India -165 organisations kick start Campaign – Defend the Right to Dissent #WorldTribalday

165 organisations give a call for a country wide action to save our democracy:

Marking 9 August the International day for Indigenous people & Quit India movement day, as a day of Public Action

15-28 August, A Call for an Intensive campaign and street action to

                             Defend the Right to Dissent, Repeal the Sedition Law, UAPA and Repressive State                                                  Laws,  Restore the Right to  Bail, Justice for Stan Swamy

State repression and attacks on right to dissent and the Constitution are growing. UAPA, NIA and other draconian laws are being used as instruments of repression. More than 165 organisations and civil society networks are undertaking a country wide action campaign (15-28 August) to protest against the institutional murder of Stan Swamy and the repression.  As part of this campaign, programmes were organised across the country on 23 July to demand justice for Stan Swamy.

Country-wide protests and various action programmes will be organised in this campaign on 9 August and during 15-28 August. 9 August is International day for world’s indigenous people. It is also the day on which the quit Indian movement started in 1942. Stan Swamy dedicated his life for Adivasi rights and struggles for jal, jangal and zameen. Come, let us organise programmes on 9 August to protest against Stan Swamy’s murder, and for protection of Adivasi rights and the democracy. Also, on 15 August, we will pledge to campaign for repeal of the draconian laws and to protect our democracy. (

Organisations and networks can organise programmes in this period and on these dates as per their convenience. Please try to share the photos, videos and brief details of the programmes with the social media team on WhatsApp () or email () so that these can be shared widely on social media on behalf of the organising groups.

In a pledge to be taken on the 74th Independence Day for August 15, they said, they would “defend the legacy of our freedom movement, the spirit of the Preamble and the values of our Constitution” as also “campaign for repealing all draconian laws and assert the right to bail of every citizen.”

Pledge for 15 th August 2021
On the occasion of the 74 th Independence Day on 15 th August, we pledge to defend the legacy of
our Freedom Movement, the spirit of the Preamble and the values of our Constitution.
We pledge to campaign for repealing all draconian laws and assert the right to bail of every
citizen.
We believe that the right to question and the Right to Dissent are the foundation of our
democratic, secular and socialist republic.
We commit to campaign against all ideologies, laws, and state actions that deprive us of the
freedoms of speech and opinion, conscience, association, and to non-violent opposition.

15 अगस्त 2021 के लिए प्रतिज्ञा

15 अगस्त को 74वें स्वतंत्रता दिवस के अवसर पर हम अपने स्वतंत्रता आंदोलन की 
साँझा विरासत, संविधान के प्रस्तावना की भावना और हमारे संविधान के मूल्यों की
 रक्षा करने का संकल्प लेते हैं।
हम सभी जनविरोधी
कानूनों  को निरस्त करने के लिए अभियान चलाने का संकल्प लेते हैं और प्रत्येक ना
गरिक के जमानत के अधिकार पर जोर देते हैं।
हम मानते हैं कि सवाल करने का अधिकार और असहमति तथा
विरोध का अधिकार हमारे लोकतांत्रिक, धर्मनिरपेक्ष और समाजवादी गणराज्य की 
नींव हैं।
हम उन सभी विचारधाराओं, कानूनों और राज्य के कार्यों के खिलाफ अभियान चला
ने के लिए प्रतिबद्ध हैं जो हमें विचार, विवेक, संगठित होने  की स्वतंत्रता से वंचित क
रते हैं ।

“We believe that the right to question and the right to dissent are the foundation of our democratic, secular and socialist republic”, the pledge said, adding, ‘We commit to campaign against all ideologies, laws, and state actions that deprive us of the freedoms of speech and opinion, conscience, association, and to non-violent opposition.”

Giving a countrywide call for wide action, the 165 organisations said, their “intensive campaign” would last be for a week from August 15 to 28, and they would go in for “street action” to defend the right to dissent, repeal the sedition law, UAPA and other repressive state laws, even as seeking restoration of the right to bail and justice for Stan Swamy.

Following are the demands of this campaign –

1) Justice for Stan Swamy,

2) Repeal of UAPA, sedition section and all other draconian laws, including state laws that allow preventive detention,

3) Restore Right to Bail,

4)    Release all Political Prisoners

, 5) Accountability for filing false cases and Compensation to victims,

6) Stop illegal detentions and weaponizing the criminal justice

“Country-wide protests and various action programmes will be organised in this campaign on August 9 and during August 15-28. August 9 is international day for world’s indigenous people. It is also the day on which the Quit Indian movement started in 1942.”

Especially referring to Stan Swamy, it asserted, he “dedicated his life for Adivasi rights and struggles for jal, jangal and zameen”, seeking support for organise programmes “to protest against Stan Swamy’s murder, and for protection of Adivasi rights and the democracy”.

It insisted, “Organisations and networks can organise programmes in this period and on these dates as per their convenience”, asking them to “try to share the photos, videos and brief details of the programmes with the social media team on WhatsApp or email so that these can be shared widely on social media on behalf of the organising groups.”