Statement of solidarity by students and Faculty across India to Uphold Academic Freedom

*This is an issue of basic human and ecological rights upheld by educational institutions vs an oppressive ideology bent on eradicating all voices of reason, democracy, criticism, and rational thought.*
We want to reiterate that peaceful criticism of state actions and policies ARE NOT and SHOULD NOT be equated to hate speech or be deemed anti-national. Any democratic government must have the capacity to receive, understand, and work with criticism from the people, and especially from thinkers, activists, and those who are most marginalised. The government must work with, rather than against, those who have intellectual and grounded understandings of this country, people, policies, and histories to ensure a safer, more democratic, and more participative nation. 
The undersigned growing list of Students and Faculty (individuals and unions/groups) and those joining the movement stand strong and fearlessly in solidarity against the repression of academic freedom, democratic values, and the right to protest. We support peaceful protests by students and faculty to uphold values of democracy, our constitution and human rights and condemn the unlawful resignations and arrests of students and faculty at various educational institutions across the country. 
In Solidarity,
*List of Signatories:*Ashoka University Student Government 2021-2022AISA (All India Students’ Association)AISA Jadavpur University UnitAISA Presidency University UnitAISF (All India Students Federation)Aligarh Muslim University Students Union (outgoing)All Bengal University Teachers’ Association (ABUTA)Bangalore Student Community (BSC) COLLECTIVE DelhiCOLLECTIVE Hindu CollegeCommon Teachers’ Forum, University of DelhiDemocratic Students’ Federation, JNU The Dramatics Society, Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC)Jadavpur University Arts Faculty Students Union, AFSUJadavpur University Teachers Association (JUTA) Jindal Global Law School Student CouncilJNU Student UnionNorth East Students’ Forum, JNU Presidency University Students Union Revolutionary Student’s FrontSFI (Students’ Federation of india)SFI Delhi State CommitteeStudents Association of SRM School of Architecture and Interior DesignStudent Government (‘21) of School of Interwoven Arts and Sciences, Krea UniversityStudents’ Social Reform Initiative, Sophia College MumbaiTezpur University Student’s Council, 2019-2021, Tezpur UniversityYouth4Swaraj
*Individual students and faculty from the following institutions have also endorsed this statement in a personal capacity and not representing or speaking for the University or any constituent body/union/group:*Ambedkar UniversityAston UniversityAzim Premji UniversityBethune CollegeDaulat Ram College, DU Delhi UniversityDyal Singh CollegeFLAME UniversityHindu CollegeHistory Department, DUJawaharlal Nehru Technological University, HyderabadJB Law CollegeLady Shri Ram College, DULeiden UniversityNational Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR), HyderabadNational Law University, AssamNational Law School of India University (NLSIU), BangaloreNational Law Institute University, BhopalNational Law University, JodhpurNational Students’ Union of India (NSUI), KarnatakaO.P. Jindal Global UniversityPondicherry Central UniversityRizvi College of Arts, Commerce and ScienceSGTB Khalsa CollegeShiv Nadar UniversitySRM SAID Students AssociationSchool of Economics, University of HyderabadShri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC)Sophia CollegeZakir Husain College, DU