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A lawyer, an activist, a CPDR member: all these would be inadequate introductions for Sebastian because he was all these and more, much more. This is not to say that he subsumed the individuals and groups he worked with. Rather he encompassed, embraced and carried within himself all the lives he touched and helped shape. In the activist world, if you did not know him you were sure to know of him. During the mid eighties civil and democratic rights (CL&DR) organizations such as APCLC, PUDR, PUCL, CPDR (Nagpur), CPDR (Bombay), OCDR (TN) and others started realizing the importance of coordination. Slowly but steadily, coordination and understanding grew among these organizations and also among individuals at the forefront of these organizations. This bond resulted in some historical fact findings and reports, such as repression of peasants, farmers, tribals, students and youth in Andhra Pradesh, Maharastra, Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, etc. Continued in page 2 Incident of alleged encounter in Palamou A team of CDRO comprising APDR (W.B), BMC (W.B), CLC (A.P & TELENGANA), JCDR (Jhar Khand), a reporter, two female participants, and few individuals conducted a fact finding into the alleged incident of ‘Encounter’ as claimed by police personal at Vhalwary under the P.S. Satbarwa on the dead night of 8th June 2015 in which 12 Indian citizens, mostly from backward communities including tribals, were killed. The team went on to meet several of the family members and neighbors in far flung places covering a wide area, for two days, i.e. 20th and 21st June 2015. The team also visited the alleged site of 13 years, son of Kameswar Sing Kharbar, village – occurrence / encounter, which was believed to be anything resembling Haratoo, district- Latehar; and Umesh Kharbar) a gun fight between some ‘hard core and ‘well trained’ ‘anti state’ being victims, it is pertinent to ask some disturbing forces as is the custom perfected by our state organized special questions behind their conversant will arms etc., armed forces in their statements for annihilation of such security as their relatives vehemently denied any involvement threats. in any political affiliation. However we shall raise In our opinion the incident appeared to be a one –way operation only one question regarding these minors. The and there were only one kind of recipients to the bullets fired in the district administration apart from the ‘self-defending said fight. police forces allegedly involved in the encounter’, Three minor children (Cherkoo Tirkey, 12 years, son of late Bijay must clarity of their being not negligent about these Tirkey, village - Amuatika, district -Latehar; Mohendra Sing Kharbar, kids who had failed to reach some decent helpful Continued in page 5

CDRO Bulletin A MonthlyJune, July Bulletin, August, of 2015 CDRO 1 Send your reports to ([email protected]) In 1986, after the Arwal massacre, Sebastian invited many JUNE, JULY, AUG. 2015 CONTENTS CL&DR organizations to Nagpur for a serious discussion on the Tribute to PA Sebastian, CDRO and CPDR ...... 1 future of civil liberties movement Incident of alleged encounter in Palamou, CDRO ...... 1 in . Among others, this Release Bhagaban Majhi and punish the guilty, GASS ...... 6 Tailor-made lives: accidents and discontent among the meeting was attended by K.G. garment industry workers in Udyog Vihar, Haryana, Kannabiran, K. Balagopal, Nandita PUDR...... 7 Haksar and Sujato Bhadra. MASS statements against custorial murder, MASS ...... 8 Sebastian unfolded his ideas of The murderers of Dhananjoy Hazir Ho!, PUDR ...... 9 setting up a people’s tribunal on the Condemn the hounding of and Javed line of the private tribunal set up Anand, CPDR ...... 11 by Russell and Sartre on American Solidarity to the repeal AFSPA demonstration in Kohima, war crimes in Vietnam. It was to MSAD and CPDM ...... 12 be a kind of public hearing, to be Memorandum demanding protection of the peoples of headed by ex-judges who would Manipur, MSAD, MYMAD, CPDM, and FYANA ...... 13 listen to testimonies, scrutinize Stop arrests and harassment of activists protesting evidences adduced by the against Kanhar Dam Project, PUDR ...... 14 secretariat, hear arguments India must not become member in UN Security Council, including government sides, and APDP ...... 16 finally find out the truth and On the death penalty of Yakub Memon, pronounce recommendations. CPDR, PUDR, CLC, Angela Sontakey ...... 17 All participants were excited Public meeting against death penalty in Kolkata, APDR.. 22 about his idea. Sebastian was made State agency and communal politics, BMC ...... 23 principal secretary and Balagopal, A report on land grab and farmers displacement in District Nandita, Kannabiran, Sujato Patiala, AFDR...... 26 Bhadra and others became part of The death of Bannappa is nothing but a custodial death, secretariat. Sebastian and Nandita CLC ...... 27 persuaded Justice Krishna Iyer to On the arrest of Debaranjan Sarangi, HRF & PUDR...... 29 be the chairman of judges and film personality Mrinal Sen became spare no effort to travel distances if he felt a cause needed his support, president of the commission. of which there were many. And he topped it all with a hearty sense of It was the untiring effort of humour and warmth, and amicability towards an ever expanding fleet Sebastian which led to a great of friends. beginning. The Arwal massacre It was his experience of organizing the joint events and his June,was the July tribunal’, August,s first 2015 issue. This masterstroke coordinating with the other CL&DR organizations which was followed by Meerut riots of helped in the formation of the Coordiantion of Democratic Rights 1987 and then the Vizjag arson Organisation (CDRO) in 2007. We fondly recall our last two meetingsin case, the Kaveri water dispute, and which Sebastian was present – one in Bombay on UAPA, and another so on. Undoubtedly, Sebastian was one in Hyderabad on black laws and political prisoners. After the public the inspiration behind this meeting in Hyderabad, we hared many moments of eventful days of pathbreaking work. yesteryears. His position against private Sebastian was a man with dedication, devotion and commitment to property in his personal life was the cause of human rights and the creation of a justice and equality singular and he strongly opposed based social system. communalism. His articulate In present times that carry the shadow of a draconian regime and writings apart, he was very much dwindling faith in the judiciary, we would gain much from Sebastian’s active on the ‘field’ and would determined stand against the Emergency and his assertion of the

2 June, July, August, 2015 CDRO Bulletin importance of people’s tribunals and commissions. Chairperson of the International CDRO salutes his indomitable spirit, hoping that we would carry it Association of People’s Lawyers in all our work, just as he carried all of us with him. We feel terribly and Vice President of the sorry for losing him and his hysterical laughter. Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners. Despite his Coordination of Democratic Rights Organizations: disability he travelled all over the country and abroad. Association for Democratic Rights (AFDR), Punjab Sebastian was one of the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), West Bengal pioneers of the idea of people’s Bandi Mukti Morcha (BMC), West Bengal tribunals. He had contributed Campaign for Peace & Democracy in Manipur (CPDM), Delhi immensely taking cudgel for the Civil Liberties Committee (CLC), Andhra Pradesh helpless victims of Bombay riots Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR), in December 1992 and January Coordination for Human Rights (COHR), Manipur 1993, in which around 900 people Human Rights Forum (HRF), Andhra Pradesh (275 and 575 Muslims) lost Jharkhand Council for Democratic Rights (JCDR), Jharkhand their lives. Sebastian worked Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS), Assam tirelessly in presenting their cases Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) before Shrikrishna Commission. Organisation for Protection of Democratic Rights (OPDR), Andhra His indomitable spirit came Pradesh alive in protest against the Peoples’ Committee for Human Rights (PCHR), Jammu and Kashmir draconian laws and anti-people Peoples Democratic Forum (PDF), Karnataka legislation. Two years back, in one Peoples Union For Democratic Rights (PUDR), Delhi of the public meeting, he dared the Peoples Union for Civil Rights (PUCR), Haryana government to arrest him on the charges of sedition. He thundered ADVOCATE P.A. SEBASTIAN, THE DOYEN that criticizing the government was actually a democratic duty of a OF CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT PASSES AWAY citizen and hence to charge people for sedition for doing that is the Our friend and comrade P. A. Sebastian, who was the face of Committee most unlawful act one could for Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR) for decades, has passed imagine. away this morning around 10 a.m. As per his two caretakers at the old I had a good fortune to have age home in Goa, where he was lodged for the last six months, after his acquaintance for many years. shifting from Kerala, he was given medicine and breakfast through For quite a few incidents in and nasal pipe as scheduled. Around 10 am when they wanted to take him around Bombay, such as for bath he just went cold. They called nurse and then doctor, who Ramabainagar Hatyakand, declared him dead. riots, Mubra riots, just we Sebastian, Sabby for his friends, was an integral part of the radical two formed an impromptu fact- movement in . Despite his polio affliction disability, he left finding team and rushed off to the his home in Kerala all alone after his matriculation and made Bombay sites. Sebastian inspired many his home. He studied to complete his graduation and law degree and people to work for civil rights. practiced in the High Court. He was always part of the radical student CPDR mourns the loss of its movement. Sebastian remained in the forefront of civil rights movement senior comrade. in Maharashtra. He was one of the founders of Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR) after the Emergency and remained its Dr. Anand Teltumbde General Secretary until his health rendered him immobile. He fought CPDR many valiant battles, inside and outside courts. He participated in numerous fact finding teams all over the country. He was elected CDRO Bulletin June, July, August, 2015 3 MEMORAL MEETING FOR PA SEBASTIAN High Court and Vernon Gonsalves also spoke at the meeting. As Yusuf HELD IN MUMBAI Muchhala put it “Sebastian’s life was a series of triumphs”. A memorial meeting remembering P.A. Sebastian, the founder member As the bookmark and the force behind Committee for the Protection of Democratic Rights commemorating Sabby’s (CPDR) on the 11th of August 2015 in Mumbai. The meeting was jointly extraordinary life says: “His loss organised by CPDR and Friends of Sebastian. Sebastian or Sabby as will be felt by radical movements he was fondly called by all his friends died in Goa on the 23rd of July all across the country and all those 2015. who stand on the side of justice The meeting was attended by over 200 people including and truth”. representatives from friends from different parts of the country including R. Mahadevan representing Indian Association of People’s Lawyers, Antony Sami from Lokshahi Hakk Sangathana Shiraz Balsara from The entire event canbe viewed at Kashtakari Hakk Sangathana and of Gaddar Party. They remisenced https://www.youtube.com/ about their experiences with Sebastian and the impact and influence watch?v=oMsdrvoHqrM that he had on their lives. Old CPDR members also attended the meeting and shared their memories of Sabby including Sanjay Singhvi and Gurbir Singh who also moderated the meeting. Other friends of Sebastian who attended the meeting were Justice (Retd.) H. L. Gokhale of the and former Justice of the Bombay High Court, Rajiv Mohite who was also a part of the informal group, Friends of Sebastian. Some who could not remain present had sent notes reminescing about Sebastian and the same were read out, including statements from Anand Teltumbde the General Secretary of CPDR, Anand Patwardhan who wrote about Sebastian asking him to file the petitions against Doordarshan for refusing to air his documentaries, and fighting these cases in court which went on to become landmark judgments on the freedom of speech and expression. Other statements read out including the one from Coordination of Democratic Rights Organisations (CDRO). On behalf of CPDR, Bernard D’ Mello spoke about P.A Sebastian’s pioneering contribution to the field of democratic rights and civil liberties of setting up of People’s Human Rights Tribunal inspired by the International War Crimes Tribunal set up by Bertrand Russell and Jean PaulJune, Sartre. July, August, He also 2015pointed out the uniqueness of Sebastian that one knew him by the words he spoke and wrote, as in a way he was the words he spoke and wrote. As in giving of his words, he gave a lot of himself. There was a remarkable matching of his words and deeds. Justice (Retd.) Hosbet Suresh spoke about how he was approached by Sebastian to conduct a public tribunal on the Bombay Riots along with Justice Daud which led to the landmark report “People’s Verdict” being brought out within six months of the riots whose findings were reiterated by the Justice Srikrishna Commission Report which took six years to come out. He put Sebastian’s life in a nutshell succintly that “Sebastian fought for democratic rights in the court and also outside the court”. Yousuf Muchhala, senior lawyer of the Bombay

