We, the undersigned artists and concerned citizens, condemn the use of exceptional laws like the UAPA, which denies bail and delays trial, effectively silencing voices of dissent, and those fighting for justice.
On 5th September 2020 Ramesh Gaichor and Sagar Gorkhe of the Kabir Kala Manch (KKM), a Maharashtra based radical Dalit cultural troupe, recorded and circulated an oral statement. They said they had been repeatedly interrogated by the NIA in connection with the Bhima Koregaon case. In this instance, the NIA demanded that the KKM accept that it had connections with Maoists in exchange for their freedom. Gaichor and Gorkhe refused to make a false confession. In their video statement they declared they were the inheritors of Babasaheb Ambedkar and not of Savarkar, that they believed in Constitutional values, and therefore would not submit to the pressure to sign something that was untrue. Soon after they released their video statement, Ramesh Gaichor, Sagar Gorkhe and a third KKM cultural activist, Jyoti Jagtap, were arrested, bringing the total number of present arrests in the Bhima Koregaon case to 15.
The Kabir Kala Manch has been consistently fighting caste oppression and Hindutva fascism through their unique musical performances. The state is attempting to silence the radical Bahujan cultural expressions like that of the KKM. This is an attempt to stop those trying to envision a just future for India. We condemn the attempt to stifle the voices of cultural dissent, and stand in solidarity with the arrested KKM activists, and all others who have been incarcerated in the Bhima Koregaon case.
Signatories for KKM statement
- Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Filmmaker
- Maya Rao, Theatre artiste
- Geeta Kapur, Independent Art Writer
- Vivan Sundaram, Artist
- Nilima Sheikh, Artist
- K. Satchidanandan, Poet
- Githa Hariharan, Writer
- Atul Dodiya, Artist
- Inder Salim, Conceptual and Performance artist
- Mangai. A, Theatre Director and Writer
- T.V. Santhosh, artist
- Pallavi MD, Singer, Actor, Filmmaker
- Pallavi Paul, Filmmaker
- Sheela Gowda, Artist
- N. Pushpamala, Artist
- Indu Antony, Artist
- Amshu Chukki, Artist
- Yugashri S. A., Artist
- B. Suresha, Filmmaker
- Mamta Sagar, Poet
- Archana Hande, Artist
- Bindhumalini Narayanaswamy, Singer and Composer
- Nisha Susan, Writer
- Ramu Ramanathan, Playwright, journalist
- Sushma Deshpande, Theatre artiste
- Jayant Pawar, Playwright, author, journalist
- Ashish Dha, Composer-Musician, Music Teacher and Researcher
- Dileep Raj, concerned citizen
- Mangalesh Dabral, Poet
- Gauhar Raza, Poet, Documentary Filmmaker, Scientist
- Civic Chandran, Poet, playwright
- B. Ekbal, Concerned citizen
- J. Devika, Concerned citizen
- E.V. Ramakrishnan, Writer
- K.P. Ramanunni, Writer
- Anitha Thampi, Poet
- Anvar Ali, Poet, lyricist, documentary filmmaker
- Gopi Krishnan, Concerned citizen
- Ein Lall, Filmmaker
- Kiranmayi I., Filmmaker
- S. Joseph, Poet
- Savitri Rajeevan, Poet
- B. Rajeevan, Cultural critic and theorist
- Ashis Sengupta, Concerned citizen
- Vinutha Mallya, Editor and journalist
- Sudhanva Deshpande, Theatre artiste and publisher
- Monisha Behal, North East Network, concerned citizen
- Tejaswini Niranjana, Writer and translator
- Nasir Tyabji, Concerned citizen
- Ania Loomba, Drama theorist
- Debjani Bhattacharya, Concerned citizen
- Uma Maheshwari Bhrugubanda, Film theorist
- Bishnupriya Dutt, Academic and theatre professional
- Rajan Kurai Krishnan, Film scholar
- Rashmi Sawhney, Film scholar
- Abhijit Roy, Film scholar
- Ranjana Dave, Artist
- Nachi, Filmmaker
- Potato Eaters Collective, Filmmakers
- Mukul Haloi, Filmmaker
- Ashish Rajadhyaksha, Film scholar
- Arun Khopkar, Filmmaker and writer
- Ameet Parameswaran, Performance studies scholar
- C.R.Parameswaran, Novelist and essayist
- Riyas Komu, Artist
