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A silent crackdown has been sweeping through India's capital.
Such is the fear that few are willing to speak about it.
#Thread
Such is the fear that few are willing to speak about it.
#Thread
As you know, the Delhi Police has built a case blaming the communal violence that took place in February on a conspiracy by Citizenship Act protestors to overthrow the Modi government.
The case has been criticised as a witchhunt against the protestors.
The case has been criticised as a witchhunt against the protestors.
21 people have been arrested in the case.
15 charged so far – including under the draconian anti-terror law UAPA.
A summary of the police’s charges here: https://scroll.in/article/974904/backgrounder-what-is-delhi-polices-riots-conspiracy-case
15 charged so far – including under the draconian anti-terror law UAPA.
A summary of the police’s charges here: https://scroll.in/article/974904/backgrounder-what-is-delhi-polices-riots-conspiracy-case
But the arrests are just the tip of the iceberg.
Over 70 people have been interrogated by the Delhi Police.
A civil services aspirant. A food seller. A creative producer. A scientist.
All they have in common is they took part in the Citizenship Act protests.
Over 70 people have been interrogated by the Delhi Police.
A civil services aspirant. A food seller. A creative producer. A scientist.
All they have in common is they took part in the Citizenship Act protests.
Many allege they were abused, threatened, coerced by Delhi Police into giving false statements against fellow protestors.
Read @psychia90 and @VijaytaL's special report. https://scroll.in/article/974896/special-report-a-silent-crackdown-sweeps-through-delhi-in-the-guise-of-probing-riots-conspiracy
Read @psychia90 and @VijaytaL's special report. https://scroll.in/article/974896/special-report-a-silent-crackdown-sweeps-through-delhi-in-the-guise-of-probing-riots-conspiracy
Reporting this story was not easy. Such is the fear that even seasoned social activists and academics who have been interrogated by the police declined requests for interviews.
Read each of the accounts to know how deep the chilling effect runs.
Read each of the accounts to know how deep the chilling effect runs.
A dreamy-eyed civil services aspirant who took part in protests for the first time.
Abused and told: “The problem with you Muslims is that you get instigated very easily; you turn to your jihad at the slightest of provocations." https://scroll.in/article/974898/the-civil-services-aspirant-police-threatened-that-they-would-send-me-to-remand
Abused and told: “The problem with you Muslims is that you get instigated very easily; you turn to your jihad at the slightest of provocations." https://scroll.in/article/974898/the-civil-services-aspirant-police-threatened-that-they-would-send-me-to-remand
A social activist who works on education, employment, civic issues.
"Police said they had the right to torture me in the interrogation" https://scroll.in/article/975163/the-social-activist-police-said-they-had-the-right-to-torture-me-in-the-interrogation
"Police said they had the right to torture me in the interrogation" https://scroll.in/article/975163/the-social-activist-police-said-they-had-the-right-to-torture-me-in-the-interrogation
A young student who was asked why was she protesting when she is Hindu.
"Am I still in a democracy? The police made me question my harmless intentions" https://scroll.in/article/974902/the-young-student-am-i-still-in-a-democracy-the-police-made-me-question-my-harmless-intentions
"Am I still in a democracy? The police made me question my harmless intentions" https://scroll.in/article/974902/the-young-student-am-i-still-in-a-democracy-the-police-made-me-question-my-harmless-intentions
A food seller who says he was forced to implicate someone he knew is innocent.
‘Police said your children will really suffer if you don’t speak up’ https://scroll.in/article/974901/the-food-seller-police-said-your-children-will-really-suffer-if-you-dont-speak-up
‘Police said your children will really suffer if you don’t speak up’ https://scroll.in/article/974901/the-food-seller-police-said-your-children-will-really-suffer-if-you-dont-speak-up
A communications professional who says the police pressurised him into giving a statement on a WhatsApp group he was part of.
‘Spill the truth or we will charge you under UAPA too.’ https://scroll.in/article/975103/the-communications-professional-i-thought-blocking-the-roads-was-stupid-but-not-sinister
‘Spill the truth or we will charge you under UAPA too.’ https://scroll.in/article/975103/the-communications-professional-i-thought-blocking-the-roads-was-stupid-but-not-sinister
Hindu, upper caste, affluent creative producer. Mostly active on social media.
Now jaded after police questioning.
‘For me, a revolution is less romantic now. The consequences are more real’ https://scroll.in/article/974899/the-creative-producer-for-me-a-revolution-is-less-romantic-now-the-consequences-are-more-real
Now jaded after police questioning.
‘For me, a revolution is less romantic now. The consequences are more real’ https://scroll.in/article/974899/the-creative-producer-for-me-a-revolution-is-less-romantic-now-the-consequences-are-more-real
One of the few people willing to be named in the story – Dinesh Abrol of the Delhi Science Forum.
"Police let riots happen to delegitimise the CAA protest. Now they are criminalising it." https://scroll.in/article/974903/the-scientist-police-let-riots-happen-to-delegitimise-the-protest-now-they-are-criminalising-it
"Police let riots happen to delegitimise the CAA protest. Now they are criminalising it." https://scroll.in/article/974903/the-scientist-police-let-riots-happen-to-delegitimise-the-protest-now-they-are-criminalising-it
Do read all of @psychia90 and @VijaytaL’s painstaking reporting.
A Silent Crackdown. All stories here: https://scroll.in/topic/56298/a-silent-crackdown https://scroll.in/article/974896/special-report-a-silent-crackdown-sweeps-through-delhi-in-the-guise-of-probing-riots-conspiracy
A Silent Crackdown. All stories here: https://scroll.in/topic/56298/a-silent-crackdown https://scroll.in/article/974896/special-report-a-silent-crackdown-sweeps-through-delhi-in-the-guise-of-probing-riots-conspiracy
