful.
Along with us, a search operation was also conducted at my father's house because my brother Manish Azad and sister-in-law Amita Sheereen reside there. Their phones and laptops were also seized in the name of investigation. Furthermore, some literature was also taken from there. What is highly objectionable about the operation at their place is that my 85 years old respected parents' belongings were searched and examined by the NIA team that arrived there. The actions taken by the NIA in this regard are highly unethical and illegal.
On the same day, a search operation was also conducted at the house of PUCL Allahabad's Joint Secretary and advocate at Allahabad High Court, Soni Azad. This is an attack on the reputation of a lawyer. Another lawyer from Allahabad High Court and also a UAPA expert, Kripa Shankar Singh, also had a search operation conducted in their house on the same day. Later, I found out that a very prominent students’ organization at BHU, Bhagat Singh Student Morcha's office, was also searched, causing distress to its president Aakanksha Azad and secretary Siddhi. Aakanksha Azad's computer and phone were also seized by NIA in the name of investigation.
Furthermore, Rajesh Azad, who played a leading role in the Azamgarh's Khiriya Bagh movement and who is also the coordinator of the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha for Eastern Uttar Pradesh, had a search operation conducted at his house. The NIA also confiscated his phone. The intent behind NIA’s action can be understood by the fact that they had previously filed a case and, according to the narrative of that case, they conducted the search at our house to gather ‘evidence’. However, when they came to our house, they stated that they would file a case against us only if they found anything suspicious. In reality, this is exactly like turning the entire legal procedure upside down.
The search operation carried out in Uttar Pradesh on the orders of the Central Home Ministry is highly condemnable, and its sole purpose appears to be creating an atmosphere of so-called "counter-terrorism and anti-Naxalism" campaign in the state and the country just before the 2024 elections. Please note that similar operations are being conducted rapidly in several states during this time. In Odisha, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh, these government sponsored actions against so-called terrorism are aimed at creating a climate of fear among social and political activists to silence them before the elections. The 2024 elections mark a step further towards the erosion of democracy from within democracy itself. This action taken by the NIA is a terrorist act in this direction.
Even after such actions by NIA, we will not stop speaking out and writing against government terrorism. Instead, such terrorist actions only serve as evidence that the government does not believe in the rule of law and democracy.
Therefore, I appeal to those who write, speak, and take to the streets for the sake of democracy and the rule of law to come forward with greater determination. We will continue to speak out, write, and raise our voices for democracy. We have all been individually summoned for questioning on various dates at the NIA's Lucknow office, and we suspect that they are planning to arrest us by summoning us. Therefore, we hope for your support.
Seema Azad
Editor, Dastak-Naye Samay Ki
PUCL UP State President
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