4 June, July, August, 2015 CDRO Bulletin (Incident of alleged ... ) three children, were killed by the CRPF (Cobra Regiment) and private extension of the welfare by the goons. state. We were stunned to learn that while the “victorious” forces List of the persons killed in the fake encounter were: could easily identify all the victims, 1. Anurag Yadav @ RKG @ Doctor, village- Pratappur, district - there are five victims’* (bodies) Chatra that are rotting in the morgue being 2. Santosh Yadav, son of Anurag, village- Pratappur, district - Chatra ‘unclaimed’. This raises the point 3 Yagesh Yadav, son of Laxman Yadav, village – Pratappur, district that none of the relatives were - Chatra informed, let alone given any 4. Uday Yadav (para teacher), son of Jowhar Yadav, village and humanitarian justice for the P.S – Monika, district - Latehar. victims’ family. The sanctity of the 5. Niraj Yadav (nephu) of Uday, village – Quigram, P.S. – Monika, departed souls too were not given district - Latehar. befitting and legally due respect in 6. Ajjez Ahamed (driver), Village- Pratappur, district – Chatra. any manner whatsoever. 7. Amolesh Yadav. None of the family members 8. Umesh Kharbar. could produce to us any 9. Satyandra Paria documents, specially of the death 10. Buddha Ram Oraon (30 Years), village- Kurum Kheta, P.S. – of the children, most of which Monika, district - Latehar. (D.C P.M number and U/D case 11 Mohendra Singh Kharbar, village – Haratoo, P.S. -Monika, district no) are being mandatory by the law - Latehar. of the land. It further raises an 12. Charkoo Tirkey, village Amuatika, P.S. - Monika, district - oblique reminder: which laws are Latehar. our law enforcing agencies upholding? The Nuremberg trial We also raised some demands regarding the incident. order of the Supreme Court, 1. Compensate adequately the family of the deceased NHRC’S direction and such 2. Provide all the statutory documents admissible to the family plethora of statutes had clearly members of the deceased. given directions as to how any 3. All the personnel involved in the above mentioned incident should law-breached is to be treated. We be ‘closed’. will limit ourselves to just pointing 4. An FIR should be register at the concerned P.S. out the discrepancies in the law of 5. An enquiry by at least a retired/sitting H.C. Judge is to be the land in the statute book and their promulgated. actual execution. We also met Additional DIG Mr. Saket Kumar Note: Singh, Plamou range and S.P Mr. The text is a statement based on a fact finding report. Mayur Patel at Daltongang. We have not got any positive answer from their ends. Only a suo moto case was registered at Satbarwa (sadar) police Station, that is, Case No -349/15, dated 9/06/2015. The SP told us the CID Jharkhand have been investigating the incident. It has clearly given to us a picture of involvement of a private state sponsored group. In fact the twelve persons, including

CDRO Bulletin June, July, August, 2015 5 the Aditya Birla Company in the Release Bhagaban Majhi and punish the guilty Kashipur area. We demanded the government: Bhagaban Majhi, an activist of anti-bauxite mining struggle of Kashipur, Rayagada district in Odisha and Convener of Prakrutik Sampada (a) to release all the activists Surakhya Parishad, was arrested on May 28, 2015. He was arrested of the struggle from his village by Doraguda police on the basis of several criminal (b) to speed up judicial charges of dacoit, loot, carrying lethal weapons etc., under the IPC process and punish the guilty. sections such as 395, 397, 450 Arms Act 27. (c) to initiate criminal The arrest of Bhagaban Majhi is neither the first nor the only incident proceedings against those police of atrocity committed the police. The arrest reminds us the Maikanch officers and company officials police firing (on December 16, 2000) where three tribal were killed who have been acting against the and many were injured. Since then the police have unleashed a reign of interest of the people. terror whenever the tribals and organized themselves against the bauxite mining company, Aditya Birla. In last few weeks around 7/8 activists were arrested. Dr. Golakh Bihari Nath The context of these arrests is the government’s deliberate planning Working President to extract resources at any cost. It needs to be reminded that in the Kashipur area, around 20,000 Jhodia adivasis have been struggling to Brajendra Mohanti recover tribal status (rights). The genesis of the struggle can be traced Convener in the 90s when the government brought in the Aditya Birla owned Utkal Alumina International Limited (UAIL) to the Kashipur. The Ganatantrki Adhikara Surakhya government carried out an economic reform that derecognized the Jhodia Sangathana, Odisha tribals by enlisting them in the OBC (Other Backward Caste) list. The objective of the derecognization just to make easier the transfer of May 29, 2015. tribal land to non-tribals and the Company. In the process around 500 tribals and dalits lost their land to the Company. They are fighting to get job in the Company, as per the assurance given to them, at the time land acquisition, by the then District Collector and the Company CEO. This is not the only story of resistance. The villagers of Paikakupakhal village, located near the Baphlimali bauxite mine, started opposing transportation of bauxite, as it was damaging their agricultural land. They submitted written complaints to the district administration. When government did not respond positively, they imposed blocked the transportation. June,The July government, August, 2015 of Odisha, instead of addressing the grievances that were raised from time to time, have indulged in opening new police stations (at the plant as well as at the mining sites), imposition of section 144, brutal repression of local villagers, and arrest of activists like Bhagaban Majhi. Despite the fact that the controversial role of the Government in the mining scam have been burning, it is being added to with another mining (bauxite) scam of Aditya Birla, which have been given a free hand to extract resources from the mines without listening to the local villagers. It is against this backdrop that Bhagaban Majhi was arrested on May 28, 2015. The Ganatantrik Adhikar Surakhya Sangathan, therefore, condemned the arrest of Bhagaban Majhi and ‘unlawful activities’ of

