A group of 250 activists, academics, students, artists and citizens from Gujarat signed a letter expressing solidarity with the people of Kashmir and calling for an end to the communications blockade and release of political prisoners in Kashmir. The letter details how the Indian government revoked Kashmir's autonomy, imposed a military blockade and communications shutdown for over two months, denying Kashmiris their civil liberties and subjecting some to torture. It calls on the Indian government to lift the blockade and release prisoners to restore fundamental human rights in Kashmir.

1. A group of 250 activists, academics, students, artists and concerned citizens of Gujarat have
signed this letter to declare solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who have been
silenced and held captive in their own land. They call for a complete lift on the media and
communications blockade (including the restoration of internet services), the release of political
prisoners detained without trial since August 5, the demilitarisation of Kashmir, and the
initiation of a meaningful dialogue with the people of the region on their future.
A Letter of Support, from Gujarat to Kashmir
On August 5, the Indian state unilaterally and without consultation with the Jammu and
Kashmir legislature revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s right to self-governance. It brought the
region under the direct control of the New Delhi government. In doing so, the central
government displayed a blatant disregard for the nation’s founding principles of democracy,
secularism and justice.
This was followed by a military blockade and an unprecedented media and communications
shutdown, which has lasted more than two months. The blockade has plunged the people of
Jammu and Kashmir into fear and uncertainty and initiated a humanitarian crisis in the region.
Kashmiris have been denied the basic civil liberties and freedoms of expression, information,
assembly, movement and religion. Eid and Ashura passed as the clampdown continued, and
Kashmiris both within and outside the state were unable to wish their family members. Even
when an ​earthquake​ hit Mirpur, killing 38 and injuring hundreds, there was no media coverage
of damages, injuries and fatalities on the Indian side of the LoC, leaving Kashmiris across India
unable to contact their loved ones.1
Despite mounting and credible evidence of human rights abuses and a ​healthcare crisis​ from
numerous international media sources and independent fact-finding missions, the Indian
government continues to insist that everything in Kashmir has returned to ‘normal’.
Military forces have detained ​thousands​ of people, among them politicians, leaders, lawyers,
journalists, teachers, students, and ​children​ as young as ten. Civilians, including children, are
being tortured and ruthlessly beaten and subjected to electric shocks.
In a ​report​ from BBC News, a civilian is quoted saying, “we told them we are innocent. We
asked why they were doing this to us? But they did not listen to us. I told them don’t beat us,
just shoot us. I was asking God to take me, because the torture was unbearable.”
1
The phrasing of this sentence has been changed slightly from an earlier version, for clarification.

2. Meanwhile, medical reports and hospital admission logs are being ​manipulated​ in order to keep
casualty reports low. Doctors report being under pressure not to issue death certificates.
On August 15, as the rest of India celebrated independence from colonial rule, Kashmir went
into an indefinite lockdown imposed by the Indian government. As India celebrated freedom
won through years of protest, civil disobedience, and a commitment to self-rule, Kashmiris
were being denied those very liberties.
With each passing day that this is allowed to continue, India inches closer to fascism, and
further from democracy.
While thousands protest outside the United Nations in New York, here in Ahmedabad the
police ​refuses​ permission to protest. Gujarat is where the very spirit of dissent has been
crushed under the weight of a state actively and tacitly supported by the majority. The state
has attempted to control the media narrative, shuttered places of protest, and ​stifled​ age-old
democratic institutions like the Gujarat Vidyapith and the Mehdi Nawaz Jung Hall. The
Sabarmati Riverfront, touted as a monumental reclamation of public space, does not allow for
public assembly and dissent.
Despite this, we assert that there are still voices in Gujarat calling for change, voices that some
have tried their best to quell, but that refuse to remain silent. Among civil society leaders, there
is a sense of fear, uncertainty and helplessness. And yet, and still, there is dissent.
The Indian state has decided that the value of land is greater than that of human life. We
cannot let this stand. ​We the undersigned stand in solidarity with Kashmiris, and demand that
Kashmiri voices be heard.
Now, more than ever, is the time to remember those who fought for our freedom, B.R.
Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, and Khan Abdul
Ghaffar Khan, among so many others. These freedom fighters had a dream for this country, a
pluralist democracy composed of states and peoples who willingly came together to preserve
the idea of India. This dream of a free state did not and could not have included shutting an
entire people out of the democratic process and imprisoning them.
It is imperative today that we remember their vision of a state in which justice, equality and
peace could reach everyone, and in their memory, fight for freedom once more, from those
who wish to usurp the very idea of what this country stands for.

