International Democracy Day: A Mere Joke Amidst The Unconstitutional Arrests During Lockdown

With an emerging discourse on ‘social distancing’ and increase in surveillance, the Coronavirus pandemic has unmasked some deep crevices that exist within Indian society. Several activists, academicians, and students have come under media scrutiny after being jailed through politically motivated charges under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), accusing them of hatching conspiracies to “defame the country in the international arena“. Fear of contracting the virus and increased control over physical movement has compromised the ethos of a substantial democracy in many ways, one of it being the government’s attempt to effectively block pathways to justice by using using the pandemic as a pretext of crushing dissenting voices. Lawyers and activists argue that a nation-wide lockdown, used as an alibi to carry out unlawful arrests, shows a position that cannot be ignored under the facade of a public health emergency.

Amidst growing tensions, the intersectionalities of caste, ethnicity, and religion have further amplified these realities by putting women, Muslims, Dalit, Bahujan, and Adivasi students and activists at the risk of being subjected to political violence and further ostracisation.

Devangana Kalita & Natasha Narwal

Devangana and Natasha, both 31, came under political scrutiny when the Delhi police accused them of 33 offenses under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, some of which include murder, terrorism, rioting, and sedition. Both Kalita and Narwal are founding members of a women student collective called Pinjratod which advocates against the regressive mechanisms and norms that exist in university spaces. Pinjratod remained at the forefront of these peaceful protests that were held across the nation against the removal of legal and social safeguards for Muslims.

On May 23rd, 2020 amidst a nationwide lockdown, Devangana, and Natasha were arrested by the