6 June, July, August, 2015 CDRO Bulletin most privileged kinds of tailors Tailor-made lives: accidents and discontent (Sampling Tailor) is merely INR among the garment industry workers in Udyog 6203 after the latest revision in 2015. Vihar, Haryana 6. Low salaries have made overtime a norm rather than an On 12 February 2015, hundreds of workers of garment factories at exception. According to some Udyog Vihar, Gurgaon, came out on the streets and pelted stones at accounts, many workers put in an some of the garment factory buildings in response to the rumour of the overtime of 100 hours per month death of a fellow worker, Sami Chand. It was later found out that Sami (at present, legally only 50 hours Chand had not died but had actually been assaulted two days earlier by of overtime is permitted per officials and staff of the company where he worked i.e. Gaurav quarter i.e. for three months). International, plot number 236, Udyog Vihar, Phase I. The incident was Interestingly, the newly proposed widely reported in national newspapers. This prompted People’s Union amendments to the Factories Act, for Democratic Rights (PUDR) and Perspectives to undertake a joint 1948 intend to increase the fact finding in this incident. The team met Sami Chand and his family overtime limit per quarter by including his wife and brother, Sube Singh, the SHO of the Udyog Vihar twofold to 100 hours instead of Police Station under whose jurisdiction the factory lies, and the General 50 [Amendment to section 64]. Manager – Human Resources and Administration, Richa & Co., 7. The factories have been Amardeep Dagar. The team also met one of the lawyers representing employing various methods to the arrested workers, some workers and worker activists in and around continuously increase the intensity Kapashera. or pace of work—so much so that In the course of the fact-finding, the team was presented with a sometimes safety precautions are chance to get an insight into the world of garment industry workers of not maintained as they tend to Udyog Vihar. The team explored the working and living conditions of reduce the speed of work. workers, and their connection, if any, with the recurring incidents of Accidents are not uncommon. attacks and accidents. Following were the main findings of the team: Accidents in the industry and 1. Two FIRs have been lodged in the incident of 10 February, one incidents of workers’ rage are by Sami Chand and other by the management. Consequently, nine staff testimony to the vulnerable and members of Gaurav International were arrested but are now out on bail precarious lives of the workers whereas four workers are still in jail with bail applications of two of employed in a sector which makes them being rejected. The assaulted worker, Sami Chand along with his a significant contribution to India’s wife and brother have also been named in the FIR for spreading rumours. economy. 2. The incident of 10 February was one amongst many incidents/ A copy of the report is available accidents in the garment industry which reflect the discontent amongst at: http://pudr.org/?q=content/ the workers and the poor working conditions. tailor-made-lives-accidents-and- 3. The garment units of the area are one of the garment clusters in discontent-among-garment- India which produce for global clothing brands. At least since the 1990s industry-workers-udyog-vihar- workers have been employed in a ‘chain system’ or an assembly line haryan. For hard copies, contact where each worker is responsible for small part of the work such as secretaries. A Hindi translation of stitching the collar or stitching one arm of the shirt. the press release is also available. 4. Majority of workers are migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, most of them being Muslims. Despite having lived and worked Sharmila Purkayastha for 15-20 years, they do not have either ration cards or voter cards. Megha Bahl 5. Although, the workers are paid minimum wages as per the PU DRights notification of Haryana government, the purchasing power of the wages has been continuously falling. The monthly basic salary of one of the 4 June, 2015

CDRO Bulletin June, July, August, 2015 7 MASS statements against custorial murder suspicion of being associated with the insurgent group Birsa Commando Force. While MASS RESPONSE TO THE DEATH OF INNOCENT IN thousands of people from THE CUSTODY OF ARMY: CONDEMNATION Noyaghagra tea garden came out Demand to repeal AFSPA immediately to protest the death of the innocent person, insurgent groups All Adivasi National Liberation Army MASS strongly condemns the death of Ratneshwar Brahma in the (AANLA) and Birsa Commando custody of army in Bijoni. Mr Brahma was detained by the armed forces Force (BCF) have also strongly on 26th June, 2015, under the suspicion of being a linkman of National condemned the killing and his Democratic Front of Bodoland (S). portrayal as a terrorist. After Bubumoni Goswami, the chairperson of MASS, through a press peacefully protesting in front of the statement, has demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident, and office of the Sub-divisional Officer exemplary punishment to the guilty army (jawans). He has also amidst intermittent rains, the demanded that the family of the deceased be given a minimum of rupees protesters also blocked the ten lakhs as compensation. National Highway 15 for about half He said that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, strengthened an hour. The protesters dispersed by unlimited powers and immunities to arrest a person just in the only after paramilitary and military suspicion of being extremist, and torture and even kill, has allowed the forces were deployed. Manab Indian army in the last two and the half decades, to physically torture Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS) hundreds of Assamese people and to kill them in fake encounters, and of Assam has strongly condemned even to rape helpless women. MASS, therefore, demands immediate this killing and has demanded that repeal of this repressive law from Assam and the north-east. the guilty jawans be arrested in the earliest and given exemplary Bubumoni Goswami punishment. Chairperson, Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti 28 June 2015 Killing of Ratneswar Brahma in Chirang: This incident was KILLINGS BY THE INDIAN ARMY AND preceded by a similar killing by the POPULAR/ PUBLIC RESPONSE IN ASSAM armed forces in Chirang district in the last week of June. In the morning of 28th June, 45 year old Bearing witness to the continued army rule in Assam under the Ratneswar Brahma was killed in draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), recently two the custody of army, who was deaths in the custody of Indian Army have been reported within a arrested on suspicion of being a June,period July of less, August, than two 2015 months. The pernicious law of AFSPA, enforced linkman of the NDFB (S). He was in several states of the north-east including Assam, has over the years picked up by the 7th Sikh Light given unlimited powers and impunity to the armed forces, denying Infantry Regiment of the Indian even the basic civil liberties to the citizens. The repeal of this law along Army in the night of 26th June with withdrawal of armed forces remains a persistent demand of the from his home in Borgaon village; civil liberties movement in the region. wake him up from sleep, and was taken to the army camp in Panbari, Killing of Sanak Adinag in Gohpur: On 18th August 2015, a 27 year Bijni. When contacted by the old man named Sanak Adinag died in the custody of the Indian Army family on the next day, the army camped in Helem near Gohpur. Adinag was arrested in the early morning gave conflicting versions: first of the same day by a group of Indian Army jawans, from Joipuria line expressing their ignorance about of Noyaghagra tea garden falling under Gohpur police station, on the his whereabouts; then assuring to

8 June, July, August, 2015 CDRO Bulletin release him by evening; and then Assam Tribal Sangha, All Bodo group. In protest against the death, informing the family about an Women’s Welfare Federation had a 12 hour bandh was also observed injury to Mr Brahma requiring protested in front of Bijni civil Sub- in the district on 30th June. A team operation, on the 27th. The family divisional Office. Letters were also of Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti and the locals demanded that Mr sent to various authorities such as (MASS) comprising Bubumoni Brahma be handed over to the the Assam Human Rights Goswami, Ganesh Goswami, family in the same state that he was Commission, GoC Tezpur, Union Narayan Adhikari and Ruhin picked up. But, at about 3.30 in Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Singha conducted a fact-finding the morning of 28th June, he died Minister of State for Home Kiren into the incident. The MASS has in the ICU of a private nursing Rijiju, and the Governor of Assam. strongly condemned the killing and home in Bongaigaon, about 40 The army, while giving an ‘attempt has demanded: a judicial inquiry kilometers from Borgaon. While to flee’ story, had tried to defend into the incident; exemplary the family had filed an FIR against the death by saying that he was an punishment to the guilty; and the Officer-in-Charge of the ‘over-ground worker’ of the compensation to the family of the Panbari Camp, hundreds of local NDFB (S). The local residents of deceased. people and organizations such as Borgaon claimed that Brahma had the All Assam Bodo Students’ worked as a wage earner, and did Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti Union, Bodo Sahitya Sabha, All not have any links with any militant

