More than 500 persons wrote to the director of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, Govindan Rangarajan, expressing dismay over the actions taken to prevent a discussion led by Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita on the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Natasha and Devangana are both student activists who have been booked under UAPA by the Delhi police who accused them of being involved in a “conspiracy” behind the 2020 Delhi riots in which 53 people were killed. The discussion, which was scheduled for June 28, was titled ‘Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, Prisons and the Criminal Justice System.’
The letter, signed by 545 signatories including students, faculty members, and alumni of IISc, as well as well-wishers from other institutions, said that the event, planned as a talk at the institute’s Centre for Continuing Education (CCE), had received approval from the CCE chair. However, on June 27, IISc’s Registrar “abruptly” cancelled the talk. The letter said that the students then tried to organise an informal interaction, but the administration dispatched a security team to disperse the gathering. It was only following the intervention of IISc faculty members that the security team backtracked, it said. The informal discussion was attended by several students and faculty members.
The letter quoted the Delhi High Court’s observation while granting bail to Natasha and Devangana, saying “in its anxiety to suppress dissent … the State has blurred the line between the constitutionally guaranteed ‘right to protest’ and ‘terrorist activity’. If such blurring gains traction, democracy would be in peril.”
Break the Silence, IISc organised a talk by Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita on 28th June at the campus. The permission for a public talk was denied by IISc.
— AISA Karnataka/ಐಸಾ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ (@AISA_karnataka) June 29, 2023
The informal discussion was attended by many students and faculty members.
Attend their talk today at Ashirvad. pic.twitter.com/SmHtVOZANR
“We believe that it is important for members of IISc to hear about Natasha and Devangana’s experience and to reflect on the laws that were used to incarcerate them. Regardless of one’s perspective, such discussions are crucial in a functioning democracy and IISc, as an academic institution, is ideally positioned to host them. Conversely, if the institute is unwilling to permit peaceful discussions on constitutional questions, it is hard to see how it can foster a spirit of critical inquiry that is necessary for scientific work,” the letter said.
It also said that the administration’s actions reflect poorly on its commitment to upholding academic freedom and democratic values. “They have damaged IISc’s reputation, both within the country and internationally. We hope that you will take urgent corrective measures and ensure that members of IISc remain free to express and discuss a range of ideas, both about science, and about the society that we live in,” it said.
Natasha and Devangana, both student activists associated with the Pinjra Tod (Break the Cage) collective, were arrested on May 23, 2020, for allegedly “conspiring” in the Delhi riots that killed 53 people. They had participated in the movement against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Both Natasha and Devangana were charged with the draconian UAPA and incarcerated in Delhi’s Tihar jail for more than a year before being granted bail in June 2021.