New Delhi, In a significant gathering that signals growing unease within India’s civil society, over a hundred activists, including human rights defenders, former civil servants, media professionals, and academics, convened in New Delhi to express their concerns over what they describe as an escalating shift towards totalitarianism in the country.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the two-day Democracy Convention 2024, organized by Indian academic and author Radha Kumar, served as a platform for these voices. The assembly focused on the critical need to reassess and possibly repeal certain laws that, in their view, threaten the democratic fabric of India. The convention covered a range of issues, from unemployment and majoritarian communalism to the erosion of constitutional rights and the weakening of federal structures, all under the overarching theme of protecting democracy and promoting social justice in India.
One of the key concerns raised at the convention was the introduction of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Bills. Critics argue that these laws, by allowing arrests on mere suspicion and expanding the definition of terrorism to encompass peaceful protests like roadblocks, represent a dangerous overreach. The participants also called for the repeal of what they consider draconian legislation, such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Public Safety Act (PSA) as applied in Jammu and Kashmir.
The convention’s deliberations extended to the use of armed forces in civil matters, advocating for dialogue over force as a means to resolve conflicts. The state’s increasing use of oppressive measures was highlighted as a departure from democratic norms.
Additionally, the Democracy Convention called for a significant overhaul of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002, criticizing its application as a tool against government detractors. Other recommendations included strict enforcement of the 1992 Places of Worship Act, with adherence to the 1947 cutoff date, and the introduction of a comprehensive anti-discrimination law to protect against various forms of discrimination. The controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) of 2019 was also on the list of legislations proposed for repeal.
Noteworthy figures such as historian Romila Thapar, senior Congress leaders Salman Khurshid and Manish Tewari, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah, CPI-M Kashmir leader Mohamad Yusuf Tarigami, and PDP spokesman Suhail Bukhari addressed the convention, sharing their apprehensions about India’s direction under current governance.