Around the world, Students For Liberty has been at the forefront of protests against an unjust law in India.
A national register of citizens (NRC) was instituted last year in the state of Assam, India, which forces a large number of people to prove their citizenship by procuring documents going back as far as 70 years.
Now, there are talks of taking this nation-wide. In July, the Union government sent instructions to all state governments to set up detention centers in major cities. In a country where there has been a lot of internal migration, people have lost documents to natural disasters, and official paperwork is often not well-maintained.
It will be extremely difficult for 1.3 billion people to prove their citizenship, and sheer statistical errors in government programs will render millions of people stateless.
In Assam alone, 1.9 million people have been left out of the updated NRC. In July, all state governments received instructions from the Union government to set up detention centers in all major cities. The detention center under construction in Assam is the size of seven soccer stadiums and intended for at least 3,000 detainees.
SFL students have been risking their safety to join protests against this blatantly discriminatory new law which violates the pluralistic spirit of India.
Our student leader, whose name is not being disclosed for their protection, was at a December protest in New Delhi. In London, our program director for South Asia, Ayemen Fatima, was on the front lines as protestors gathered in London to protest against the CAA just days later. Then, SFL leaders Raufa, Naveen and Sukanti joined more than 25,000 other people in the Kranti Maidan in Mumbai for a peaceful protest. This is the same location where Mahatma Gandhi launched the Quit India Movement against the Britishers, and the large crowds gathered to stand in solidarity against the divisive bill.
After 63 days and nights of a peaceful sit-in by the women of Shaheen Bagh, an armed man fired shots, but no one was injured. Those dedicated to liberty and individual rights were not deterred and, later that same night, SFL leaders from north India visited.
“The work that SFL does in educating youth is of utmost importance in the tough times that India is going through,” said Fatima. “Still, there is a wave of nationalism that’s poisoning the minds of people of India.”
In March, these nationalist mobs entered localities in New Delhi where peaceful protesters were protesting. They entered with guns, petrol bombs, and sticks. More than 40 people have died due to this clash with more than 150 injured. Media outlets have termed it a state-sanctioned crime as the ruling BJP party and its leaders have been adding fuel to the fire with hateful, provocative speeches that encourage shooting the anti-nationals.
Our students are working tirelessly to spread freedom in their communities, and at times, are even risking their own safety to do so. Show your support for our student leaders by investing in liberty today.
