New Delhi: A group of 146 scholars from across the world have come together to ask the Indian government to release 80-year-old Telugu poet Varavara Rao from prison. Rao is currently in Mumbai’s Nanavati Hospital for neurological and urological treatment. He has also tested positive for COVID-19.Rao has been seriously unwell in prison over the last month, and his family has alleged that his medical condition was ignored and allowed to worsen by the authorities. It was only after several appeals from his family, rights activists and lawyers that Rao was moved to a hospital.Signatories of the statement include Naom Chomsky, Barbara Harris-White, Jan Breman, Alpa Shah, Gyanendra Pandey, Christophe Jaffrelot, Ania Loomba and others.Several appeals have been made for the poet’s release, arguing that it is unethical to keep the undertrial octogenarian in jail in the midst of a global pandemic, especially given his frail health.Rao, who has been in jail since June 2018, is one of 11 human rights activists and lawyers who have been arrested in the Elgar Parishad case and accused of inciting violence against Dalits at Bhima Koregaon on January 1, 2018. The police also claims that they have “Maoist links”.As The Wire has reported before, in 2018, under the BJP-ruled government, the local Pune police was assigned the investigation in the case. The police had then claimed different theories and had branded arrested persons as “urban Naxals”. Among several theories floated by the Pune police, those arrested were also accused of plotting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assassination. This claim was made in a press conference, but strangely never investigated or made a part of the two bulky chargesheets filed in the case.In December last year, as soon as the coalition government of the Shiv Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress took over, the case was swiftly taken away from the local police and handed over to the central agency, NIA.The full statement and list of signatories is below.§Varavara Rao, poet, writer, activist and long-time speaker of truth to power has been imprisoned for two years now, along with ten other scholar-activists. They have been charged with inciting violence in Bhima Koregaon, a charge widely regarded as false, and over the past two years the government has failed to bring the charges to court and start the trial. Conditions in the jails in which these prisoners of conscience have been kept are said to be unhealthy and the threat of spread of infection has grown. Mr Rao, who is 80 years old, has now tested positive for COVID-19 and is seriously ill with several co-morbidities. His condition suggests clear neglect of his health by the authorities. We join other international scholars in appealing for the immediate release of Varavara Rao and the other Elgar Parishad activists.Signed:Barbara Harriss-White, FAcSS, Emeritus Professor and Fellow, Wolfson College, Oxford University, UKDr Hugo Gorringe, Co-Director Centre for South Asian Studies, University of Edinburgh, UKNoam Chomsky, Institute Professor & Professor of Linguistics emeritus, MIT, USAJan Breman, Emeritus Professor University of Amsterdam, Honorary Fellow of the International Institute of Social History, Netherlands.Jens Lerche, Reader in Agrarian and Labour Studies, Dept of Development Studies, SOAS, London, UKDr. Indrajit Roy, Senior Lecturer-Global Development Politics, Department of Politics, University of York, UKPatricia Jeffery, Professor Emerita, University of Edinburgh, UKJonathan Spencer, Regius Professor of South Asian Language, Culture and Society, Edinburgh University, UKDavid Mosse, Professor of Social Anthropology, SOAS, London, UKDr Shubranshu Mishra, Lecturer, Politics and International Relations, University of Exeter, UKKalathmika Natarajan, Teaching Fellow in South Asian History, University of Edinburgh, UKRadhika Govinda, Lecturer in Sociology, University of Edinburgh, UKDr. Deana Heath, Reader in Indian and Colonial History, University of Liverpool, UKAnisha Palat, PhD Student, University of Edinburgh, UKRoger Jeffery, Professor of Sociology of South Asia, Associate Director, Edinburgh India Institute, University of Edinburgh, UKColin Leys, Emeritus professor, Queen’s University, CanadaDr. Lotte Hoek, Senior Lecturer in Social Anthropology, University of Edinburgh, UKDr Kanchana Ruwanpura, Reader, University of Edinburgh, ScotlandDr Nandini Sen, Researcher, Heriot Watt University, UKArnab Bhattacharjee, Professor, Economics, Heriot Watt University, UKMeena Dhanda, Professor of Philosophy & Cultural Politics, University of Wolverhampton, UK.Dr Amogh Sharma, Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford University, UKSebastian Schwecke, Associate professor, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Kolkata and Centre for Modern Indian Studies, Göttingen University, GermanyDr Krithika Srinivasan, Lecturer, University of Edinburgh, UKBarbara Smith, Associate Professor in Agricultural Ecology and Public Science, Coventry University, UKDr Maryam Aslany, Post-doctoral Fellow, Wolfson