Neha Bora Stands Firm Amid Controversy Over Protest Language and Police Action

Neha Bora's Stance on Protest Language

New Delhi: Neha Bora, the president of AISA, recently completed a 23-day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar and has refused to apologize for the harsh language used by some protesters. She accused critics of attempting to distract from the serious issues surrounding the alleged use of pellet guns and police brutality during the crackdown on July 20.

In a conversation with a news agency, Neha expressed that the focus on the language used by protesters is a tactic to overshadow the need for accountability regarding police actions during the protest.

The use of offensive language by some protesters has drawn significant political scrutiny and led to police actions against several individuals since the protest concluded.

Among those affected is Ruchika Singh, a 15-year-old girl whose strong criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has resulted in multiple FIRs against her.

Neha described the legal actions taken against Ruchika as an example of selective outrage.

She questioned the lack of similar outrage towards politicians who have used derogatory terms against peaceful protesters, citing instances where officials labeled students as 'terrorists' or 'viruses'.

Neha emphasized that the focus should be on the injuries sustained by protesters rather than the language used.

She stated, "We will not engage in this game of condemnation. Our demand for accountability from Amit Shah and the Commissioner of Police is far more significant than the words used by Ruchika."

Neha continued to press for answers regarding the use of pellet guns against protesters and questioned the rationale behind the police's actions.

She also highlighted the gendered nature of the threats and violence faced by protesters, noting that both she and Ruchika have received numerous rape threats online.

Neha pointed out that the crackdown on protesters appears to be an attempt to fracture their unity by exploiting existing societal divisions related to caste and religion.

She argued that the real issue at hand is not the language used by protesters but the violent response they faced while exercising their right to peaceful assembly.

The anti-paper leak protesters have claimed that excessive force, including the use of pellet guns, was employed against them during their peaceful demonstration on July 20.

While the Delhi Police has denied these allegations, the government maintains that security forces acted lawfully.

Recently, multiple FIRs have been filed against Ruchika Singh, including a Zero FIR from Noida that has been forwarded to the Delhi Police for further investigation.

These cases are being pursued under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita concerning public mischief and defamation.