apartment staffer who claimed to The murderers of Dhananjoy Hazir Ho! have given it to Dhananjoy. Again, Abolish Death Penalty police never bothered to tally the number of that watch with the one The irreversibility of death penalty, and the likelihood of innocents being recovered from Dhananjoy’s executed by the Judiciary, is one of the strongest arguments for abolishing village house and which the Parekh capital punishment. Dhananjoy Chatterjee today joins the list of persons family claimed was stolen from where clear evidence exists that they were erroneously handed death their house. penalty by the Indian judicial system. Executed on 14th August 2004, * Forensic evidence: There nearly fourteen years after his arrest in May 1990, Dhananjoy was were 21 stab wounds on the convicted for the brutal murder and sexual assault on 18 year old Hetal victim’s body, but no murder Parekh, a resident of the apartment building in which he worked as a weapon was recovered. The guard, in Kolkatain March 1990. Almost 11 years later to date, a report victim’s body was lying in a pool released by two scholars of Indian Statistical Institute (Kolkata) exposing of blood, yet no witness claimed the shoddy and biased investigation and trial, provides evidence that that they saw any blood on points towards his innocence and wrongful execution. According to Dhananjoy’s clothes. While semen the report by Debashish Sengupta and Prabal Chaudhury titled “Re- traces were found in the victim’s Analysis of the case of the murder of Hetal Parekh: And the Judicial vagina, no DNA test was done to Killing of Dhananjay Chatterjee” all the mainstays of the police and ascertain if it was of the accused. prosecution’s story are open to question: * Role of the family: The * Witnesses: The police case was based on certain witness rape and murder allegedly accounts which are suspect. The police claimed that the apartment happened in the very short time liftman had left Dhananjoy on the floor of the victim’s apartment. The between 5:20 PM and 5:50 PM, liftman denied this in court; so much so, that the prosecution had to while the victim’s mother was out declare him a hostile witness. The police seizure list was signed as of the house. However there was witness by a person who supplies tea to the police station. He didn’t a delay of three hours between the turn up to give evidence during the trial. discovery of Hetal’s body by her * Recoveries: A necklace recovered at the scene of crime, which mother and the calling in of the the police claimed to be Dhananjoy’s, turned out to belong to another police, allowing for tampering of CDRO Bulletin June, July, August, 2015 9 evidence. The mother’s immediate proper legal defence at the lower the grave miscarriage of justice in naming of Dhananjoy as the courts? the case of Ravji Ram and Surja culprit, the inconsistencies in the * Why was it immaterial that Ram who were hanged in the late statements of other family at the time of his hanging, 1990s and who according to the members, and the fact that the Dhananjoy had already lived in the Supreme Court’s own family wrapped up their flourishing shadow of death for 14 years since acknowledgement were wrongly jewellery business in the city within his arrest? He was, in fact, executed. six months of the crime and left punished twice for the same crime While the possibility of Kolkata – all raise questions about - a fact pointed out by those miscarriage of justice is ever- the role of the family, and the arguing for commutation. The present and no form of possibility of an honour killing, popular frenzy demanding punishment is reversible, the death especially given that sexual Dhananjoy’s death arising from the penalty forecloses any possibility intercourse had preceded the facts of the young age of the of reversal. That the so-called murder. victim, the brutality of the murder, safeguards – judicial review before * Police’s Complicity: The the alleged sexual violence, and the the SC and the mercy petition letter of complaint to the security class divide all decided the before the President - are fallible, agency by the victim’s father, outcome. have been once again illustrated. alleging that Dhananjoy used to The trial and death sentence harass Hetal used by the police to The erroneous judgment in the awarded to Dhananjoy, as it turns establish motive, seems to have execution of Dhananjoy once out, was an act of judicial murder. been written after the crime in more demonstrates the inherent Today the least the apex court order to manufacture evidence class bias against the poor and the ought to do is to commute all death against Dhananjoy. The police privileging of the rich, which takes sentences and come out with a overlooked the above mentioned precedence over proper judicial dictum abolishing Death inconsistencies in the family’s investigation or an impartial judicial Penalty. The collective conscience story, the corruption of the scene process. The appeals got decided, of conscientious Indians asks for of the crime etc. as they very often do, heeding the nothing less than the abolition of “collective conscience” of the Death Penalty. Several questions arise: privileged opinion makers baying * Why was the police for the blood of the accused. Megha Bahl investigation so shoddy? The report makes clear that Sharmila Purkayastha * How was the death penalty Dhananjoy Chatterjee is only the Secretaries, PUDR pronounced, given all these gaps latest addition in the list of in the investigation and the wrongful executions in India. In 13th July 2015 inconsistencyJune, July, August, of the 2015 evidence 2012, 14 eminent jurists including presented? Justice PB Sawant, Justices A P * Why did the trial courts not Shah, B A Khan, B H Marlapalle, B pay attention and allow legal ‘facts’ G Kolse-Patil, Hosbet Suresh, to be created? Prabha Sridevan, K P * Why did the Supreme Court Sivasubramaniam, RS Verma, and as well as the President, as it now P C Jain had appealed for the emerges, unquestioningly accept commutation of death penalty in the ‘facts’ of the case? separate letters to the President in * Why did the courts not the cases of 13 persons on death consider that he came from a very row who they claimed were poor and underprivileged erroneously sentenced to death. background and couldn’t mount a They specifically drew attention to

10 June, July, August, 2015 CDRO Bulletin scaled it down! Among those Condemn the hounding of Teesta Setalvad and named as accused by Ehsan Jafri’s widow Zakia Jafri for the cold- blooded murder of her husband in Demand CBI scrutiny March 2002 is the then-joint CP, of foreign funds received by VHP Crime Branch, A K Sharma, who is now in the CBI! The Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR), strongly While CBI has been exposed condemns the Modi-government’s blatant hounding of activists and in the past for serving as mere organizations that are opposing its anti-people development schemes pawn in the hands of the Centre, on the one hand and its communal agenda on the other. The latest and it is for the first time that such a most venengful so far has been the attempt to muzzle Teesta Setalvad, massive corruption case has been Javed Anand and the Trust set up by them, , mounted against human rights along with another associate Gulam Mohammed Peshimam. activists. The first year of BJP rule has been marked by brutal bulldozing of The promised ‘Acche Din’ all forms of dissent. While the plank for attacking NGOs was whether have definitely arrived – for the foreign funds received by them violated FCRA regulations, the scamsters like Lalit Modi, government is selective in targeting only those organisations who oppose industrialists and the political their agenda. In January this year, Green Peace India spokesperson patrons of the Hindutva agenda. Priya Pillai was offloaded as she was about to board a UK-bound flight While human rights defenders, to campaign against coal block allocations in Mahan, Singrauli, Madhya journalists, RTI activists, and Pradesh. But the dubious foreign funds received by the RSS-affiliated people’s organizations are being Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) will never be brought under a scanner attacked and threatened daily. by this government. Daylight murders of RTI activists, or of senior CPDR condemns the targeting left leaders like Narendra Dhabolkar and Govind Pansare for their anti- of NGOs and activists like Teesta Hindutva, anti-superstition campaigns are deliberately left unsolved by Setalvad and Javed Anand and the establishment which shows the government’s complicity in these demands that the Vishwa Hindu murders. The country is currently in shock by continuing killings of Parishad be brought under the scores of witnesses in infamous Vyapam and Asaram cases, which scrutiny of the FCRA for the crores cannot happen without overt or covert blessings of the ruling of rupees of unaccounted for establishment. foreign funds that they are the The shocking 14th July CBI raid on Teesta Setalvad and Javed recipient of. Anand’s home and office in Mumbai is the latest example of the impunity of this government. Under the pretext of search and seizure of Dr Anand Teltumbde documents, the raid was meant to publicly humiliate and threaten Teesta General Secretary and Javed and their family. The more sinister motive is of course to CPDR remove the thorn in the government’s flesh as these activists are actively pursuing the Zakia Jafri case and the Naroda Patiya appeals among 16th July 2015 many others related to the 2002 anti-Muslim pogrom. The Zakia Jafri case begins its final hearings on July 27 before a magistrate’s court in Ahmedabad, while the Naroda Patiya appeals against convictions filed by and Babu (Bajrangi) are being heard in the Gujarat High Court this week. The Modi-government talks of applying the Gujarat model of governance for the whole country. The Gujarat special judge, Ms Jyotsna Yagnik, complained in May this year about receiving 22 threats since retirement, for awarding convictions in the 2002 case. Instead of enhancing her security, the BJP state government

CDRO Bulletin June, July, August, 2015 11 onslaught by the big capitalist Solidarity to the repeal AFSPA demonstration forces. Therefore, there is always in Kohima the need to encourage one another in the democratic struggles, learn We Condemn the Wuzu Massacre of July 16, 2015 from each other’s experiences, and build up coordination and Solidarity to Kohima Rally against AFSPA, July 23, 2015 unity. We uphold the principles: “Divided We Fall, United We Win” MSAD and CPDM Letter to the Naga Students’ Federation. and “People United Will Never Be July 2015 Defeated”. Solidarity to the leadership of Dear Friends, the Naga Students’ Federation on At the very outset, we, the undersigned, condemn the Wuzu the occasion of the Kohima Rally Massacre in Nagaland, on July 16, 2015, perpetrated by the combined against AFSPA, on July 23, 2015. forces of the Assam Rifles and Para Commandos. On that unfortunate day; baby Aso (13 years old) and master Tiizali (14 years old) were Long live peoples’ democratic killed, Mrs. Esther Jorror (24 years old) was bullet injured, properties movement. were destroyed, and the Wuzu village was inflicted with prolong psychological trauma. Having gone through the ground report prepared Long live people’s democracy. by the Naga Students’ Federation and the Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights, we strongly condemn the misinformation propaganda that attempted to cover up the inhumane crimes that were mercilessly Sd/- perpetrated on the innocent people of Wuzu Village. Priyobata Irengbam Simultaneously, we extend our solidarity to the proposed Kohima Manipur Students’ Association Rally against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958, scheduled to Delhi be held on 23 July 2015, under the initiatives of the Naga Students’ Federation. For several decades, ever since the Indian State took over Sd/ on the Nagas, the progressive sections amongst the Nagas have been Manishwar Nongmaithem raising democratic voices with the hope to achieve a National Democratic Campaign for Peace & Democracy Revolution. The response of the Indian State have been militaristic and (Manipur) divisive. The Indian State in collusion with the local reactions have been unleashing a reign of terror, to suppress the Naga democratic July 22, 2015. voices. It went side by side militaristic capitalist intrusion, that is, extraction of ‘super profit’ from the Naga resources, trade routes, markets, and labour. This unjust war, buttressed by the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, have been responsible for the subjugations, oppressions,June, July, August, coercions, 2015 disturbances, insecurities, and confusions amongst the larger bulk of the Nagas. We extend our solidarity, because, we think that the ‘global’ character of capital inflows and extraction of surplus values in various forms, carried out through unleashing State terrorism (militarisation), affected peoples across community and territorial boundaries. The neighbouring small communities and territories in the Indo-Myanmar regions are economically and geographically closely interconnected to one another in such a manner that neither one can flourish without the rest nor the rests are immune from any destructive policy that affected one community or territory. This tendency have been historically proven during the British colonial period, the World Wars, and the ongoing

