HRF Organises Memorial Meeting for Balagopal

Hyderabad: Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav here on Sunday cautioned that recent Central government policies were undermining democratic systems and transforming India into an “electoral autocracy.” He criticised the Election Commission for creating a situation in Bihar where voters must prove their identity, with non-compliance resulting in removal from the voter list.

He was speaking on the topic ‘Challenges to the Architecture of Electoral Democracy’, at a meeting organised by the Human Rights Forum (HRF) to mark the 16th death anniversary of human rights activist K. Balagopal.

The event featured prominent speakers, including Delhi University professor Nandini Sundar, All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ) member P.S. Ajay Kumar, and Internet Freedom Foundation co-founder Apar Gupta.

Prof. Sundar addressed the issue of ‘Whose Bastar? The struggle for Adivasi futures’, and said that the identity and rights of tribals in Bastar faced serious threats. She accused the government of prioritising corporate interests over the protection of Adivasi land and resources.

Ajay Kumar, discussing ‘New forms of land theft’, criticised government policies that commoditise land, pushing poor and tribal communities into becoming tenants on their own property.

Apar Gupta highlighted issues of AI and privacy, warning that increasing surveillance and misuse of technology are eroding citizens’ personal privacy, with the government complicit in this lack of protection. During the event, Balagopal’s Telugu book ‘Rajyanganni Ela Chudali’ was released, followed by a short film on Palestine.