New Delhi
18 January 2020
Imposition of three month NSA in Delhi an attempt to crush citizenship protests
The National Executive Council meeting of Popular Front of India has condemned the Delhi Lieutenant Governor order to impose National Security Act (NSA) in Delhi for three months starting from 19 January.
The NSA law is draconian and legalizes denial of constitutional rights in the name of national security. Provision of the act empowers police to take people into custody over mere suspicion and keep them for up to 12 months without producing in the court and giving them bail. Its abrupt imposition in Delhi now is even more concerning due to obvious reasons. While there is no situation exists in the state that can justify such draconian measures, everyone knows how desperately central government and Delhi police want people’s agitations against CAA and NRC stopped. Delhi police used extreme violence even against students and treated them like enemies merely for exercising their democratic rights to protest a government policy. Since the protests are still ongoing in various parts of the capital city like Jamia Millia Islamiya, Jama Masjid, Shaheen Bagh and Jantar Mantar, there is every reason to fear that the NSA will be misused against people participating in them. It might also be misused by BJP against its political opponents during the State Assembly Election to be held in February since the party is already facing serious crisis of declining popularity. In short NSA in Delhi is an attempt to suppress democratic dissent under the pretext of national security and law and order.
Popular Front NEC urged all concerned citizens and parties to take the matter seriously and come out openly against the move.
With regards
Mohamed Ali Jinnah
General Secretary,
Popular Front, New Delhi