12 June, July, August, 2015 CDRO Bulletin Memorandum demanding protection of the implement a law that would protect the rights of the peoples of peoples of Manipur Manipur. As per the resolutions, hundreds of people, have To, assembled at the Parliament Street, The Hon’ble Prime Minister, today, that is, July 27, 2015, after Government of India, marching from the Mandi House, 152, South Block, Raisina Hill, to raise the following demands. New Delhi-110011 The demands are as follows: SUBJECT: Submission of a memorandum demanding: (I) Enactment and implementation of a law that 1. Enactment and implementation of a law that will protect the will protect the people of people of Manipur from the state policy of Demographic Invasion Manipur from the state policy of that have threatened the polity, economy, culture and history of the Demographic Invasion that have peoples of Manipur. threatened the polity, economy, 2. An end to State atrocities on the democratic movement that is culture and history of the peoples being carried out to safeguard the rights of the peoples and future of Manipur. The law must of Manipur. incorporate the following points: Hon’ble Sir, 1. Not to allow the non- With due respect, we, the undersigned representatives of Manipur Manipuris to own land and Students’ Association Delhi (MSAD) and other organisations, and permanent residence in Manipur. individuals, would like to submit this memorandum for your kind a. The right to discretion, consideration and actions. regarding issuance of permission to an exceptional non-Manipuri That, individual to enjoy permanent 1. the peoples of Manipur are apprehensive about the State policy of demographic invasion by the non-Manipuris. There has been residence in Manipur, on the basis unregulated immigration of non-Manipuris, who have taken control of of his/ her contribution towards the commodities and labour markets, land and natural resources. The the progress of Manipuri society, non-Manipuris, which have reached several lakhs, have outnumbered will be rested with the peoples of numerically smaller peoples. This policy of demographic invasion has Manipur. severe negative political, social and cultural ramifications on the people b. Outsider project of Manipur. companies, corporate bodies, and 2. the Demographic Invasion is rooted in the State policy. the State must not enjoy the power Historically, the entry of outsiders was always checked and regulated to acquisition individual and on the basis of Manipur’s capacity to absorb them. However, the official community owned lands without policy of unregulated influx of outsiders began when the then Dominion the free prior informed consents of India, imposed order to enlist refugees from the then East-Pakistan of the peoples who will be affected into the electoral list of Manipur. Thereafter, following the annexation by the projects. of Manipur in October 1949, the Government of India, on 18 November 2. Issuance of passes or 1950, abolished the pre-existing Permit System which had been permits to the non-Manipuri. regulating the entry of outsiders into Manipur. a. Entry passes, with limited 3. there has been a democratic movement to safeguard the peoples validity, should be issued to of Manipur from the threat of demographic invasion. In this regards, tourists, professionals and visitors. recently, a public meeting, under the aegis of the Manipur Students’ 3. The year 1951 should be Association Delhi, was held on July 14, 2015, at the University of Delhi. recognised as the base year to Resolutions were adopted to press upon the government to enact and detect the non-Manipuris. CDRO Bulletin June, July, August, 2015 13 4. A full-fledged government 3. The Government of India Priyobata Irengbam department should be set up to must not suspend the democratic Manipur Students’ Association regulate the entry of non-Manipuris. rights of the students to take part Delhi a. Regarding this, there should in the people’s democratic be a monitoring committee movement in Manipur. Ningombam Raju composed of civil society 4. The Government of India Manipur Young Mind Association organizations, to check the must immediately punish the police Delhi transparency and functioning of the personnel responsible for the department. killing of a class XI science Manishwar Nongmaithem 5. The constitution of India student Sapam Robinhood on July Campaign for Peace & Democracy should be amended accordingly, to 8, 2015 and severe injuries of 100 (Manipur) enact and implement a law to of students and protesters who protect and safeguard the rights of were demanding a law to protect Sangita Chanu the peoples of Manipur. — “In the rights of the peoples of Fight You Are Not Alone keeping with the historicity and Manipur. In this regards, actions contemporary needs of Manipur as must be taken up against the Home Date: 27/07/2015 a geo-political entity whose Minister and the Director General existence, as the first Schedule of of Police, Manipur. the Indian Constitution acknowledges, precedes the Stop arrests and harassment of activists adoption of the Constitution of protesting against Kanhar Dam Project India, all necessary constitutional and administrative steps must be Since 25 July 2015, hundreds of dalits and adivasis have started an taken to protect and preserve the indefinite dharna in Robertsgunj Tehsil, Sonebhadr, Uttar Pradesh till Manipur State and her indigenous those members of the All India Union of Forest Working People people.” (AIUFWP) are not released who have been arrested arbitrarily. In this 6. Either the Government of context, PUDR condemns the ongoing attacks by the state police and Manipur or the Union Government land mafia against the protesters who have been agitating against the of India should not enact any construction of the Kanhar Dam project in Sonebhadra district for the legislation or administrative steps past seven months. The arrest of Roma Malik, Sukalo Panika, that go against the spirit and letter Gambheera Prasad, Pankaj Gautam, Laxman, and Ashrafi Yadav of the of above basic demands. AIUFWP is the latest demonstration of such terror tactics. The duo was picked up from their office in Roberstsgunj on 30th June 2015 on (II) Demands against State charges of inciting dalits and adviasis against the building of the dam. repression, and killing of a class While neither have been named in the FIR, Roma has been implicated in June,XI student July, August, and 2015 injury of two past incidents of April, even when it was known that she wasn’t democratic protesters: even present in Kanhar at that time. 1. The Government of India These arrests are part of the larger strategy initiated by the land must immediately stop repression mafia in connivance with the state police to fob off protest against the on democratic movements in construction of the Dam which commenced last December. The initial Manipur. attack by a tehsildar on a local youth on 23rd December led to clashes 2. The Government of India between the villagers and police and set the tone of future attacks. On must immediately lift the imposition 6th February 2015, there was an organized attack by 200 hooligans of curfew and shutting down of belonging to the land mafia on the houses of Shobha Bharati and several educational establishments (since other women affiliated with the Kaimur Kshetra Mahila Mazdoor Kisan July 8 2015) in Manipur that have Sangharsh Samiti. This retaliatory attack was meant to intimidate and been carried out in the name of law prevent Shobha from filing a rape complaint against a local goon with and order. close linkages to the Samajwadi party and the land mafia. The police 14 June, July, August, 2015 CDRO Bulletin refused to file the complaint and, serve neither the interest of the 6. Independent investigations instead, arrested several women environment or the ecology nor be initiated into the political links leaders who were released after would it serve public purpose. of the land mafia. hundreds of women sat on a The protest against the Kanhar 7. Compensation to those dharna. Subsequently, on dam project by the villagers from whose property was destroyed by Ambedkar Jayanti, the PAC the Sonebhadra district highlights police. opened fire and lathi-charged how “public purpose” is defined 8. Proper medical treatment people sitting on protest near the against the rights of the displaced. be given to those injured. dam site. Aklu Chero was shot in The growing list of draconian laws 9. No further construction of the chest, and 8 persons were (which includes amendments to the Kanhar Dam. grievously injured and admitted to the land acquisition legislation) the district hospital in Robertsganj, augmented with police brutality, Megha Bahl which is ill equipped to provide false cases, unsupporting role Sharmila Purkayastha treatment. Besides intimidation, played by the NGT are the forces Secretaries, PUDR cases were foisted against 16 which the state is using to repress named and 500 unnamed people. peaceful protests. Having come in 29 July 2015 Four days later, on 18 April, there the wake of a number of protests was a second round of police firing against land acquisition across the in which, once again, several country, as well as growing people were seriously injured and movements for the rights of small some of the key activists of the farmers and forest dwellers, who movement were arrested. Till now are being forced to evict their land, they have not been released. the recent arrests and police tactics Initially conceived in 1976, of intimidation of the dalits and the Kanhar Dam project has been adivasis, are another manifestation mired in controversies and of the repressive measures being information accessed under an RTI taken by the state to crush the shows that the project was people’s movement and take away resumed in December 2014 the right to peaceful protests. without valid ‘Environment Clearance’ and ‘Forest Clearance’. In this context, PUDR The project is a threat not only to demands: the environment and ecology but 1. Release of those arrested on also to the lives of thousands of 30th June 2015 as well as those adivasi and dalit families who have arrested on 18th April 2015. demanded protection of their 2. Lodging of FIR against forests and proper implementation police for grievously injuring of rehabilitation and resettlement people during police firing. policies. In all this, the role of the 3. Lodging of FIR into rape National Green Tribunal (NGT) has complaint by Shobha Bharati and been most dubious as it made a arrest of accused. note of the gross violations 4. Arrest of those who committed by the state vandalized Shobha Bharti’s house. government but then took a 5. Withdrawal of all false and confounding stand with its fabricated charges foisted on judgment when it pronounced that villagers. stopping work on the dam would