- G. Arunima, concerned citizen
- V. Geetha, Writer and translator
- Brahma Prakash, Performance studies scholar
- Babu Eshwar Prasad, Visual Artist and Filmmaker
- Gauri Nagpal, Concerned citizen
- Iyesha Geeth Abbas, Film researcher
- Prateek Vats, Filmmaker
- Joy Sengupta, Theatre artiste
- Annie Zaidi, Writer
- Shaili Sathyu, Theatre artiste
- K.G. Sankara Pillai, Poet
- Ananya Parekh, Arts Researcher
- Badri Raina, Concerned citizen
- Zoya Hasan, Concerned citizen
- Anamika Haksar, Stage and Film Director
- Mallika Taneja, Theatre artiste
- Moinak Biswas, Film scholar
- M.A. Baby, Concerned citizen
- Rongili Biswas, Singer and Writer
- Shuddhabrata Sengupta, Artist and Writer
- Tanvi Mishra, Concerned citizen
- Samik Bandyopadhyay, Art critic and film scholar
- Sushmita, Theatre artiste
- Abhaydev Praful, Musician
- Akila R S, concerned citizen
- Amalaa Mohan, Dancer
- Amarnath Praful, Artist
- Amba Salelkar, Advocate
- Anish, Theatre Artiste
- Anna Mathew, Concerned citizen and advocate
- Annapoorani, Theatre artiste
- Anoushka Kurien, Dancer
- Arasu V, Concerned citizen
- Aruna, Theatre Artiste
- Arun Arivikalanchiyam, Concerned Citizen
- Asha, Artist
- Ashwini Kasi, Theatre artiste
- Bhuvaneshwari, Theatre artiste
- Devika S, Theatre artiste & Lawyer
- Deepan, Theatre artiste
- Ezhil, Theatre artiste
- Hans Kaushik, Theatre artiste
- Jai Ganesh, Theatre artiste
- Jawad A. J, Concerned citizen and Advocate
- Jimraj Milton, Concerned citizen and Advocate
- Logesh Nagaraj, Theatre artiste
- Kannappa Kasi, Therukoothu and Theatre artiste
- Kanchana Priya, Trans Artist
- Kanimozhi, Theatre artiste
- Karthikeyan, Concerned citizen
- Karuna Prasad, Theatre artiste & Publisher
- Kavinmalar, Theatre artiste and Journalist
- Living Smile Vidya, Performance artiste
- Madhan, Theatre artiste and Musician
- Madhushree Basu, Artist
- Malini Jeevarathnam, Filmmaker
- Mohan T, Concerned citizen and Advocate
- Mridula, Theatre artiste
- Muthamizh, Theatre artiste
- Parthasarathy, Concerned citizen and Advocate
- Prabhu Nagesh, IT Professional and Concerned Citizen
- Pralayan, Theatre artiste
- Pravin K. P, Theatre and Visual Artist
- Preethi Athreya, Contemporary Dancer
- Rafiq, Filmmaker
- Renuga Kasi, Theatre artiste
- Revathi A, Trans author, activist and artist
- Rohini, Film and Theatre artiste
- Sabitha, Concerned citizen, LGBTQ activist
- Sandhiya, Concerned citizen
- Sankari, LGBTQ Activist and Theatre artiste
- Sampath Kumar, Martial Artist
- Shani, Visual Artist
- Shankar Pugazh, Theatre and Film artiste
- Sharan Karthik Raj, Concerned citizen and LGBTQ Activist
- Shweta Narayan, Visual Artist
- Sivasankaran, Theatre artiste
- Sowmya, Trans Theatre artiste
- Soundharya, Trans dancer
- Srijith, Theatre Artist and Trainer
- Sudha Ramalingam, Concerned citizen
- Suresh Shakti Murugan, Concerned citizen
- Tanvi N.S., Concerned citizen
- Thamizharasan Sekar, Theatre artiste
- Thayamma Ramya, Trans Theatre artiste
- Uma, Visual artist
- Vaigai R, Concerned citizen
- Vasudevan S S, Concerned citizen
- Vijayaraghavan, Concerned citizen and Doctor
- Vijay Antony, Theatre artiste
- Vijay Narayanasamy, Theatre artiste
- Vijay Ravikumar, Theatre artiste
- Nagasaila, Concerned citizen
- Gargi Bharadwaj, Theatre director, academic
- Deepan Sivaraman, Theatre director, scenographer
- Abheesh Sasidharan, Performance practitioner
- P.N. Gopikrishnan, Poet and writer
- Aashiq Abu, Filmmaker
- Shyam Pushkaran, Scriptwriter
- Archana Padmini, Artist
- K.R. Manoj, Filmmaker
- Prof. M.V. Narayanan, Concerned citizen
- Sunil P Ilayidom, Concerned citizen
- Akkitham Vasudevan, Artist
- Shaina Anand, Artist and Filmmaker
- Samina Mishra, Filmmaker and writer
- Praveen Pilassery, Arts researcher
- Shivaji Panikkar, Arts scholar
- B Ajith Kumar, Film editor
- Suresh Rajan, Cinematographer
- Sreejith Divakaran, Scriptwriter
