INDIA – CASR Strongly Condemns the NIA Raiding the home of Murali Kannampilly

statement from Campaign Against State Repression

News has come to light that on 13th August 2024 at around 6 am, the house of Murali Kannampilly (Comrade Ajith) at Thevaikkal, Kerala was raided by the NIA in connection with KPHB Colony, Hyderabad case of September, 2023. In this case, Sanjoy Deepak Roy was arrested on the allegation of being a Central Committee member of the banned CPI (Maoist), along with “Saraswati”, his wife- accused of being instrumental in organizing for the so called proscribed organization.

Right from 2019 to September 2023, multiple number of Journalists, Writers, Students, Teachers, Lawyers and Democratic Rights Activists were implicated in false cases by the State under IPC, UAPA, Telangana Public Security Act and the Arms Act. The police divided their list of individuals under three categories, particularly people who they deem “top Maoist leaders” such as Namballa Kesava Rao, Muppala Lakshman Rao, Mallojula Venugopal Rao, Tippiri Tirupati, Kadari Satyanarayan Reddy, K.R. Reddy, M.R. Reddy, Paka Hanumanta, Gajarla Ravi, Modem Balakrishna and Konnath Muralidharan. The second category includes “other leaders” and the third category includes various activists and journalists such. Murali was also accused of being a” top Maoist leader” by the Indian state and was arrested for the same, but was released under pressure from the grassroots level, at both a local and international level in 2019.

At around 6 am, NIA arrived at Comrade Murali’s house. Despite not being given permission to enter, a group of eight officials broke open the door and entered the house in Thevaikkal. Murali had merely requested that his lawyer be present during the raid. In response, the NIA team broke opened the door and have been conducting investigations. Some months ago, as well, the home of Murali was raided and he was called in for questioning. Unable to build a sound legal case against Murali, the state has instead resorted to harassing and intimating the activist.

Murali is a 62-year-old heart patient who lives alone. Previously, he was lodged in Pune’s Yerwada jail for 4 years between 2015-2019 and was an accused in a 1976 case in Kayanna. This shows that the targeting of Murali was a very deliberate attempt by the Fascist state in order to curb the voices of dissent. Murali has been a political activist for the past few decades. By his contributions to international revolutionary theory, Murali is threatening the Brahmanical Hindutva Fascist state in speaking for the rights of exploited and oppressed people.

This speaks the very nature of NIA itself. Though it calls itself a national “investigation agency”, the agenda of NIA is clear that it serves as the guard-dog of Brahmanical Hindutva Fascism, unleashed to suppress voices of dissent by labeling of all democratic, pro-people activities as the activity of “Maoists”. Once these activists are tagged and arrested under labels like “Maoists” “Urban naxals” , the State is able to utilize draconian “anti-terror” laws which suspend the fundamental rights of accused people.

Through associating all forms of dissent as Maoist-associated, the State attempts to carry out a chilling effect which discourages criticism and dissent. The space to dissent, organize and protest is a basic feature of a democratic society which is being corroded. These scare tactics, fake charges and arrests are all targeting dissent itself.

Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) vehemently condemns these tactics of the State intended to curb democratic resistance.

Demands:

1. Immediate withdrawal of cases against Murali and all Democratic Rights Defenders.
2. Repeal National Investigating Agency.
3. Repeal UAPA.

Campaign Against State Repression

Organizing Team:

(AIRSO,AISA, AISF, APCR,ASA,BAPSA BBAU,BASF, BSM, Bhim Army, bsCEM, CEM,COLLECTIVE,CRPP, CSM CTF, , DISSC, DSU, DTF, Forum Against Repression Telangana, Fraternity ,IAPL, Innocence Network, Karnataka Janashakti, LAA,Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, Mazdoor Patrika, , NAPM, NAZARIYA , Nishant Natya Manch, Nowruz, NTUI, People’s Watch, Rihai Manch, Samajwadi Jana Parishad, Smajwadi Lok Manch, Bahujan Samajvadi Manch, SFI, United Peace Alliance, WSS,Y4S)