Student activists Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita walk out of Tihar jail
NEW DELHI : Student activists Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita walked out of Tihar prison on Thursday, hours after a court ordered their immediate release in the northeast Delhi riots “conspiracy” case. Kalita and Narwal, both PhD students from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) were out of jail by the evening. They were arrested for alleged conspiracy in the north-east Delhi riots case. Tanha was already out on custody parole to write his final year BA examinations of Jamia Milia Islamia University, New Delhi.
additional Sessions Judge at Karkardooma Courts Revinder Bedi said the order was passed for releasing the accused and an intimation has been sent to Tihar jail authorities. The court rejected a plea by the Delhi Police for more time to verify document…The order on their plea for Thursday, they moved the Delhi High Court, which ordered the lower court to proceed with the issue with “promptitude and expedition”.
“It shows the desperation of the government… We are women who are not scared of them,” Ms Kalita told reporters after coming out of the jail gates, amid a sea of supporters shouting slogans. “We survived because we received tremendous support from friends, from well-wishers. I thank them all,” she said. Ms Narwal said she doesn’t want to comment on the case as it’s still in court. “However, we would like to thank the Delhi High Court for upholding what we believe in. Any such protest that we have done is not terrorism. It was a democratic protest, led by women,” Ms Narwal said.
“They won’t be able to threaten us with jail. If they threaten to incarcerate us, that will only strengthen our resolve to carry on our fight,” Ms Narwal said. Her father, Mahavir Narwal, died of Covid in May while she was in jail. Her brother, who came to receive her, said they miss their father, who if alive would have come to greet her on walking out of jail.
“I don’t know how I will deal with it (father’s death)… This should be a reminder for us how the system of incarceration separates us from our loved ones. My case was highlighted. But there are many who are not allowed even one phone call,” Ms Narwal told. “We should ask ourselves, how did we reach such a point where the line between terrorism and dissent has been blurred? People are jailed with frivolous charges. When people protest, it is not terrorism,” she said.
On Delhi Activists’ Bail, Dramatic Back-And-Forth In Court Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, Asif Iqbal Tanha Get Bail In Delhi Riots CaseNatasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, Asif Iqbal Tanha Get Bail In Delhi Riots Case
Today’s order to immediately release the three student-activists came two days after the Delhi High Court granted bail to Ms Narwal, Ms Kalita and Asif Iqbal Tanha, arrested in May last year under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear tomorrow a Delhi Police plea against the Delhi High Court decision to grant bail to the three student-activists.
(With Agency Inputs).
