NLSIU’s student forums condemn manhandling of anti-SIR protesters and denial of access to legal aid

The National Law School of India University’s Students Bar Association, Student Council, Co-ordination Council and Alumni Association condemned excesses against peaceful protesters and denial of access to legal aid, against Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in two separate letters.

Both letters highlighted the manhandling of senior advocate Shadan Farasat, an alumnus of NLSIU 2006 batch, by the police and unlawful detaining of students and alumni of the NLSIU in Bengaluru on Saturday. “What is particularly distressing about his detention is that he was detained while rushing to prevent the illegal detention of a peaceful protester,” the letter stated.

A student from the NLSIU, said, “On Saturday, many of our university students and alumni were unlawfully detained near Freedom Park in Bengaluru. We didn’t expect this from the Karnataka police. As law students and citizens of this country, if we don’t protest against the SIR and deletion of votes, who else will fight for our rights?” The student said that many of those who were detained were let off around 9 p.m.

The Students Bar Association letter further condemned the State government and said, “We also condemn the actions of the police in opposition-ruled States in stifling peaceful protesters, including our own, at the Freedom Park. As a machinery led by parties in the Opposition at the national stage, the lack of tolerance for peaceful protests is, at the very least, contradictory.”