CDRO Bulletin June, July, August, 2015 15 recognized human rights principles India must not become member in UN Security and standards. As the struggle for Council truth, justice, dignity and honour continues, the international UN Member States must not recommend India for a permanent community must be aware that seat in UN Security Council for its human rights record in Jammu and their actions today form a part of Kashmir. the historical record and there will The present Indian Prime Minister as well as the former continues be accountability. to thrust for a permanent seat in United Nations Security Council, during As part of persistent their addresses at the various International fora including in their repeated campaign APDP today amassed to discourse to the United Nations General Assembly. The Government of question such an entitlement to a India over and over again discusses its eligibility for a permanent seat in country like India that has worst the UNSC and seeks support from other member states. human rights record and sponsors Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP, Jammu and impunity and injustice to victims Kashmir) stands and will always stand against the India states claim for without any accountability. the permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council for its record Moreover, today on the 10th of human rights violations in the conflict ridden Jammu and Kashmir. Anniversary of the disappearance Indian States record comprises enforced disappearance of more than of the husband of Amina Masood 8000 people, existence of 7000+ unknown, unmarked and mass graves, Janjua, a prominent human rights extrajudicial killings, torture, sexual assault and numerous other human activist of Pakistan, who has been rights violations. Moreover, despite reiterated demand of APDP, the struggling to trace the whereabouts Indian State never allowed the United Nations Special Rapporteur on of hundreds of people including enforced or involuntary disappearances to visit Jammu and Kashmir, her husband, who disappeared in and did not ratify the Convention against Enforced Disappearances. Pakistan, APDP calls on The Indian States record also includes a State Human Rights government of Pakistan that the Commission’s (SHRC) verdict of October 2011 that recognized the whereabouts of Masood Janjua be phenomenon of unknown, unmarked and mass graves. The commission divulged out like the more than 650 after enquiry passed a judgment and made various recommendations, other missing persons who either including comprehensive Forensic Examination of the remains interred have been released or surfaced in in the graves along with DNA the (Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid) testing. the last ten years through the Further, the SHRC recommended for setting up of an independent body struggle of Defence for Human to enquire into the issue of unknown, unmarked and mass graves. Rights (DHR) led by Amina Contrastingly, none of the recommendations have been implemented Masood. DHR has so far by the government and no investigation has been initiated so far. documented more than 2150 cases APDP underscores that Indian State has no moral right to claim of enforced disappearances in anyJune, credibility July, August, internationally 2015 . The Indian States record in Jammu and Pakistan. Kashmir must not be rewarded. On the contrary, international pressure and condemnation must be immediately brought to bear on a State that Spokesperson has no regard for the rule of law, or human life in Jammu and Kashmir. Tahira Begum The member states of the UN must be guided in their relations with APDP, Jammu and Kashmir the Indian State by a sense of responsibility and sensitivity to the realities 30th July, 2015 of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The international community cannot escape their responsibility to the victims of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir. APDP calls on the Member states of UN, before recommending India for a Permanent Seat in the Security Council, they must question, and exert pressure, upon the Indian State to uphold the internationally

16 June, July, August, 2015 CDRO Bulletin They were detained for nearly On the death penalty of Yakub Memon three hours during which the police reverberated with various slogans CPDR PROTESTS AGAINST THE UNJUST denouncing the death penalty to DEATH PENALTY TO YAKUB MEMON Yakub Memon. Advocate Pradeep Mandyan of CPDR reached the The Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR) planned Police Station and mediated their demonstrations to protest against the government’s plan to hang Yakub release on PR. Among the arrested Memon on 30 July at the Nagpur Central Jail. The demonstrations were were Maharukh Adenwala, Susan planned today (28 July 2015) at 5 pm Near Dadar Railway Station Abraham, Suresh Rajeshwar, (East). There was a significant support from youth organizations and Monica Sakhrani, Jyoti Punyani, students to the demonstrations and we expected a good turnout of Arun Fereira, Sudhir Dhawale and activists and public support. During the entire day the Police repeatedly Feroze Mithiborwala of Bharat phoned up the CPDR activists, whose numbers were given on the CPDR Bachao Andolan. pamphlet and kept asking the details about demonstration and about the Other activists escaped the police permission, clearly to spread scare among the activists. arrest and distributed pamphlets at The venue, the East side of the Dadar Railway Station was already various railway stations including filled up by police and media people. As the activists reached the spot CST. with placards, pamphlets and banners, they were pounced upon by the police who whisked them away to the Matunga Police Station. The Anand Teltumbde activists however managed to shout slogans and throw some pamphlets General Secretary to people. In all they arrested about 50 people which included students CP DR of Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) and some other institutes. 3. No justice under TADA: STOP YAKUB MEMON’S HANGING The Supreme Court in its 2013 judgement confirming death On 15th July, the Maharashtra government announced that it has initiated sentence awarded by the TADA the process for hanging Yakub Memon. On 30th July, 2015 ‘he is to be court in 2007, held that Yakub hung by the neck till dead’. The announcement seemed inevitable after officiated for Tiger Memon in the Supreme Court had rejected his review petition on 10th April this Mumbai in the planning of the year. Except that Yakub Memon has still not exhausted all legal remedies attacks in the latter’s absence. The as he has a curative petition due to be heard in the Supreme Court on Court accepted that Yakub was 21st July. While the state government is treating the matter as already nowhere directly involved in the dried and dusted and making a mockery of the justice system, there execution of the blasts, but his are some very valid reasons for drawing attention to Yakub’s case for responsibility was greater as he upholding our faith in the judicial process: was one of the planners. It said 1. Controversial arrest: The police claimed to pick Yakub up that he “was constantly present at from the New Delhi Railway Station on 5th August 1994. In a letter the Al Husseini building, where the written to the Supreme Court in 1999, Yakub stated that he came to major part of the plan was made India on 28th July 1994. He had been detained on 24th July at Kathmandu and executed”, interacted with airport and then handed over to the Indian agencies. ‘Tiger’s men’, managed Tiger’s 2. Implicated and sentenced for trying to help: Yakub has “ill-gotten money,” arranged for air maintained all along that he had no foreknowledge of and had no hand tickets to Dubai and vehicles in the conspiracy leading to the Mumbai blasts of 1993. He was working which were used in the attacks. towards voluntarily returning to India to clear his name. He co-operated He was convicted under TADA with the investigating agencies and provided vital leads which have (now lapsed), IPC, Arms Act, been acknowledged. However, the Court never regarded these as Prevention of Damage to Public mitigating factors. Property Act, and under sections

CDRO Bulletin June, July, August, 2015 17 of the Explosive Substances Act mercy petitions and preparation for the investigations into the Malegeon on retracted confessions, on the execution, flouts the due process blasts (2008). statements of approvers and on the guaranteed to the convict under confession of co-accused. Article 21 which inheres in every The impending hanging of 4. “Special Stigmatizing”: prisoner till his last breath.” Yakub Memon raises certain very Yakub had returned in 1994 7. Incarcerated for 21 significant concerns regarding the believing that there would be a fair years: For 21 years Yakub has role of the state and rights of trial. He was proved wrong. The lived with the “brooding horror” people. As the above points judgement decreed capital which “haunts” a condemned illustrate, Yakub’s ‘crime’ is that punishment for him because of his prisoner. To hang him now is of guilt by association and he is a “position of dominance” and the neither fair nor just as it is scapegoat who has been “gravity of the crime”. punishing him twice over. It is plain conveniently caught and convicted Significantly, the Court commuted vengeance which the state shows as ‘most guilty’. Yakub Memon the sentences of the 10 others who towards a condemned and returned as a conscientious Indian had been awarded capital defenceless man. citizen, albeit with a ‘criminal’ punishment by the trial court. 8. Denial of reform: A family background. If he is now 5. Rejection of mitigating chartered accountant by hanged, the government must take factors: The Supreme Court profession, Yakub was known to responsibility for sending out the deliberated on the aggravating and be a silent observer during court message that a Muslim cannot be mitigating circumstances while proceedings. In 21 years of which a good citizen. awarding the quantum of he has spent 8 years in the death It is also imperative to ask as punishment to all the death row row, he has completed two MAs, to what justice will be served convicts. Notably, in Yakub’s case, one in English and the other in through such an execution? Such the Court noted none other than Political Science from IGNOU. regressive judicial pronouncement the fact that he did not have a prior Several recent judgments have yet again convinces us that death criminal record. However, in the emphasised the importance of penalty is not only prejudiced but case of the other 10 others reform and rehabilitation based on also irrational. Fraught with the sentenced to death, the Court conduct. However, Yakub’s efforts possibility of judicial error, the noted several other mitigating have never been recognized. irreversibility of the punishment factors like lengthy incarceration, 9. A political hanging: The makes it totally condemnable. good behaviour, co-operating in the judicial process through which Globally, there is a move within investigation, dependent family Yakub has been pronounced guilty countries to progressively do away members etc. which were equally and deserving of capital with this regressive form of applicable to him. In Yakub’s case, punishment has failed to bring to punishment. PUDR therefore the beginning and end of his being justice the main perpetrators of urges the authorities including the awarded death penalty then is anti-Muslim carnage in December judiciary in this case that in the June,clearly July his ,relationship August, 2015 with Tiger 1992 and January 1993, despite the interests of justice to commute his Memon. Srikrishna Commission of Inquiry sentence, and in light of his 21 6. A discriminated convict: identifying a host of police officers year-long incarceration to release While confirming the death and politicians belonging to Shiv him. sentence on Yakub, the Court Sena for their role. In the last one disregarded the fact that he year, a similar trend is observable Megha Bahl suffered from depression from in the investigations into attacks Sharmila Purkayastha 1996. Ironically, a year later, while committed by Hindu terror groups. Secretaries, PUDR commuting the death penalty of 15 15 witnesses have turned hostile death row convicts in 2014, the in the Ajmer Dargah blast (2007), 20th July 2015 same Court noted: “incarceration, the NIA has closed the Modasa in addition to the reasonable time case (2008) and has pressured the necessary for adjudication of special prosecutor to ‘go soft’ on

