Hyderabad: Harvard University on Monday, October 12, backed fellow alumni Shadan Faeasat and Mehr Pasricha, the Cockroach Janta Party’s policy head, while strongly condemning Delhi Police action against peaceful protesters.
The university raised concerns over the mass detentions on Saturday, October 10, when the CJP called for a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi against the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over discrepancies in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls across India.
“We, as alumni, students, faculty, and staff of Harvard University, are deeply concerned by the unprecedented siege of Delhi by police and paramilitary forces and arbitrary, illegal, and unconstitutional police actions against peaceful protesters across the country on 10th October, 2026,” Harvard wrote in a statement.
“We strongly condemn police brutality, unlawful detention, and violations of constitutional rights of all peaceful protesters.”
The university said Shadan Farasat, Class of Harvard Law School, 2009, who is currently a senior advocate in the Supreme Court, was allegedly detained and manhandled by the police while he was attempting to prevent the illegal detention of a peaceful protesters. “If lawyers are prevented from providing legal air, then the entire system of law and order breaks down,” the statement read.
On Mehr Parischa, the university said she was not at any protest site but was peacefully eating breakfast in Laxmi Nagar when she was illegally detained and held for 13 hours. “She was not given any paperwork or grounds for detention throughout the entire period of her detention,” the statement said.
Harvard University reiterated its support for peaceful protesters exercising their constitutional rights and commended those who have assisted people with unlawful detentions. It called upon the government and law enforcement authorities to “immediately cease and desist all violations” and ensure that those responsible for abuses are held accountable with the rule of law.
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