Intellectuals, activists, writers and journalists came together on Thursday, to condemn the violation of rights in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district where recently activist Bela Bhatia (Somari) was threatened to vacate her house.
A statement signed by them demanded end to repression and harassment, restoration of democratic rights in the State, and withdrawal of fake cases.
Addressing a press conference, retired university teacher Padmaja Shaw said public opinion needs to be built to counter the lawlessness in the State.
Dwelling at length on the situation in Bastar, Prof. Shaw said that weapons are given to District Reserve Guards and Special Police Officers who are none but uneducated Adivasi youth. They are given licence to kill, rape and plunder with impunity. Those who question are being branded as ‘Safed Poshi Naxals’ and hounded.
Erosion of rights will not stop where it has started and sooner or later it will affect everyone, she said.
Another retired professor and AAP spokesperson P.L. Vishweshwar Rao noted that Bastar had absolutely no rule of law, constitutional rights, democracy or civil liberties. Neither the NHRC directions nor Supreme Court guidelines carry any weight there, as the police and courts have become complicit in harassing Adivasis and independent persons.
Lateef Mohammed Khan from Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee said the situation had come to such a state that for the defenders of people’s rights to defend their own rights now. He demanded immediate halt to the persecution of Adivasis and activists such as Bela Bhatia.
K. Sajaya from Caring Citizens’ Collective said associating the State repression with certain issues like Maoism and terrorism is effective in silencing the voices.
Journalist and Editor K. Srinivas said carving out of Chhattisgarh as separate state had distanced it from rights movements, which necessitates intellectuals from outside to speak on behalf of the people there.
Advocate Shakeel and G. Laxman from Civil Liberties Committee too expressed solidarity.
