Reports over the weekend that two Opposition politicians, two academics, a filmmaker and a student leader have been named in the disclosure...
Reports over the weekend that two Opposition politicians, two academics, a filmmaker and a student leader have been named in the disclosure statements of three women accused of playing a key role in the February riots in Delhi set off a storm of recrimination on social media. To many government supporters, this appeared to be proof of a deep-seated plot behind the violence that led to at least 53 deaths and left hundreds injured.
These disclosure statements were made by Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal, founders of the Pinjra Tod student group, and management graduate Gulfisha Fatima. They have been accused of conspiring to spark the riots and booked under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Their disclosure statements, attached to a supplementary chargesheet filed by Delhi Police in one of the riots cases, name Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury, Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav, Delhi University Professor Apoorvanad, Jawaharlal Nehru University professor and economist Jayati Ghosh, filmmaker Rahul Roy and former student leader Umar Khalid.
Initial media reports suggested that the politicians and academics identified in the statements were accused in the case as well. However, the Delhi Police on September 13 clarified that Yechury, Yadav and Ghosh had not been arraigned as accused. Significantly,...
