Two months after a group of workers and activists were arrested in connection with the Noida labour unrest, students, teachers and activists gathered at capital’s Jantar Mantar on Saturday to demand their release, turning the protest site into a space of speeches, songs and artwork centred on questions of labour rights and dissent.
The demonstration was organised by the Campaign for the Release of Workers and Activists of Noida (CaRWAN), a campaign formed around the demand for the release of workers and activists arrested in the case. The protest was joined by hundreds of members including the Disha Students’ Organization, Naujawan Bharat Sabha, Revolutionary Workers’ Party of India and Progressive Artists’ League. Retired Delhi University professor Nandita Narain also visited the gathering briefly to express support.
The event marked two months since the arrest of activists Srishti, Aakriti, Manisha, Satyam and Rupesh. Organisers alleged that the activists had been detained while expressing solidarity with workers protesting over their demands in Noida.
As artists painted on the pavement and resistance songs echoed through the gathering, participants repeatedly linked the arrests to a wider debate on workers’ rights and democratic freedoms.
“We have come here to protest what happened during the workers’ agitation in Noida and what we believe was the Uttar Pradesh Police’s handling of the situation,” said Tanush, a BSc Physics student at Hindu College, Delhi University.
“We believe it is the responsibility of every citizen who believes in justice to stand in solidarity with them,” he added.
Tanush demanded the release of the arrested activists and called for an independent inquiry into the violence and the subsequent police action.
For many, the protest was also about keeping public attention on those who remain behind bars. Naureen, a teacher and social activist associated with CaRWAN, said the gathering was intended to remind people that the campaign would continue despite the arrests.
“Our colleagues who are in jail continue to keep their spirits high. They are running library activities, teaching children art and helping with educational programmes inside the prison,” she said.
Naureen alleged that activists had faced a crackdown for supporting workers and called for a judicial inquiry into the events surrounding the arrests.
Among those attending was Dipti; an artist and animator associated with the Progressive Artists’ League and a friend of jailed activist Srishti. She said the protest was demanding the immediate release of those arrested and a closer examination of the issues that had led to the workers’ agitation.
“There should be a high-level committee to examine the entire issue and conduct a thorough investigation,” she said, adding that concerns relating to workers’ wages also required attention.
Throughout the demonstration, participants raised demands for the release of arrested workers and activists, withdrawal of stringent charges and an independent investigation into the events linked to the Noida unrest.
The protest echoed with posters, songs and speeches, with organisers maintaining that the campaign would continue until those arrested in the case were released.
Aakriti Chaudhary, senior journalist Satyam Verma and at least 60 others remain behind bars for allegedly inciting violence in connection with the Noida workers’ protest that started on 9 April. They have been booked under relevant sections of the BNS that deal with rioting, inciting violence and attempt to murder and other sections.
