Human Rights activists under the banner of Movement to Protect People's Right (MPPR) will conduct a demonstration on January 3 demanding the release of human rights activist Binayak Sen.
As a prelude to the protest rally, ‘Free Binayak Sen Campaign' was held in the city on Thursday. The ‘Free Binayak Sen Campaign' was attended by CPI National Secretary D. Raja, Madras High Court Senior Advocate Geetha Ramaseshan, Human Rights Activist A. Marx, Indian Journal of Medical Ethics Editor George Thomas and Columnist Gnani.
Briefing reporters, Mr. Raja demanded the immediate release of Dr. Sen, who was awarded life sentence for sedition on December 24, and said that the judgement was not acceptable.
“It is not an individual person's problem; it is a people's problem and democratic problem. We do not agree with the Central government's policy, can we be called anti-national? If people are arrested on false charges, then the judgement should be rejected,” he said.
He also condemned the police for refusing to allow the democratic protest and said while such events took place in New Delhi and West Bengal, why was it not allowed in Tamil Nadu. Expressing shock over the judgement, Mr. Thomas said: “We have to raise our voice again and again to ensure that this does not happen to others. We have to shame this justice. A demonstration will take place here on January 3 to tell the authorities that they cannot succeed in silencing everybody.”
Ms. Ramaseshan said that there were no records to show that Dr. Sen had passed incriminating documents to an inmate. Mr. Gnani said that Dr. Sen had to be released immediately as he was arrested on false charges.
