Nearly 160 activists, academics and artists from across India issued a statement in solidarity with social activist Harsh Mander, condemning what it called a “motivated, compromised investigation and vilification of a person with commitment to a just society”.

Delhi riots

They took an issue with attempts to “concoct a ‘chronology’ and create a false narrative” by the inclusion of his and other activists’ names in a chargesheet filed by the police in connection with the Delhi riots.

The statement was signed by Jean Dreze, Jayati Ghosh, Kannan Gopinathan Medha Patkar, Mallika Sarabhai Naseeruddin Shah, Prabhat Patnaik, Ratna Pathak Shah, Romila Thapar, Ramachandra Guha, Shabnam Hashmi, Yogendra Yadav among others.

It argued that the chargesheet filed by the police continues a “false narrative” about a speech given by Mr. Mander at Jamia Milia Islamia on December 16, where he is said to have “instigated protestors to not have faith in the Supreme Court and to fight their battle on road to get justice. He, however, used a façade of peace in a part of his speech” it quoted from the chargesheet.

“There cannot be anything more ridiculous than saying Harsh Mander used a “façade of peace.” He has devoted his entire life to the cause of peace and harmony in society,” it asserted. The statement quoted from Mr. Mander’s speech, which it argues, “can go down in history as an elaboration of Gandhian principles in contemporary times.”

To use this speech to present Mr. Mander as someone instigating violence is “utterly deplorable,” it said, calling it “a deliberate and motivated attempt to implicate an outstanding peace-loving, Gandhi follower, an activist par excellence, who is walking the path of non-violence. This is an attempt to target him, perhaps pull him into the police dragnet of false cases, and silence powerful and effective citizen’s voices against hate, divisiveness and for unity and compassion.”