The civil rights network Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) has issued a strong denunciation of the “abduction” of labour rights activist Anirudh Rajan, who was taken by state authorities on September 5, 2024, while traveling to meet his family. This incident is part of a troubling trend, as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and various state forces have increasingly targeted trade union and democratic rights activists over the past year.

Anirudh Rajan, a dedicated labour rights advocate based in the Delhi-NCR region, has been instrumental in organizing workers in Manesar under the banner of the Manesar General Mazdoor Sangh. His activism began with the New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI) and later extended to efforts for the release of political prisoners in CASR. He has led numerous protests advocating for improved working conditions and has critically examined the misuse of public funds for the benefit of large corporations.

According to CASR, while traveling from NCR to Bengaluru to visit friends and family, Anirudh was apprehended by police as he was about to board a bus to Chennai. Allegations have surfaced claiming he was attempting to meet his girlfriend and was involved in fundraising for the banned CPI (Maoist) party—claims that have been denied as false. He has been labeled a criminal and arrested under the repressive Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

According to CASR, the Indian government is targeting trade union activists nationwide, resulting in heightened surveillance, raids, and arrests based on accusations over the past decade. The state’s tactics aim to suppress any discourse surrounding the exploitation of the working class, with all forms of unionization facing severe backlash. Activists have been alleged to be associated with conspiracy charges, designed to undermine legitimate organizing activities.

Believes CASR, Anirudh’s arrest is part of a broader conspiracy, which casts a shadow over democratic rights activists in northern India. Activists unrelated to any criminal activity are often ensnared in this web of intimidation and persecution, with the state working to criminalize public action by infringing on fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution, including the right to freely associate and organize.

The ongoing repression of union activists, alongside those opposing social and economic injustices from marginalized backgrounds, aims to instill fear among ordinary to citizens and facilitate the unchecked rise of authoritarian, crony-capitalist governance, it adds.