Faith cannot be reposed entirely on the investigation into Thoothukudi firing to provide justice, according to anti-Sterlite activist Fatima Babu.
Addressing reporters here on Sunday, Ms. Fatima Babu said the Anti-Sterlite People’s Movement had participated in the open hearing organised by the NHRC, and sought a review of its inquiry into the Thoothukudi firing that killed 13 people in May 2018.
She said two review petitions were filed by Henri Tiphagne, executive director of People’s Watch. The NHRC said that the review petitions would be considered. “We think this is a victory for us,” she said.
“The NHRC has given us confidence that the case would be taken up in a full-fledged manner to provide justice, based on petitions submitted by the Anti-Sterlite People’s Movement and Henri Tiphagne,” she said.
People’s Inquest
Further, she recalled that the People’s Inquest into the firing was conducted in a systematic manner, which included the opinions of renowned experts in various fields, and was published last year.
Responding to a question regarding the ongoing CBI and Aruna Jagadeesan Commission of Inquiry, she said, “We are not able to trust anybody [agency] entirely.”
She said that there were problems faced by the activists continued to persist even in securing a venue for a meeting.
“Police permission is sought for conducting the meetings by the organisers,” she said, demanding the intervention of the government and the NHRC to restore their freedom of assembly and expression.
