Lucknow: Arrests for Putting Posters about Health Awareness 

In the time of a global health crisis in which India has fared as one of the worst-affected nations, the current Modi regime has sidelined every demand for accountability and service to the citizens of the country. People have been left to fend for themselves amidst a pandemic through SOS calls, volunteer/activist groups, and mutual aid campaigns.

Given this scenario, a campaign by the name of Jan Swastha Adhikar Abhiyan is being run by numerous mass organizations including the Naujawan Bharat Sabha (NBS) and Stree Mukti League demanding health-related rights for the masses.

The campaign has been rigorously demanding the nationalization of the healthcare system, financial help to those who have lost their livelihood, waiving of IPRs on COVID-19 vaccines, universalization of ration system, vaccination, and health facilities for frontline workers including sanitation workers and health workers amongst other things.

On Monday in the capital city of Lucknow, three social activists associated with Jan Swastha Adhikar Campaign were detained by the UP police. The activists have also alleged that they were beaten up by members of several right-wing groups.

The three social activists, Avinash, Rupa, and Anupam were engaged in putting up posters that talked about health-related rights as part of their awareness-raising campaign in Hasanganj when people with affiliations to right-wing groups tried to stop them and later on beat them.

The campaign has reported that for the last few days there has been a consistent effort from the side of these right-wing, groups some of which also share close ties with the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) to prevent the activists from reaching out to the masses.

The state police took the activists to the Hasanganj police station instead of acting against the people who were engaged in the violence against the activists. The group has alleged that the police officer has threatened the detained members that they will be imprisoned under serious charges. The officer also chided the activists for questioning and speaking against the government and further said that they deserve legal punishment for their activities.

The activists were detained in the police station for several hours and it was only after a lot of paperwork and protest from other activists against this harassment by the authorities that the activists were let go, NewsClick reported.