18 June, July, August, 2015 CDRO Bulletin VOICE AGAINST YAKUB MENON’S HANGING * The government betrayed his trust by tom-tomming in In principle Civil Liberties Committee opposes the death penalty or any Parliament that he had been other forms of capital punishment. Reasons against hanging arrested, charging him and his * It is inhuman in the most abhorrent form family members under the * No fair trial was given Terrorist & Disruptive Activities * Guilty intention not proved (Prevention) Act, and opposing * Charges not proved beyond reasonable doubt. their bail. By now, Yakub has spent * Quid pro quo was not kept by the prosecution 23 years in jail, 13 as an undertrial, * In any case not a rarest of rare case. most of them in solitary * There is no direct evidence against him. Only the statement of an confinement. approver, and confessions of co-accused who later retracted them, * Yakub is the only 1993 blasts accuse him of being party to the plan to execute multiple bomb blasts in accused whose death sentence has Mumbai. Such statements and retracted confessions have not been not been commuted to life considered sufficient by trial courts to convict terror accused. imprisonment. Those granted this * Tiger Memon made sure his entire family was in Dubai when the reprieve by the Supreme Court blasts took place on March 12, 1993. From there, they were shifted to include persons who planted the Pakistan by the ISI. Yakub could have stayed on in Pakistan, living a bombs. life of luxury under the ISI’s protective cover. Instead, he chose to return to India in July 1994 to clear his name, and convinced some of Vice President his family to do so too. Explaining his decision in a letter written from Prof. G. Laxrnan jail to the Chief Justice of India in July 1999 (a copy of which is with this writer), Yakub said he felt confident his innocence would be Joint Secretary established in Indian courts, and that he could bring up his children as V. Raghunath Indians. * The Indian government was party to his surrender. It also knew Joint Secretary that he was bringing crucial proof of Pakistan’s hand in the blasts, N. Narayana Rao proof they could not have got otherwise. Ajmal Kasab’s demand for mutton WHY YAKUB MEMON SHOULD NOT BE biryani before his execution in HANGED order to halt the “emotional” wave against the hanging. After the Supreme Court rejected Yakub Memon’s curative petition on It is patently clear that ‘terror’ 21st July 2015, Memon has filed a mercy petition before the Governor has been defined to suit the and also a validity plea before the apex court. Many believe that he is nationalist political belief which cleverly using the system to buy time. Against those who are baying holds that only the minorities and for his blood, it is important to remember that there are, arguably, very the marginalized participate in such good reasons why he should not be hanged: attacks. Naturally, these attacks are It has been reiterated by many that the facts of the case show that against the majority. The BJP has Memon’s role in triggering the Mumbai blasts of 1993 can, at best, be understandably welcomed the described as peripheral. To define him as the chief conspirator is quite dismissal of Yakub’s petition by extraordinary and a fitting reminder of the fact that judgments on terror the Supreme Court as an example cases are text book lessons on how majoritarian sentiments are defended of how “terror has no place in our through a partisan study of investigations. Yakub’s impending society”. Needless to say, the same punishment is the satisfaction that India needs in order to punish those criminal justice system which has it cannot: his brother, Tiger Memon, and Dawood Ibrahim. Why else punished Yakub works very would , the Special Public Prosecutor, say that that the differently in cases of ‘saffron dismissal of the curative is “historic and would send a strong signal to terror’. Most recently, Mr Randhir the people in the country and across the border that guilty would not be Singh, one of the key witnesses in spared”? But then, Mr Nikam is a fine fabricator who “concocted” the Ajmer blasts (2007) case,

CDRO Bulletin June, July, August, 2015 19 retracted his statement; and he did officers who represent a sovereign glorified murder of a defenceless so after he defected to the BJP State is non-negotiable, and that the man who will be forced to walk from the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha “system should uphold what is to the gallows in the midst of a (Prajatantrik). Now he is part of promised by representatives of the reprehensible drama surrounding the BJP run government in sovereign State.” One has to his “last day” and his “last wishes”. Jharkhand. Equally, while the RSS emphasize that a person cannot be PUDR urges that this hanging ideologue, Rakesh Mishra, punished twice; that 21 years of be stopped immediately and defended the retraction of 13 incarceration cannot be demands the abolition of death witnesses in the Ajmer blasts as compounded with another and penalty. “All these cases are a political extreme punishment, of death conspiracy against the RSS”, penalty. One has to highlight the Megha Bahl Rohini Salian , the Special Public fact that as a death row prisoner, Sharmila Purkayastha Secretaries, PUDR Prosecutor into the Malegaon case, Yakub has suffered tremendous mental agony. One has to protest said that since the government this impending hanging as it is a 28th July 2015 changed, she was asked to “go soft” on the case by an NIA official. Terror cases are political NOTICE OF HUNGER STRIKE ON 30TH JULY cases and the decision on who is 2015 AGAINST HANGING OF YAKUB MEMON the guilty depends upon the politics of the case. For those who believe that hanging Yakub Memon is To, desirable as it will validate the The Superintendent, resolve, “[the] guilty will not be Byculla District Women’s Prison, spared”, it is imperative for them Byculla, Mumbai 400008. to recognize that such guilt has been redefined by silencing and Subject: Notice of Hunger Strike on 30-07-2015 against Hanging of rejecting the findings of the Yakub Memon Srikrishna Commission’s report into the riots that preceded the Sir, serial blasts for which Yakub is I, the undersigned, Ms Angela Sontakey – UT No. 4/15, a political being hanged. prisoner want to bring to your notice that I will be going on a one day It is against this definition of hunger strike against the decision to hang Yakub Memon, alleged accused terror that one must speak up and of 1993 serial bomb blasts on 30th of July 2015. stop this hanging. One has to Snuffing out life by giving death penalty is a very medieval and assert that Yakub’s right to life cruel practice which must not have any place in modern societies. It cannotJune, July be ,taken August, away 2015 as hanging has been proved that giving more stringent punishment for a crime is him for his supposed crime never a deterrent. It is true even regarding death penalty. committed 22 years ago is not Death penalty has its own flaws. Human error and irreversibility of justice; it is vengeance. One has the punishment are the two most important ones. In Harban Singh to speak against the irrevocability versus State of U.P. in 1982 three people were awarded death penalty. of death penalty as Yakub’s trial Appeals were made to three different Supreme Court benches. Each and punishment have left behind a bench pronounced dramatically different sentences. Thus ‘rarest of trail of doubts and misgivings. One rare’ doctrine is subjective opinion as rightly pointed out by former has to recall what B. Raman, the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, Justice A.P. Shah. RAW chief who was instrumental There is no doubt that economically and socially backward sections in securing Yakub’s arrest, had of society such as the poor, ethnic and religious minorities, tribals and told the Rediff editor in 2007: that dalits, and the political opponents of the state are the ones who always the “promise given by serving bear the brunt.

