New Delhi: Four Kerala MPs, two MLAs and a hundred academic voices, activists and eminent individuals from all walks of life have written an open letter for fellow Keralite Hany Babu, urging among other things, action to ensure that the jailed scholar is released before being exposed to COVID-19.After raids by the NIA at his house in 2019 and 2020, Hany Babu was arrested on July 28 2020 in connection with the Bhima Koregaon case, after having been called to Mumbai for five days of interrogation.Among signatories are MPs K. Muraleedharan (Congress), E.T. Mohammed Basheer (IUML) and M.P. Abdussamad Samadani (IUML) and MLAs K.P.A. Majeed (IUML) and Dr. M.K. Muneer (IUML).In a detailed letter that highlights how Babu, a linguist and activist of renown, had earned the state’s attention by associating himself singularly with the Ambedkarite cause, the signatories point out how his arrest in the Bhima Koregaon case was almost foretold.“It is his strong anti-caste struggles based on an Ambedkarite’s conviction and his commitment to the cause of social justice that puts Hany babu on the opposite side of the Savarna Hindutva state,” the letter observes.Sixteen scholars, activists, poets, performers and lawyers have been held in connection with the case by now.The signatories cite how a report by the independent US forensic firm Arsenal Consulting points out that material considered as “evidence” by the NIA was in fact installed into Rona Wilson’s computer. Observing that this demands a re-investigation into all accused including Wilson, the signatories also delineate how the investigation into Babu’s involved was in itself worthy of question.The letter implores those in Kerala to raise voices for Babu’s release. The letter posits the Sangh Parivar’s Hindutva interests against those of people like Babu, who have given themselves to the class and caste struggle. The letter cites how Babu fought to implement measures that would alleviate the situations of people – and especially students – of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.Ultimately, the letter points to the cruelty of undertrial incarceration amidst a pandemic, noting that it is a gross human rights violation.The full letter is below:Hany Babu M.T, a Keralite and an assistant professor at Delhi University, has been languishing in Mumbai jail for the past nine months, falsely accused in the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case. Hany Babu is a renowned linguist who has received a doctorate from EFLU, Hyderabad and from the University of Konstanz, Germany. Professor Babu is an honest social activist, who upon identifying himself as an Ambedkarite dedicated his life entirely to social justice and anti-caste struggles. Many Central University students coming from Dalit-Bahujan background had recounted stories of support and motivation they used to receive from their dear professor. They have reiterated how valuable his support was for their growth. As said in the request released by his family yesterday, for someone who makes other’s urgencies his needs, it is not surprising to see him revered by teachers and students alike.An analysis report released by Arsenal Consulting, an independent digital forensic company based in Massachusetts, on the evidence submitted by NIA against Rona Wilson, another falsely accused in the same case, reveals the shocking depth of State conspiracy in this case that puts democratic values into shame. The only evidence that links Rona Wilson with Maoist groups is a set of documents installed in their computer by hackers using malicious software. The same modus operandi has been used against all the other 15 accused in this case. The shocking revelations by Arsenal consulting demand a re-investigation, in this case, to implement justice. However, there has been no such initiative. The criminal silence continued by both the justice system and the public should be protested.Also read: Incriminating Letters Were ‘Planted’ on Rona Wilson’s Laptop: US Digital Forensics FirmThe conspired state violence against Hany Babu and other accused in the baseless Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case is highly condemnable. Hany Babu was arrested unexpectedly on July 28 2020, after he was called to Mumbai by NIA for a five-day questioning. During September 2019 and August 