‘Hindutva majoritarianism, fascism must not define South Asia’s future’: Nahid Islam
National Citizen Party (NCP) spokesperson Nahid Islam has expressed solidarity with Indian youth protesting for electoral accountability and democratic rights, warning that Hindutva majoritarianism, fascism and religious supremacy must not shape South Asia’s future.
In a statement titled “Statement of Solidarity with the Youth of India”, published on his official Facebook page on Saturday, Nahid condemned the detention of protesters, organisers and journalists in New Delhi, as well as reported internet suspensions and restrictions on demonstrations at Jantar Mantar.
“Concerns regarding electoral integrity and institutional independence require transparent answers, not barricades and censorship,” he said.
Drawing parallels with Bangladesh’s July 2024 uprising, Nahid recalled how a student-led movement against recruitment quotas grew into a nationwide uprising against 15 years of authoritarian rule. Citing a United Nations estimate, he said as many as 1,400 people were killed during the uprising and its suppression.
He also acknowledged the solidarity shown by Indian students, writers and independent voices during Bangladesh’s uprising, saying young people across the region shared demands for accountable governance, democratic institutions and human dignity.
Nahid highlighted India's history of democratic resistance, including the Shaheen Bagh protests and student activism at Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jadavpur University. He also drew attention to the role of women in protests in India and Bangladesh, saying their courage and sacrifices had contributed to struggles for democratic rights.
Rejecting religious supremacy and communal hatred, Nahid called for a South Asia built on communal harmony and social justice, regardless of religion, caste, gender or class. He said no society could be truly democratic while minorities lived in fear, dissent was criminalised and citizenship depended on identity.
The NCP spokesperson urged Indian authorities to uphold the right to peaceful assembly, disclose the whereabouts of detained protest organisers and the legal grounds for their detention, and immediately release those held for exercising their rights. He also called for journalists to be allowed to work without intimidation or the seizure of their equipment.
Referring to activists Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid, who remain imprisoned, Nahid described India's detained protesters and prisoners of conscience as comrades whose courage inspires young people across South Asia.
He further called for Bangladesh and India to address longstanding regional concerns, including border killings, water sharing, environmental protection and national sovereignty, on the basis of equality and mutual respect.
“From Dhaka, and from the unfinished democratic aspirations of our July generation, we stand with you,” Nahid said, urging Indian youth to stand together, reject communal hatred and resist authoritarianism.