Thread by @napmindia

Arvind Murti welcomes the speakers and sathis to the Uttar Pradesh #WeShallSpeak meet.

Prerana Kala Manch from Varanasi invokes the revolutionary spirit of people's struggles through the song-
Mashalen le kar chalna hai
Jab tak raat baaki hai!

(We shall walk with flaming torches, till there is dark in the world)

@meeracomposes Meera speaking about the 'We Shall Speak' campaign that has been going on for about a month.
The campaign brings to the front state repression and people's movements in the situation of economic crisis and covid-19.

"सरकार अपने दमन के द्वारा सन्देश देना चाहती है कि हम बोलें नहीं, लड़ें नहीं
मगर हम तो बोलेंगे, संगठित होंगे और लड़ेंगे'

- Meera

#WeShallSpeak
#FreeBK16
#FreeAllPoliticalPrisoners

हम लड़ेंगे साथी, उदास मौसम के ख़िलाफ़
हम लड़ेंगे, कि अभी तक लड़े क्यों नहीं

Rajeev Yadav gives the context of struggles in Uttar Pradesh. He talks about the various acts brought and invoked by state and central govt to repress particular communities and all dissenting voices.

@TeestaSetalvad Teesta Setalvad from "Citizens for justice and peace" currently speaking about the grassroots movements and the need to include all sections of society, particularly from the margins, in the conversation on state repression.

"Our analysis says migrant workers have gone back to work in the cities. What then are the parameters that the UP govt is using to determine 'good' and 'bad' governance"
- Teesta Setalvad

Teesta speaks about Corporate fascism, the state's complicity in this and its impact on farmers and workers.

#DownWithCorporateFascism

Our opposition has to be towards RaSuQa (Rashtriya Suraksha Qanoon), UAPA, PSA itself which are being used to suppress dissenting voices.

#RepealUAPA
#FreeAllPoliticalPrisoners

The Gujarat Model was a corporate fare that projected a pro-corporate CM as the leader of the country. We must remember what the model stood for.
- Teesta Setalvad

Teesta says that Uttar Pradesh is being converted into a hate-induced Hindutva model by bringing ideas like love jihad to communalize the whole state.

Is Uttar Pradesh becoming number 2 to the Gujarat model, with its inequalities and communalism?

Testimonies being presented from Muzaffarnagar where innocent Muslim women and children were imprisoned by the Yogi govt on false charges of cow-slaughter.
Similar incidents of incarcerations have happened in multiple regions of Muzzafarnagar.

Senior Adv. High Court Allahabad Farman Naqvi currently speaking on the constitutional rights and their abuse by government authorities.

Adv Naqvi talks about the multiple High Court rulings questioning the role of police, media, and district authorities on the arbitrary arrests of citizens.
Even if people are later proven to be innocent, their lives are turned upside down by such arrests.

The UP govt has been misusing laws to implicate innocent citizens on completely false charges. It is through courts, civil society organizations, movements, NGOs etc that people are getting some relief.

Another testimony about the Mukesh Rajbhar encounter case. The family was forcefully made to sign papers and cremate the body.

Fr. Anand Mathew presenting testimonies on the prosecution of Christians in Uttar Pradesh

What happened to Fr. Graham Staines and his family at the hands of Hindu fundamentalists is being repeated in UP.

In UP, the Christian families residing in villages and those who take part in Christian prayer ceremonies are facing the most brunt of assaults.
People are being accused of conversion and assaulted, their houses and holy books burnt by Hindu fundamentalists

Fr. Anand talks about atrocities in Jaunpur, Mau, Bahraich, Lakhimpuri khiri and so on, particularly on prayer gatherings.

Rubina Ayaaz from Lucknow presents a revolutionary nazm - Inquilab!

"ये क़ानून काला मिटाएंगे ऐसे
कि दुनिया लिखेगी किताब
इंकिलाब, इंकिलाब, इंकिलाब"

#NoNRC
#NoCAA
#NoNPR

Shri S R Darapuri (ex IPS), from All India People's Front on the atrocities on Dalits in UP

Shri Darapuri shares that In 2019, 15.4% of all cases of violence against Dalit women happened in UP. Registering cases is itself the most difficult thing for Dalits. The proceedings of the cases are another matter.

Even after the courts intervening in some matters, cases of atrocities against Dalits are not registered. The police works with prejudice against Muslims and Dalits.

#DalitLivesMatter
#MuslimLivesMatter

The most number of under-trial prisoners in India are Muslims, Dalits and OBCs. Our system is a feudal one, where even political gains does not ensure rights and protection for Dalits.

#DalitLivesMatter
#dalitatrocities

Anup Shramik presenting a testimony on wrongful arrests of anti-CAA activists

Nasreen from Lucknow talks about police brutality on anti-CAA acitivists

Dr. Anoop speaks about a sustained, collective struggle against state atrocities and oppressive policies.

#NoCAA
#NoNRC

Akram Akhtar from Muzaffarnagar talks about police encounters of Muslims in false cases in UP.
Women are also being picked by police, harrassed and even encountered.

Neha Dixit, senior journalist, speaks through a video message on the encounters in UP of Muslims, Dalits and working poor.

#StopPoliceBrutality

The NHRC has sent 16 notices to UP govt on encounter killings but there has been no response from the govt. There is no accountability for the life of powerless citizens in the country.

#StopPoliceBrutality

Despite repeated investigations and negations of Love Jihad phenomenon in different parts of the country, the UP govt is using it as a communalizing force. This is against free thinking women who refuse to fit into the ideals of Hindu Rashtra.

'हम तो बोलेंगे' उत्तर प्रदेश सत्र अब आम चर्चा के लिए खोल दिया गया है।

#WeShallSpeak

@sandeep4justice डॉ संदीप पांडेय ज़ैनब सिद्दीकी व अन्य मामलों में पुलिसिया दमन पर बात करते हुए

Dr Sandeep remarks that criminal activity has been taken over by the police and state authorities from the criminals.

Caste also plays a role in state impunity to particular people and communities.

Arvind Murti concludes the session with these lines from Gorakh Pandey:

वे डरते हैं

कि एक दिन
निहत्थे और ग़रीब लोग
उनसे डरना
बंद कर देंगे

#WeShallSpeak
#HumToBolenge