There may be a continuity in UAPA cases but the use of the law is distinct now, says the legal expert.

In his latest book, legal expert Mayur R Suresh details the intricacies of trials in cases filed under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, and how defendants engage with the legal process. Terror Trials: Life and Law in Delhi's Courts pieces together many such accounts in a country that has seen a rise in such cases amid concerns about Hindutva nationalism, framed charges, and suppression of constitutional freedoms.

“This idea of fear or this idea that certain kinds of people are definitely terrorists means that the word terrorism is used to delegitimise those who disagree with the Hindu nationalist project,” says Mayur, who is a senior lecturer at SOAS University of London.

Asked how Hindu nationalism is interlinked with UAPA cases, Mayur tells Akanksha Kumar that while “there may be a continuity” as compared to the UPA years, the “use of UAPA is distinct now” under the current administration.

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