College, Oxford, UKDr Alessandra Mezzadri, Senior Lecturer in Development Studies, Department of Development Studies, SOAS, London, UKRavi Ahuja, Professor of Modern Indian History, Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Göttingen, GermanyDr Alfred Gathorne-Hardy, Lecturer in Sustainable Resource Use, University of Edinburgh, and Senior Research Fellow, Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development, University of Oxford, UKBen Rogaly, Professor of Human Geography, University of Sussex, UKDr Vasudha Chhotray, Associate Professor, School of International Development, University of East Anglia, UKDr Devanshi Chanchani, Global Challenges Research Fellow, Brunel University, UKRashmi Varma, Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literary Studies, Warwick University, UKSusan Newman, Professor and Head of Economics, Open UniversityDr. Mukulika Banerjee, Director, South Asia Centre, London School of Economics, UKProjit Bihari Mukharji, Associate Professor, University of Pennsylvania, USA.Alberto Toscano Co-Director of the Centre for Philosophy and Critical Theory. Goldsmiths College, London, UKDr Subir Sinha, Sr lecturer in Institutions and Development, SOAS, London, UKDr Madhumita Dutta, Assistant Professor, Geography, Ohio State University, USADr Feyzi Ismail, Senior Teaching Fellow, SOAS University of London, UK,Balmurli Natrajan, Professor, Anthropology, William Paterson University of New Jersey, USASuraj T. PhD student, Department of Development Studies, SOAS, LondonJonathan Pattenden, Associate Professor, Politics and Development, University of East Anglia, UKDeepa Kurup, D Phil Student, Oxford University, UKLalit Vachani, Centre for Modern Indian Studies, (CeMIS), University of Gottingen, GermanyDr Alice Clark, Principal, Clark Research Associates, El Cerrito, California, USAAlpa Shah, Associate Professor, London School of Economics, UKAdam Hanieh, Professor, SOAS, University of London, UKDr Jacob Copeman, Senior Lecturer in Social Anthropology, Edinburgh University, UKRadhika Desai, Professor, Department of Political Studies, University of Manitoba, CanadaHaroon Akram-Lodhi, Professor of Economics and International Development Studies, Trent University, CanadaAnia Loomba, Catherine Byrson Professor of English, South Asian Studies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USAJohn Harriss, Professor Emeritus, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver and Adjunct Professor, Queen’s University, Kingston, CanadaKalyani Monteiro Jayasankar, PhD Student, Princeton University, USADurgesh Solanki, PhD Student, Johns Hopkins University, USADr Bashabi Fraser, Professor Emerita, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UKNeil Fraser, Retired Senior Lecturer in Social Policy, Edinburgh University, Edinburgh, UK.Christopher Cramer, Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS),Professor of the Political Economy of Development, SOAS, University of London, UKGilbert Achcar, Professor, SOAS, University of London, UKJonathan Galton, Research assistant, SOAS, University of London, UKSian Hawthorne, Senior Lecturer and Subject Head, Religions and Philosophies, School of History, Religions and Philosophies, SOAS, University of London. UKBrenna Bhandar, Reader in Law, SOAS, University of London, UKTim Pringle, Senior Lecturer, Department of Development Studies, SOAS, University of London, UKVanja Hamzić, Senior Lecturer in Legal History and Legal Anthropology, Associate Director of Research, SOAS, University of London, UKAndrew Newsham, Senior Lecturer in International Development, SOAS, University of London, UKKenneth Bo Nielsen, Associate Professor of Social Anthropology and Coordinator of the Norwegian Network for Asian Studies, University of Oslo, NorwayMichael Levien, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Johns Hopkins University, USAGeir Heierstad, Director, Norwegian institute of urban and regional research, Oslo Metropolitan University, NorwayPamela Price, Professor Emerita, University of Oslo, NorwayAdrija Dey Postdoctoral Research Fellow, SOAS, University of London, UKHashim Rashid PhD, SOAS, University of London, UKSara Kazmi, PhD, SOAS, University of London, UKShailza Sharma, PhD, University of Essex, UKShailaja Paik, Associate Professor, University of Cincinnati, USAPranav Jani, Associate Professor of English, Director of South Asian Studies Initiative, The Ohio State University, USARachel Sturman, Associate Professor, Department of History & Asian Studies Program, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, USAAshwini Deo, Associate Professor, Linguistics, The Ohio State University, USADr Shalini Grover, Research Officer, International Inequalities Institute, London School of Economics, London, UKAshwin Subramanian, Centre for Modern Indian Studies (CeMIS), Göttingen, GermanyNikita Sud, Associate Professor, University of OxfordDr Satoshi Miyamura, Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics, SOAS, London, UKRochisha Narayan, Assistant Professor, University of Central Florida, USADavid Hardiman, Emeritus