‘No One Will Fight For Democracy in Future’: Twitter Revolts as JNU Student Natasha Narwal Charged Under UAPA After Anti-CAA Protest

On JNU Student Natasha Narwal being charged under UAPA, Twitter angrily calls out Bollywood celebrities who are condemning police brutality on protestors in the US but are silent about the state of affairs "in their own backyard" and reminds Delhi Police of destroying JMI library while not yet arresting violent students like Komal Sharma

Drawing out all the records of Delhi Police’s brutality since anti-CAA protests including destroying Jamia Millia Islamia’s library and hurling slurs at peaceful women protestors at Shaheen Bagh, a revolt storm swelled on Twitter after JNU student activist and Pinjra Tod member Natasha Narwal was charged under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Narwal is the seventh person to be booked under UAPA for allegedly inciting the communal riots in Northeast Delhi in February.

After a Delhi court sent her and another activist of Pinjra Tod, Devangana Kalita, to Tihar Jail for 14 days in the similar case, Narwal was re-arrested by the special cell. Taking to their respective handles on Twitter, the enraged netizens called out Bollywood celebrities who have been condemning police brutality on protestors in the US with regards to George Floyd murder but are silent about the state of affairs “in their own backyard”. As the digital protests against the arrest of students amid the COVID-19 lockdown grew, Twitter reminded Delhi Police of not yet arresting violent students like Komal Sharma or minister like Kapil Mishra and Anurag Thakur for “inciting communal violence.”

While one user wrote, “Students are new terrorists in India? UAPA on student and Pinjra Tod member Natasha now! I am worried about the silence of opposition parties. If you don’t stand with students today then no one will fight for democracy in future. No one will be left for you (sic)”, another tweeted, “Interesting to see “woke” celebrities in India speak out against police atrocities and George Floyd’s death all the way across in America, but the same celebs lose their voice when there are police excesses at home; when people are lynched, communities targeted (sic)” and yet another lashed, “Jamia & JNU students have ZERO rights & can be arrested at will by Delhi Police Devangana Kalita Natasha Narwal Safoora Zargar Meeran Haider Asif Iqbal Only student in India will full legal rights is ABVP’s Komal Sharma She must also be given the best quarantine award (sic).”

Check out Twitter’s reaction on the news here:

Students are new terrorists in India? UAPA on student and Pinjra Tod member Natasha now! I am worried about the silence of opposition parties. If you don’t stand with students today then no one will fight for democracy in future. No one will be left for you.

— Kawalpreet Kaur (@kawalpreetdu) May 30, 2020

Interesting to see “woke” celebrities in India speak out against police atrocities and George Floyd’s death all the way across in America, but the same celebs lose their voice when there are police excesses at home; when people are lynched, communities targeted.

— Nidhi Razdan (@Nidhi) May 31, 2020

Jamia & JNU students have ZERO rights & can be arrested at will by Delhi Police
🔸Devangana Kalita
🔸Natasha Narwal
🔸Safoora Zargar
🔸Meeran Haider
🔸Asif Iqbal

Only student in India will full legal rights is ABVP’s Komal Sharma

She must also be given the best quarantine award pic.twitter.com/3f0puoTLcB

— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) May 26, 2020

POLICE BRUTALITY!#George_Floyd case officer was FIRED and CHARGED with third degree murder.
Can we expect any accountability of police brutalies in India?

Arresting peaceful activist and students seems easier then arresting
Kapil Mishra and Anurag Kashyap.#BlackLivesMatters pic.twitter.com/pWoLThBHeE

— Sarah Naaz (@SarahNaaz) May 29, 2020

Nation is with you pinjra tod actvists. You are fighting for the survival of soul of the nation. You are fighting to uphold constitutional values. We all are with you.

— Appananda (@Appananda3) May 30, 2020

The person encircled in this viral @Reuters photo has long been identified as Anant Bhardwaj but still no arrests by @DelhiPolice. Instead police is falsly charging students for violence when evidences r out in open for all to see. Why police is protecting these hindutva goons?? pic.twitter.com/PKLWC51EiZ

— Nabiya Khan | نبیہ خان (@NabiyaKhan11) May 30, 2020

Now, Pinjra Tod Activist Natasha Narwal Booked Under UAPA. @thewire_in

I wish they would given food to the migrants like they’re giving UAPA to activists.#6YearsIndiaInTears https://t.co/QffEzwffK7

— Alisha Bari (@BariAlisha) May 30, 2020

so Bjp Delhi police have the right to frame anybody for any case, particularly those who don’t support their divide and rule hate-mongering politics.

— Shamm (@Shamm86201942) May 30, 2020

End the repression of democratic voices, peaceful protestors!
Release all Anti-CAA activists and political prisoners! Resist the state’s clampdown on dissent!
Release Natasha Narwal! #ReleaseAllPoliticalPrisoners#StopArrestingStudents pic.twitter.com/0uA8ELemmK

— Pinjra Tod (@PinjraTod) May 27, 2020

Just in, another JNU student and Pinjra Tod activist Natasha Narwal has been booked under UAPA.

How many others will be falsely booked and arrested, perhaps imprisoned, before India wakes up? pic.twitter.com/sI69Bhigfi

— Tazeen Junaid (@TazeenJunaid_) May 30, 2020

In a communication dated May 06, 2020, the United Nations Special Rapporteurs wrote to the Indian government expressing concern over the several violations of the international human rights obligations of India through the UAPA, 2019 and particularly questions the problematic designation of individuals as “terrorists”.