The AISYO unequivocally condemns the unlawful arrest, physical assault, and psychological harassment of 13 student activists, including three women, from the Bhagat Singh Students Morcha (BSM) at Banaras Hindu University (BHU). These students were detained on 26 December 2024 for organizing a discussion on the Manusmriti, a crucial historical text that Dr. B.R. Ambedkar famously burned in 1927. The students have been remanded to 14-day judicial custody under fabricated charges of sedition and other severe sections of the Indian Penal Code.
This outrageous act of repression against students engaging in peaceful discussion represents a direct assault on democratic rights. The Manusmriti has long been a symbol of caste-based oppression, and its critique remains an essential part of the ongoing struggle for social justice, especially among Dalits, women, and other marginalized groups. The state’s crackdown on students simply engaging in this discourse highlights the growing authoritarian tendencies under the BJP-RSS government, where any challenge to the oppressive status quo is met with heavy-handed punishment.
The actions of BHU authorities and the Varanasi police are beyond reprehensible. The students were not only physically assaulted but had their personal belongings damaged and were denied their fundamental right to communicate with lawyers and families. The police, in an attempt to cover up their unlawful behavior, seized phones and blocked access to legal counsel, further violating the students' basic rights under the Constitution.
AISYO demands the immediate release of all arrested students and the immediate withdrawal of all false charges against them. Furthermore, we demand that an FIR be lodged against the BHU guards and police officers responsible for the assault on these students, particularly the female activists. These actions underscore the increasingly authoritarian and repressive nature of the current regime, which seeks to suppress any dissent against its oppressive policies.
We call on all democratic forces, student organizations, and progressives to unite and demand the end of this state repression. AISYO stands in unwavering solidarity with the students of BHU and all those challenging the oppressive forces of Brahmanical Hindutva.
With revolutionary greetings..
All India Students And Youth Organisation (AISYO),
All india conveining committee
Date: 28 December 2024,
Vijayawada
