India Gate protest: Delhi Police oppose protesters’ bail, cite Instagram posts glorifying Hidma, Marxism

The protest, held near India Gate on November 23, was allegedly organised to raise concerns over Delhi’s worsening air quality. (Photo: X)

The Delhi Police has opposed the bail pleas of several college students who were arrested during a protest in the national capital last month, claiming that their social media activity shows possible “Naxal links”.

The protest, held near India Gate on November 23, was allegedly organised to raise concerns over Delhi’s worsening air quality.

A total of 23 protesters, most of them students from Delhi University, were arrested in connection with the demonstration. According to the police, many of the students are associated with the Bhagat Singh Chhatra Ekta Manch (BSCEM) and Himkhand, an environmental research and action group.

In court, the police stated that some protesters had used pepper spray during the demonstration, injuring police personnel who were trying to control the situation. Based on this incident, two separate FIRs were registered for charges such as assaulting public servants, obstructing them from performing their duties, and outraging the modesty of women police officers.

Opposing the bail applications, the Delhi Police referred to an Instagram post from the official page of BSCEM.

“During investigation, a post has been found on the Instagram page of BSCEM mentioning ‘statement against the fake encounter of comrade Madvi Hidma and six others…by fascist Indian State’,” the Delhi Police said in its reply to the bail applications of six accused persons, filed before Judicial Magistrate First Class Aridaman Singh Cheema of Patiala House Courts.

According to the police, the post “glorified” Maoist commander Madvi Hidma, who was killed in an encounter in Andhra Pradesh last month.

The police told the court that an eight-page article was shared on BSCEM’s Instagram account, which contained statements in support of Hidma and criticised the Indian State. The post allegedly included slogans praising Marxism, Leninism and Maoism, and paid tribute to those described as “revolutionary martyrs”.

In another social media post, police claimed that three of the accused students were seen singing songs that supported the Radical Students Union (RSU). The authorities told the court that RSU is a banned organisation and was earlier linked to Maoist groups.

Earlier, eight of the arrested protesters were granted bail in the first FIR. However, they were soon arrested again in the second case. As of now, 21 out of the 23 protesters have been named as accused in both FIRs and remain either in police or judicial custody.

The case is under investigation.