New Delhi, 22nd April 2020: Civil Society Strongly Condemned Delhi Police for Falsely Implicating innocent Students Activists in Delhi Riot Cases. Full text of Joint Statement is as follows – We, as activists, academics, and citizens of India from all walks of life, strongly condemn the actions of the Delhi Police in falsely implicating innocent student activists in Delhi riot cases, and booking them under the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). This suppression of civil rights and liberties and targeting of our young democratic voices is reprehensible. We find it utterly shameful that Delhi police is using the COVID-19 lockdown, and the enormous humanitarian crisis of hunger confronting our country, as an opportunity to trample on the democratic rights of innocents. This is a time to unite as a nation, not to isolate and target students. Abusing its powers, the Delhi Police has filed concocted cases against former JNU student, Dr. Umar Khalid and Jamia students Meeran Haider & Safoora Zargar, claiming that the communal violence in North East Delhi was a premeditated conspiracy hatched by them. This narrative is so absurd, and citizens of this country will see through these lies being peddled by the police. We ask why the real culprits, who actually incited or took part in the violence, continue to enjoy impunity despite ample evidence available against them, including on social media? We ask if Delhi, India’s capital city, whose police force comes directly under the Union Home Ministry, is rapidly becoming a police state, giving the police powers that are unfettered, even by the law of the land? We implore all citizens of the country, political parties, the judicial system and media to stand united against this injustice; to oppose this brazen abuse of State power to stifle democratic voices; to pressurize the BJP government to stop this targeting and vilification; demand that these charges be immediately dropped; demand that those arrested under cover of the COVID-19 lockdown be immediately released. Issued by Prof. Rampuyani, Writer & Activist Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan, Chairman,Delhi Minority Commission Ravi Nair, Convener, Alliance against CAA, NRC and NPR…