Nandlal Master, Sunil Master, Anita Patel, Shaym Sunder and Amit 

HRDs

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on February 18, 2021, regarding FIRs filed on HRDs by Varanasi Police for organizing a peaceful protest. Mr. Nandlal Master, Mr. Sunil Master, Ms. Anita Patel, Mr. Shaym Sunder, and Mr. Amit are HRDs from Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh associated with Lok Samiti Sanstha and human rights organizations working for education rights of backward and Dalit communities and against gender and caste-based violence. 

Above mentioned HRDs organized a rally and a Dharana peacefully in the Nagepur village, Varanasi, against the three new agricultural laws on January 29, 2021. As part of the protest, they burnt the copies of the laws and an effigy of the government. The participants demanded the withdrawal of all three agricultural laws and fake cases against the farmers. The protest was covered by several newspapers and social media posts as Nagepur village is adopted by the Prime Minister of India. 

Mr. Nandlal was informed through an informal call that evening that an FIR had been registered against the organizers of the protest. An FIR was registered against the HRDs at 11.34 PM by Mr. Praveen Kumar Mishra, sub-inspector Mirzamurad Police station, Varanasi, under various sections of Indian Penal Code 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and IPC 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life). The policemen came to Nagepur on February 2, 2021, and gave notice to the HRDs, and asked them to report when summoned. 

The FIR filed against the HRDs is completely arbitrary, illegal, and a serious violation of constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and harassment by Uttar Pradesh Police.