2020, before and after his arrest by NIA, Hany babu’s family had to endure a long and intimidating raid at their house. His books, documents, electronic devices were captured under U.A.P.A without any warrant or necessary official documents, even the basic rules of evidence collection were neglected. NIA didn’t provide them with a proper list or hash value of the data in the electronic devices, thereby consciously creating more chances for evidence tampering. Some important details revealed by his family should be added to this. During the questioning before his arrest, Hany Babu was pressurised to provide statements against others arrested in the case and thereby forcing him to become a witness in the case. It is to be rightly assumed that NIA had decided to teach a lesson to Hany Babu, who refused to comply with their demands.It is his strong anti-caste struggles based on an Ambedkarite’s conviction and his commitment to the cause of social justice that puts Hany babu on the opposite side of the Savarna Hindutva state. Here is someone who had fought to implement OBC reservation in Delhi University and fought constantly to end discrimination against SC/ST community. Hany Babu was also actively part of the ‘Committee for the defence and release of Sai Baba’, a committee formed for his former classmate and colleague Sai Baba. Sai Baba is 90% disabled, has been denied justice and is still behind bars.Also read: Delhi Police Register Case Against Students Protesting Hany Babu’s ArrestHany Babu has been imprisoned for the past nine months, and it is indeed regrettable that there have been no voices of protest, including from Kerala, for the release of Hany Babu. The increasing cases of Covid and related death in the overcrowded jails have created an atmosphere of panic among the prisoners. It is a gross human rights violation that even during this alarming situation falsely accused under trials are being tortured by the state. It is indeed cruel that the prisoners are denied of their right to visitors under the excuse of covid protocol and even parcels containing books are being rejected.By hunting intellectuals like Hany Babu who are committed to the cause of the downtrodden, Sangh Parivar is trying to suppress all voices against their Savarna Hindutva ideologies. It is high time that we start raising voices for Hany Babu and many other innocents who are languishing in jails as victims of the state hunt. The democratic values and human rights of this country are being constrained as we speak and every moment of our silence adds to that. We need to put aside our differences and raise our voices for justice together.The full list of signatories is below:K. Muraleedharan MPE. T. Mohammed Basheer MPM. P. Abdussamad Samadani MPBinoy Viswam MPK. P. A. Majeed MLADr. MK Muneer MLAVT BalramSayyid Munavvar Ali Shihab ThangalK. SatchidanandanKen KunjumuhammedBRP BhaskarSunny M. KapicaduProfessor Muhammad IlyasK. AmbujakshanDr. PT AzadDr. PK PockerPT JohnNP ChekkuttyPK PrakashanKS HariharanHameed VaniyambalamKK BaburajIlavupalam Shamsuddheen MannaniAbdul Shukkoor QasimiVH Aliyar QasimiCK Abdul AseesProfessor Dileep RajP MujeeburahmanNahas MalaDr. Arun LalDr. Hareesh TharayilDr. Srihari AProfessor Suresh MP Abdul Majeed FaizyAmjad Ali EMAS Ajith KumarDr. MT AnsariDr. Jenny RowenaProfessor Carmel ChristyDr. J DevikaProfessor Sreebitha PVDr. Kavyakrishna KRDr. Arun AsokanDr.TT SreekumarSimi KChithralekha EDr. OK SanthoshShihab PokkotturShamseer IbraheemFayiz KanicherryDr. K AshrafNajda RaihanAdv. Anoop VRThamanna SultanaProfessor Ratheesh KrishnanDr. Sheeba KMDr. KS SudeepProfessor Sachin NMridula Devi S.Shrutheesh KannadiAdv. Hashir K MuhammedProfessor Navaneeta MokkilProfessor Reshma BharadwajProfessor Santhosh SadanandDeepa VasudevanDr. Khadeeja MumthazDr. Priya ChandranAdv. Anoop VRJohnson NPRupesh KumarDr. Ajay S ShekharDr. Varsha BasheerDr. KS MadhavanProfessor Mani PPDr. Vipin KHariDr. Sadique PK MampadAdv. Ameen HassanAjayakumar VBProfessor K AjithaUmmul FayizaRenoir PanangattMrudula BhavaniAleena AkashamittayiSreerag ParayilAdv. Thushar Nirmal SarathiAdv.Sarika PallathNoel Maryam GeorgeShabariReny AylinDinu VeyilAfthab EllathMeharban MuhammedPM Haroon KavanurSaleem DeliAravind VSRazique RaheemJoli ChirayathYakkoobSeba ShirinShameer KSFeba RasheedMusab AbdussalamShan MuhammedKP Fathima Sherin