Tiss Students’ Union 2019–20

TATA INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, MUMBAI CAMPUS

The Students’ Union of Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai condemns the maligning of our institute and our students for participating in protest and rallies, which is a right given to us by our constitution in the Democratic Republic of India.

On 2nd February 2020, an FIR with charges of sedition was lodged against TISS student Kris Chudawala for raising slogans at Azad Maidan during Mumbai Pride 2020. In a judgement of the Honourable Supreme Court it is held that only raising slogans cannot constitute sedition unless there is an implicit threat of violence. Using these charges to curb the dissenting voices of the oppressed is highly condemnable. Sedition itself is an out-dated colonial law, which has and continues to be used against minorities, human rights defenders, civil rights activists and other dissenters as a political tool.

This is very clearly politically motivated and the BJP are trying to play with our education, career and future. We vehemently condemn the political persecution of a young trans student who has been targeted and outed on national media. Such kind of targeting of trans students also amounts to hate crime.

By targeting one person and one institute, it is clear that this FIR is part of systematic and continuous attacks on student voices across the country. The last month in particular has seen active measures being taken to curb such dissenting voices, to the extent of exerting violence, and this is another step in the direction of the growing fascism in the country and against the fight for the preservation of our constitutional rights. The SU hence condemns the sedition charges on Akhil Gogoi, JNU student Sharjeel Imam, and the students of Shaheen School in Bidar for doing a play on CAA among others and demand immediate release of those arrested.

These fascist forces are shook by the students and civil society driving the movement against the undemocratic, anti-secular and anti-indigenous moves of the State. Disproportionate and manipulative targeting can be witnessed when irresponsible and violent statements given by elected representatives to the likes of “Goli Maaro Saalon Ko” go with no action being taken upon them. In the face of resistance, questioning our nationalism and allegiance to the country is a method they want to adopt in order to delegitimise our struggles. We want to reiterate that fascism is the real threat to the unity and integrity of the country.

In the same pride gathering, Kris also read out ‘The Preamble of the Constitution of India’, which was witnessed by all the people present in Azad Maidan on the day of Mumbai Pride 2020, thereby negating all claims of them being anti-national.

We condemn the narrative of the media and the individuals that have labelled and portrayed Kris as an adversary to their own community, as an ‘outsider’ in a gathering where they had the right to be present. Media houses being completely queer exclusionary in nature have failed to remain mindful in reporting issues involving queer individuals. Most of them violate privacy of individuals, share pictures and mis-gender, which cause permanent damage to the lives of the persons. This also goes to show how there is no active discourse in the media regarding reporting trans issues with sensitivity. In continuation to this, no steps have been taken to protect the identity of queer individuals present in the material being shared on social media.

We strongly urge the student community and the civil society and civil rights activists to come out in our support. We demand that this FIR against Kris Chudawala and others be dropped immediately. We stand in complete solidarity with all our students who are consistently resisting to protect the principles enshrined in the constitution.

ENDORSED BY TISS MUMBAI STUDENT GROUPS:
ADIVASI STUDENTS’ FORUM (ASF), AMBEDKARITE STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION (ASA), FRATERNITY, MUSLIM STUDENTS’ FORUM (MSF), MUSLIM YOUTH VOICES (MYV), NORTHEAST STUDENTS’ FORUM (NESF), PROGRESSIVE STUDENTS’ FORUM (PSF), SPACELESS COLLECTIVE, QUEER COLLECTIVE (TQC).