Professor of History, University of Warwick, UKDr Mayur Suresh, Lecturer,, School of Law, SOAS, London, UKDr Eleanor Newbigin, Senior lecturer, Department of History, Religions and Philosophies, SOAS, London, UKMalvika Gupta, DPhil candidate, International Development, Oxford University, UKAjantha Subramanian, Professor of Anthropology and of South Asian Studies, Harvard University, USADebjani Bhattacharyya, Associate Professor, Department of History, Drexel University, Philadelphiia, USAJonathan Parry, Emeritus Professor, LSE, UKJayant Lele, Professor Emeritus, Global Development Studies , Queen’s University, CanadaRaju Das, Professor, Department of Geography, York University, CanadaMihika Chatterjee, Departmental Lecturer, University of Oxford, UKJan Toporowski, Professor of Economics and Finance, SOAS University of London, UKAnupama Rao, History, Barnard College, Columbia University, USAHira Singh, Associate Professor of Sociology, York University, CanadaSejuti Das Gupta, Assistant Professor, Michigan State University, USAGeoff Goodwin, Departmental Lecturer in Development Studies, University of Oxford, UKAjay Skaria, Department of History/Institute for Global Studies, University of Minnesota, USAGyanendra Pandey, Professor of History, Emory University, Atlanta, USAProfessor Leslie Elliott Armijo, International Studies, Simon Fraser University, CanadaTapas BandopadhyayMeenal Shrivastava, Professor, Political Economy & Global Studies, Centre for Social Sciences, Athabasca University, CanadaRadhakrishna Sanka, Ph.D. Candidate, College of Engineering, Boston University, USAIsabelle Guerin, Senior Research Fellow, French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), France / Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, USADeepak Kapur, Distinguished Professor of Computer Science. The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, USRoli Varma, Carl Hatch Endowed Professor, School of Public Administration, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, USARaja Swamy, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of Tennessee, USADr Dolores Chew, Faculty, History and Humanities, Marianopolis College, Montreal, CanadaRochisha Narayan, Assistant Professor, University of Central Florida, USAS. Charusheela, Professor, Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, University of Washington, Bothell, USAChristophe Jaffrelot, Professor of Politics, KCL, London UK, and Research Director, CERI-Sciences Po/CNRS, Paris, FranceNitya Rao, Professor Gender and Development, School of International Development, University of East Anglia, UKRatik Asokan, Writer, The Baffler Magazine, UKIlan Kapoor, Professor, York University, Toronto, CanadaGyan Prakash, Dayton-Stockton Professor of HistoryPrinceton University, USAMichael Nijhawan, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, York University, CanadaSanjeev Routray, Department of Sociology, UBC, CanadaShyam Ranganathan, Department of Philosophy,,York Center for Asian Research, York University, Toronto, CanadaAminah Mohammad-Arif, CNRS-CEIAS research fellow, Paris, FranceSugata Ghosh, Professor of Economics, Brunel University London, UKNalini Iyer, Professor of English, Seattle University, USAHimani Bannerji, Professor Emeritus and Senior Scholar, Department of Sociology, York University, CanadaNathaniel Roberts, Dozent, University of Göttingen, GermanyRupa Viswanath, Professor, University of Göttingen, GermanyMichael Reinsborough, Lecturer, SOAS University of London, UKJostein Jakobsen, Researcher, Centre for Development and the Environment, University of Oslo, NorwayStephen Watts, Poet, LondonAlf Gunvald Nilsen, Professor, University of Pretoria, South AfricaUrs Geiser, Associate Senior Researcher, Dept. of Geography, University of Zurich, SwitzerlandShreya Sinha, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Cambridge, UKDan Hirslund, Associate Professor, University of Copenhagen, DenmarkPallavi Roy, Lecturer, Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy, SOAS University of London, UKAnne Waldrop, Professor in Development Studies, Oslo Metropolitan University, NorwayJoel Lee, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Williams College, USASarmistha Pal, Professor of Financial Economics, University of Surrey, UKSheetal Chhabria, Associate Professor of History, Connecticut College, USAJudith Heyer, Fellow Emeritus, Somerville College, Oxford University, UKSantiago Izquierdo-Tort, Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Temperate Forest Sciences, Université du Québec en Outaouais, Canada.Dr Aparna Sundar, Contemporary Asian Studies, University of Toronto, CanadaDavid Gellner, Professor of Social Anthropology and Fellow, All Souls College, Oxford University, UKDr Nicolas Jaoul, CNRS /IRIS , Paris, FranceAman Bardia, Platform Cooperativism Consortium, The New School, New York, USAChinmoy Banerjee, Emeritus Professor of English, Simon Fraser University, CanadaSrujana Katta, Researcher, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, UK.Dr. Priyanka Basu Curator, The British Library, London, UK
