We are distressed to learn that a meeting of Indian civil society activists who gathered in the building belonging to an opposition party of India was disrupted by the Indian Police Department. What is even more disturbing to international civil society is that this meeting of Indian civil society was by the coalition of ‘We-20’ that was meeting to provide an input from civil society to the G-20 meeting that will be held in India shortly.

Image Credits: Subin Dennis (Twitter)

As is the international tradition, many civil society groups are encouraged to have forums and discussions on the areas and issues that are of concern to G-20. These discussions do not have to be confined only to officially designated formal and informal groups. So it disconcerting that an open discussion like this has been forcefully stopped.

We urge the Indian Government and all concerned to allow Indian civil society the space and freedom to engage in discussions in an atmosphere of democratic freedoms and absence of fear which is the arch of any democratic society.

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