3. We urge the Indian government to ​lift the communication and media blockade​, restoring
fundamental human rights to freedom of movement, assembly and information.
We call for the ​release of all political prisoners - leaders and young people - ​who have been
detained without trial since August 5.
We call for the ​demilitarisation of Kashmir​, and the ​initiation of a meaningful conversation
with the Kashmiri people on the future of the state.
You may contact Dev Desai at ​likedesai@gmail.com​ or 99797 04474 or Maansi Shah at
maansi.shah.28@gmail.com​ with any questions.
Signed,
In Gujarat
1. Dev Desai, Social Activist, Anhad
2. Maansi Shah, Teacher, CEPT University
3. Sharik Laliwala, Researcher
4. Maya Ratnam, Teacher, Ahmedabad University
5. Akshaya Vijayalakshmi, IIM Ahmedabad
6. Navdeep Mathur, Teacher, IIM Ahmedabad
7. Inayat Singh Kakar, Researcher, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan
8. Ishu Gupta, Researcher, IIM Ahmedabad
9. Hiren Gandhi, Activist, Samvedan Samsritik Manch
10. Aziz Minat, Concerned Citizen
11. Shraddha Kulhari, Concerned Citizen
12. Fr. Cedric Prakash, Activist
13. Rakesh Basant, Concerned Citizen
14. Dhaval M Chauhan, PhD Student, Gujarat University
15. Parth Trivedi, Activist
16. Poornima Varma, Academician
17. Prasad Chacko, Social Worker
18. Swati Goswami, Writer, Artists Unite Ahmedabad
19. Rachana Mudraboyina, Transgender Rights Activist
20. Anilbhai, Concerned Citizen
21. Aparajith Ramnath, Academic
22. Shyam Shah, Architect
23. Jignesh Sengal, Banker
24. Nitish, Student, SFI

4. 25. Sonia Mishra, Concerned Citizen
26. Bhargav Oza, Researcher
27. Kavan Gediya, Student
28. Dixit Kumar Parmar, Activist, RDAM
29. Ikram Beg Mirza, President, Welfare Party of India, Gujarat
30. Navdeep Mathur, Teacher, IIM Ahmedabad
31. Mohammed Marfatiya, Concerned Citizen
32. Maneksha Varghese, Concerned Citizen
33. Suahila, Concerned Citizen
34. Sejal Dand, Activist
35. Atish Indrekar Chhara, Theatre Activist, Budhan Theatre
36. Ghanshyam Patel, Concerned Citizen
37. Rathore Rameezkhan, Teacher, Azad Foundation
38. Krishnakant, Volunteer, NAPM
39. Prashant Patel, Photojournalist, Amar Photography
40. Ketan Satish Deshmukh, Student, IIM Ahmedabad
41. Svati Shah, Concerned Citizen
42. Nirjhari Sinha, Activist, Jan Sangharsh Manch
43. Ghanshyam Shah, Retired Professor, JNU
44. Abbas Ghulam Mehdi, Teacher
45. Persis Ginwalla, Concerned Citizen
46. Firoz Rangrez, Politician
47. Daud N. Kitharia, Activist, Action for Juhapura Infrastructure Movement (AJIM)
48. Rohit Prajapati, Activist
49. Nimmi Chauhan, Independent Development Communications Practitioner
50. Aruna, Concerned Citizen
51. Neha Shah, Teacher
52. Danish Qureshi, Legal Activist, Democratic Minority Forum
53. Varadharajan Ramakrishnan, Software Entrepreneur
54. Rachana Varadharajan, Pharma Industry - Operations
55. Balendra Vaghela, Concerned Citizen
56. Huma Nizami, Teacher
57. Riaz Motiwala, Concerned Citizen
58. Divya R., Concerned Citizen
59. Najir Patel, Activist, Ahmedabad Task Force
60. Adil, Concerned Citizen
61. Kadir Shaikh, Concerned Citizen
62. Ammar, Teacher
63. Salman Mansuri, Concerned Citizen

