Behind Delhi’s so called anti pollution protest, the same bsCEM that glorified Hidma also suppressed a sexual assault victim

Bhagat Singh Chhatra Ekta Manch, commonly known as bsCEM, is a student-led left-leaning organisation that often participates in protests linked to environmental and social issues in Delhi. However, the real agenda of the organisation has always been to propagate a pro-Naxal narrative. Recently, the group was seen at the centre of a large anti-pollution demonstration that took place on Sunday, 23rd November. While the event was presented as a campaign for clean air, it soon became clear that the agenda went far beyond environmental demands. What made the protest controversial was not just the violence but also the slogans and posters displayed by participants. Instead of focusing only on air pollution, organisers praised slain Naxal commander Madvi Hidma, calling him a hero and raising slogans like “Comrade Hidma Amar Rahe.” For those unaware, Hidma was one of the most wanted Naxals. He was responsible for numerous attacks on security personnel and civilians. He was also the mastermind of the infamous 2010 Dantewada attack that claimed the lives of 76 CRPF personnel. Posters glorifying Maoist groups were displayed, and some participants even referred to Maoist outfits as “people’s governments”. When the police tried to stop them, violence broke out as some of the protesters attacked police officers and even used chilli spray on them. This led to the police registering two FIRs and arresting 15 people. All of them, except one who claimed to be a juvenile, were sent to judicial remand by Patiala House Court on Monday. Self proclaimed 'Andolonjeevis' protesting against Air pollution in Delhi have raised 'Comrade Hidma Amar Rahe' sloganIt has become clear thatthese protesters don’t care about the environment, they care about Maoists. pic.twitter.com/Naj6mFzaPJ— Janta Journal (@JantaJournal) November 23, 2025 This shifted the focus of the protest. Instead of looking like a civil movement demanding better air quality, the demonstration started appearing like a political mobilisation by left-leaning and Maoist-aligned groups. bsCEM leaders, such as Ravjot Kaur and The Himkhand, were among the main organisers. They had also held a “Press Conference on the Movement for Clean Air” just days earlier, on 14th November, indicating that their role in the protest had been planned for some time. The sexual assault allegations against Mukundan Nair and bsCEM supported the accused According to a report by ForPol, in 2024, a young woman accused Mukundan Nair, a member of FACAM (another Urban Naxal group), of sexually assaulting her. At the time, she was associated with Nazariya Magazine, a left-leaning collective, while Mukundan belonged to a different allied organisation. In March 2024, Nazariya formed an internal investigation committee to look into the allegations. However, instead of taking firm action against Mukundan Nair, the committee concluded that he would undergo “rectification.” This is a term commonly used in communist spaces, but even the victim later said she did not know what it meant in practical terms. The victim was deeply dissatisfied with the committee’s findings. She went public, saying that Nazariya was not taking her complaint seriously and was trying to protect the accused. In November 2024, instead of re-examining the case, Nazariya expelled the victim from the group. The situation became even more disturbing when Nazariya released statements accusing the victim of being influenced by “imperialist ideology,” having “non-ideological sexual relationships,” and straying from “communist morality.” These terms had no connection to her sexual assault complaint, but they were used repeatedly to discredit her character and shift the focus away from her allegations. The victim speaks out against bsCEM  In December 2024, the SfPD (Students for People’s Democracy) published a statement from the victim. According to the victim, several activists linked to bsCEM were directly involved in her public shaming and supported Nazariya’s actions against her. The victim’s statement (Image via ForPol) The victim wrote that she wanted to take legal action against those who were slandering her, but she hesitated because she had previously had negative experiences with the police.  She further said that bsCEM was part of the anti-displacement forum that had expelled Mukundan Nair after the initial complaint, yet they refused to publicly comment on the matter. She said that within a week of her expulsion by Nazariya, bsCEM had supported the decision and even assisted in spreading false claims about her. The victim also revealed that she was slut-shamed and privately defamed by members of the group. “Supporters and enablers of sexual assault have a welcome place in this movement,” she said, pointing directly to bsCEM’s hypocrisy. Photographs and public contradictions In May 2025, the SfPD shared a photograph showing bsCEM members casually spending time with Mukundan Nair, even