SSAI Statement

28 May 2020

India witnessed large country-wide protests recently against the Citizenship Amendments Act (2019) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The national capital, New Delhi, also experienced riots in February after a communally charged state-assembly election that occurred parallel to the protests. According to various Indian media outlets, authorities have initiated an investigation into the riots, and are taking unusually strong actions against victims and peaceful protestors, including those associated with the capital’s universities. This is distressing. Censorship, the undermining of the right to free speech and the suppression of peaceful protest, have no place in a democracy.

SOAS South Asia Institute