5. 64. Salim Mansuri, Concerned Citizen
65. Aslam Langha, Social Worker
66. Tofik Kazi, Android Developer
67. Naeem Ansari, Service
68. Murtaza T Madraswala, Versatile Designer
69. Saiyed Mohsin Saiyedali, Tailor, SDPI / ATF
70. Saiyed Mohammedyunus, Police Service
71. Shabana Patel, Activist
72. Mirza SoyebBeg YashinBeg, Student
73. Mohammadfarhaz Shaikh, Student
74. Ansari Akib Ali Akbar Ali, Student
75. Javed Gori, Self Employed
76. Vhora Alfaz, Concerned Citizen
77. Zakwan Mansuri, Data Scientist
78. Ashraf Husen Liyakat Husen Shaikh, Student
79. Gautam Priyadarshi, Student
80. Ali, Concerned Citizen
81. Tausifahmed Diwan, Underwriter, Star Health
82. Isharahmad Khalilullakhan Pathan, Manager
83. Gulammohiyuddin Muntazimoddin Kazi, Engineer, Tuv Sud South Asia Pvt Ltd
84. Azhar Saiyed, Architect And Social Worker
85. Natasha M., Concerned Citizen
86. Sumaiya, Government Servant
87. Leepi Agrawal, QA Engineer, Automation Anywhere
88. Mridul Gupta, Student
89. Dishant Lodaliya, Concerned Citizen
90. Nachiketa Desai, Freelance Journalist
91. Abdul Hafiz Lakhani, Editor, Gujarat Siyasat Newspaper
92. J.S.Bandukwala, Concerned Citizen
93. Munawar Hussain, Journalist
94. Shamshad Pathan, Lawyer, Alp Sankhyak Adhikar Manch
95. Imran Bhohariya, Social Worker
96. Sameer Yadav, Academic Associate, Anant National University
97. Neha Patel, Student
98. Bhavesh Jain, Gandhinagar Institute of Technology
99. Amaani Vaniya, Concerned Citizen
100. Manav Sumara, Concerned Citizen
101. Abdul Qayyum, Concerned Citizen
102. Joseph Mattam, Emeritus Professor

6. 103. Reetika Khera, IIM Ahmedabad
104. Payal Ganga, Student
105. Salim Hafezi, Concerned Citizen
106. Terrin Manjila, Student
107. Navnath Baliram Sonwane, Student
108. Prof Mehboob Desai
109. Nikhil Sharma, Teacher
110. Rajan, Business Owner
111. Ayush Patel, Student
112. Sneha Jain, Student
113. Renu Khanna, Development Professional
114. Stalin K., Concerned Citizen
115. Uttam Parmar, Activist
116. Vishal Rajput, Student
117. Sulekha, Student
118. Rafi Malek, Activist
119. Anurag Shukla, Doctoral Student, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
120. Farooq Abdulgafar Bawani, Freelancer
121. Utpal Anish, Research Scholar, Gujarat Vidyapith
122. Malek Atik, Student
123. Akki, Student
124. Sameer Yadav, Academic Associate, Anant National University
125. Simran Mulchandani, Student
126. Raghavan Rangarajan, Professor
127. Viral Shankarbhai Konkani, Social Worker, Adivasi Ekta Parishad
128. Karthik Rao Cavale, Assistant Professor, Ahmedabad University
129. Manas Kandi, Research Scholar, Central University of Gujarat
130. Jay Patel, Student
131. Svati Joshi, Academic, Activist
132. Hiren Patel, Concerned Citizen
133. Harsh Kinger, Student, MSU
In India (outside Gujarat)
134. Shabnam Hashmi, Social Activist, Anhad
135. Sathya S, Consultant and Activist
136. Dr. Sylvia Karpagam, Public Health Doctor
137. Jimmy Regina C. Dabhim, Navsarjan, Xavier's Cell for Human Development
138. Saravanan V, MPhil Scholar, Delhi
139. K. M. Shrimali, Former Professor of History, Delhi University

7. 140. Kamayani Swami, Concerned Citizen
141. CB Choudhary, Activist, Samajwadi Jan Parishad
142. Anand Teltumbde, Teacher, Goa Institute of Management
143. Jagmohan Singh, Activist, General Secretary Association For Democratic Rights
(Punjab)
144. Tushar Parmar Marxpriya, Communist Party of India (RP)
145. Mohd Abuzar , Activist, Anhad
146. Dr. Sylvia Karpagam, Public Health Doctor and Researcher
147. Dr. Batul Hamid, Principal, Viva College of Law
148. Manjusha Bhagade, Lawyer
149. Dr. Swati Lavand, Professor, Sardar Patel College of Engineering
150. Runu Chakraborty, Activist
151. Prasad Chacko, Social Worker
152. Bindu A Karedan, Concerned Citizen
153. Owais Afzal Khan, Indian National Congress Volunteer
154. Laboni Singh, Activist
155. Shanmuga Pillai, Concerned Citizen
156. Chinmoyee Roy Chowdhury, Concerned Citizen
157. Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, Insurance Advisor, Atheist Republic Kolkata Consulate
158. Arun Prasad Sinha, Activist
159. Balaji Gurude, Farmer
160. Dr. Dev, Shayar, Writer, Teacher
161. Akash Debnath, Concerned Citizen
162. Dr. Manchala Gangadhar, Chief Editor, Democratic Teachers' Federation
163. Amar Nath Parcha, Activist
164. Ritesh Nath Tiwari, Concerned Citizen
165. Amitabha Basu, Retired Scientist
166. Jasvir Singh Arora, Concerned Citizen
167. Dimple Oberoi Vahali, Concerned Citizen
168. Atul Mhase, Software Professional
169. CMRB India, Consultant
170. Rachana Desai, Homemaker
171. Harishchandra, Activist, Anhad
172. Sokat Malik, Social Worker
173. Saify Saraiya, Life and Wellness Coach, ZVM
174. Monalisa, Professional
175. Armaan, Concerned Citizen
176. Talaha Nandoliya, Civil Engineer
177. Dr. Shaheen Ansari, Program Coordinator, Arkitect India

8. 178. Sujata Patel, National Fellow, Indian Institute of Advanced Study
179. Nazim Shekh, Senior Citizen
180. Vimal Bhanot, Retired Professor
181. Bharat Chitale, Advocate
182. Amrita, Researcher, Wildlife Institute Of India
183. Antonio Jose F.X. Colaco, Retired Banker
184. Teesta Setalvad, CJP
185. Chitransh Saxena, President, Padbank
186. D. Parthasarathy, Teacher
187. Kamayani Bali Mahabal, Activist
188. Jitendra, Student
189. Mahesh Kumar, Freelance Journalist
190. Sudhir Chopra, Retired Joint Director
191. Asha D'Souza, Consultant on Development and Labour Rights
192. Amit Bhaduri, Professor Emeritus, JNU
193. Ranjeet Kindo, Director, Tribal Research and Training Centre
194. Tapan Bose, Filmmaker, Writer & Human Rights Defender
195. Dr. Lubna Sarwath, Telangana State General Secretary, Socialist Party(India)
196. Arun Kumar, Concerned Citizen
197. Ms. Rahman, Professor
198. Harshit Mitruka, Concerned Citizen
199. Hussain A Babat, Compliance Officer,​​IMS
200. Ritik Raj, Student, Law College Dehradun
201. Prakash Louis, Teacher
202. Ameer, Concerned Citizen
203. Arvind Sivaramakrishnan, Teacher
204. Madhu Bhaduri, Retired Ambassador Of India
205. Kalpana Kannabiran, Concerned Citizen
206. Tehzeema, Concerned Citizen
207. Irfan Engineer, Concerned Citizen
208. Faraz Ahmad, Freelance Journalist
209. Asha Ahmad, Retired Ophthalmologist
210. G. Thiraviyam, Concerned Citizen
211. Subhasis Bandyopadhyay, Faculty,​​Iiest, Shibpur
212. Pamela Philipose, Journalist, Public Editor, The Wire
213. Sannybhai, Activist
214. R. Govinda, Professor, Council For Social Development
215. Bianca, Concerned Citizen
216. Appanasamy, Journalist

9. 217. Ram Naresh Jha, Retired School Teacher, PUCL
218. E. Donald Xavier, Director, Green India Foundational Trust
219. Nidhi, Concerned Citizen
220. Abhinav Jain, Co-founder, Oye24
221. P. Kerketta, Activist
222. Anjali Noronha, Concerned Citizen
223. George K., Concerned Citizen
224. Preeti, Development Worker
225. Sr. Sudha, Social Worker, Arpanam Trust
226. Samuel Asir Raj S., Professor
International
227. Arul Anthony, Australia
228. Malik Malik, Data Analyst, United States
229. Nikeeta Shah, Student, United States
230. Rishi Doshi, Doctor, United States
231. Pooja Doshi, Physical Therapist, United States
232. Fatima Hassan, Student, United States
233. Elle Davidson, Student, United States
234. Aaron Dickinson, United States
235. Heena Shah, Physician, United States
236. Arul Pandian, Australia
237. Apurva Shah, Physician, United States
238. Samir Shah, Student, United States
239. Ghazia Shamim, Student, Canada
240. Nagarajan V., Student (Studying Abroad), Germany
241. Saifuddin Mohd, Activist, United States
242. Tina, Attorney, United States
243. Neel Doshi, Physician, United States
244. Bhaswati Bhattacharya, Sr. Research Fellow, Centre for Modern Indian Studies,
Germany
245. Zeelan Bahsha, Accountant, UAE
246. Rimsha Chaudhry, Student, United States
247. Prof. Ismail Poonawala, Professor Emeritus UCLA, United States
248. Rao Rampilla, Actor, United States
249. Stephen Perenara Marr, Maori, Councilor Local Government, New Zealand
250. Shaukat Ajmeri, Canada
251. Sarah Kuo, Environmental Scientist, United States