20 June, July, August, 2015 CDRO Bulletin Former RAW officer, late B. which preceded the ’93 bomb Eminent personalities from all Raman, who was crucial in blasts were not investigated walks of life like lawyers, judges, coordinating the operation to bring properly and with the same zeal. writers, activists, artists, Yakub back had revealed that Those responsible for Gujarat riots parliamentarians, politicians, etc. Yakub not only surrendered as a are powerful men today, hounding have sent a mercy petition to the part of a ‘deal’, but helped the innocent human rights activists. President Mr. Pranab Mukherjee. Indian Intelligence departments to The subjectivity of ‘Justice’ is thus Political prisoners of Nagpur gather crucial evidence. Yet he is proved. prison and other inmates of other being given the death International criminal law has prisons are observing a day long penalty which was opposed even abolished death penalty even for hunger strike to protest the death by B. Raman. heinous crimes including genocide penalty. I am also going on a day On the other hand Warren and war crimes. Eighty two long hunger strike on 30th of July Anderson of Union Carbide, which countries have become state parties 2015 in solidarity with all these killed thousands of innocent men, to the Second Optional Protocol to protests. women and children in the Bhopal the International Covenant on Civil gas tragedy in 1984, was never and Political Rights, aiming at the Thanking you, brought for trial. The culprits of abolition of the death penalty. India Yours faithfully, 1984 anti-Sikh riots are not only too must respect its own Angela Sontakey roaming free but hold positions of commitment to civil and political UT No. 4/15 power. The perpetrators of 1992- rights and do away with the death 1993 anti-Muslim riots of Mumbai penalty. 29th July, 2015

CONDEMN CENSORING AND ACTION to the hanging of Yakub Memon. Many have opposed the practice AGAINST MEDIA COVERAGE OF YAKUB of continuance of Death Penalty. EXECUTION Holding that “Right to Dissent” is a fundamental right, APDR maintains it tacitly includes Association for Protection of Democratic Rights is concerned on the “Freedom of Press’ and as such NDA Government move to take action for Yakub execution coverage demands its explicit recognition in against some news channels. The move is yet another onslaught on our Constitution. The right to dissent, APDR feels. government’s attempt to equate The Union Information & Broadcasting Ministry under the NDA expression of dissent as mark of Government has invoked different sections of the Programme Code disrespect is another authoritarian prescribed under the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994, including twist towards criminalising dissent Section 1(d), Section 1(g) and Section 1(e) of Rule 6 to issue separate and swoop on the freedom of show-cause notices to ABP News, NDTV 24×7 and Aaj Tak The press. allegation is that these channels’ coverage relating to 1993 Mumbai APDR strongly opposes the blasts convict Yakub Memon hanging showed disrespect to the judiciary move and demands withdrawal of and the President of India. The channels were asked to explain within the show cause notices. 15 days why action should not be taken against them. The disposal of four mercy petitions in a single day perhaps created a judicial history. It is no secret that from sitting and retired Supreme (Amitadyuoti Kumar) Court Judges to ruling party and opposition parliamentarians, at least Working President. two recognized political parties, eminent jurists, academics, retired intelligence agency chiefs and many others expressed strong opposition Kolkkata, 10th August, 2015

CDRO Bulletin June, July, August, 2015 21 that Dhananjay was hanged wrongly. Public meeting against death penalty in Kolkata He did not do the crime. They informed the house that police Association for Protection of Democratic Rights organized a Public Meeting claimed Dhananjay had raped and against Death Penalty on 19 August at Mahabodhi Society Hall, College Sq, murdered the girl. But no DNA test Kolkatta. The meeting was attended by a huge number of people. On behalf of the semen found had been carried of the organizing unit of APDR, BBD Bag Sakha, it is said that the execution out. Moreover, the post mortem of Yakub Memon gave birth to more questions than solved. The political report did not mentioned that the girl exigency of 3 executions in four years and all from the Muslim community, was raped – it merely said sexual the questionable role of the judiciary, role of corporate media and of course intercourse was done. They also told the role of biased Indian State including the role of the President- all, they that no injury was found in her lower felt, need to be questioned – which forced them to organize the Public parts. All injury was in her mouth, Meeting. To question death penalty from various angles under the backdrop shoulders, back – all in upper portion. of Yakub Memon’s hanging in gallows speakers were selected from separate They also raised many questions professions. regarding the time of death, time of The first speaker was young advocate Kaushik Gupta from Kolkata her family’s return, position of the High Court. He analyzed the legal position as specified in Indian Constitution watchman, liftman, and etc. Actually, and IPC- Cr. PC. He showed among other things how article 21 of the their findings startled the house. It constitution upheld the right to life along with the provision of depriving at once proved the point the speakers from right to life legally. Kaushikbasu told the audience that gradually the were trying to make the audience application of the laws related with death penalty changed. Once death penalty understand. was the discretion of the judge, then came discretion with arguments and After their presentation there reasons and now it’s the rarest of the rare. This shows the society is not was a lively interactive – question - allowing or accepting the death penalty. He concluded, so long there will be answer session. Members from provision in law - pronouncement of death penalty cannot be stopped. He amongst the audience questioned urged the audience to develop mass movement demanding abolition of death the professors from various angles. penalty from the constitution and from the statutes. The professors answered all those The next speaker was psychologist Mohit Ranadip. He criticized the questions with smiling face. state showing its insensitiveness. Indian state usually takes 8/10 years after APDR general Secretary Dhiraj the order - to be hanged till death. The trauma of the person and his/her Sengupta presented the vote of family that they undergoes is unimaginable. Rituals performed on the day of thanks to the guest speakers as well the hanging, the last food, the last bath, and the last wish are all barbaric. as to all the members of the audience. Hanging Yakub Memon on his birthday is nothing but pathological barbaric On behalf of the organizer, BBD Bag revenge mentality. He questioned the hanging of Yakub knowing fully well Sakha of APDR, it was announced that Yakub was a mental patient – which he pointed out to be illegal too. in the meeting that campaign against Death Penalty will be carried June,The July third, August, speaker 2015 Mr Gautam Mukhopadhyay, a Journalist of the vernacular daily Aajkaal argued that by hanging the state is preaching relentlessly. The recently published violence which it claims to oppose. This legalised state violence has a long law commission paper showed that term implication in the society and that too never positive. He argued the most of the persons executed in India irrevocability of the hanging order – if it ever found to be faulty. Moreover, were from either poor and marginal the concept of correctional homes instead of the calling a prison – jail, does families or dalits and minorities. not go with the concept of death penalty. Because correctional homes bring APDR wish to expose this the idea that each and every prisoner is reformable. Transforming Ratnakar hollowness of the Indian state and to Balmiki should be our motto- he argued. the Judiciary. The campaign against As a case study the death penalty of Dhananjay Chatterjee, executed Death penalty will be pursued almost a decade earlier, was under scanner in the meeting. Two Senior vigorously as one the important task Professors of Indian statistical Institute Prof Debasish Sengupta and Prof ahead. Probal Chowdhury presented the findings of their research over the death penalty of Dhananjay Chatterjee. They informed that their study showed 22 June, July, August, 2015 CDRO Bulletin Wherever we talked to the victims, State agency and communal politics on an average, 25 to 30 people were present. Our emphasis was On the 2nd October 2014, at 12 noon, an explosion happened in on collecting information through Khagragarh, in Bardhaman district of West Bengal. In the explosion joint dialogues. At times, these two individuals were killed on the spot. The West Bengal government group meetings took the form of conducted an enquiry through the State CID. But before the completion rural general meeting. Barring of the CID enquiry into the incident, the Home Ministry of the Central those who are already exposed, we Government, asked the NIA (National Investigating Agency) to take have kept the identity of the others over the enquiry. And what followed was gross violation of human a secret so that they do not became rights. The Bandi Mukti Commmittee of West Bangal, conducted a fact vulnerable to future attacks by the finding. We are reproducing the report below. NIA. We are bringing to your notice the following events: A Fact – Finding Report on the Role of the NIA in the Post- EVENT ONE: Our first destination Khagragarh Scenario was Alema Bibi’s of the village - In the backdrop of the hyper activism of the National Investigation Talguria, Block-Nabagram, P.O.- Agency NIA immediately after the Khagragarh Bardhaman incident on Bhattabati, Subdivision – Lalbag, 2nd October 2014;— indiscriminate harassment, torture and arrest of PS – Bharampur, District – Muslims merely on the basis of unfounded suspicion; deliberate and Murshidabad. Alema Bibi is one of pre-planned propagation that Madrashas are the centres of terrorism; the two women who were and ransacking them on that concocted plea and not sparing even the arrested from Kharagarh. She is children in their mothers’ lap; unequivocal support lent by the corporate the wife of an injured person media to this package of activities and the resultant gross violation of named Abdul Hakim and daughter human rights; Bandi Mukti Committee resolved through a general meeting of Soleman Shekh. When we convened for this purpose to conduct a Fact Finding survey, the sooner wanted to know from a gathering the better. at the entry-point of the village The Fact Finding team was constituted of the following members about the exact location of Alema’s of the committee: Chotan Das, General Secretary, BMC; Bhanu Sarkar, residence, they expressed their a member of the Editorial Board; Mihir Goswami, a member of the ignorance about it. So much were Secretariat; Shankar Biswas, a member of the Executive Committee they terror-stuck. However, in a (EC); Prof. Sukhendu Sarkar, a member of the EC; Mesbahul Islam, a while we all reached Alema Bibi’s member of the EC; Swapan Sanyal, a member of the EC; Jaynul Abedin, quasi-dark cottage. A tattered a member of the EC; Obaidulla Nur; and Sahiruddin and Jakir Hossain. curtain, made up of sacks, was The issue which the Fact Finding team purported to investigate hanging at the plank of the ground, into, are as below: adjacent to the cottage. Silent 1. Has the NIA created an obvious feeling of insecurity among the imprints of poverty could be Muslims? noticed everywhere. We talked to 2. Whether in the due process of investigation, arrest, interrogation Alema’s father Soleman Shekh and and searching, the NIA remained faithful to the Constitution of India her grandfather Abdur Shukur. and rule of the land in vogue? We were reported that 3. Whether the third degree method of torturing the accused people, immediately after the incident was applied? Police came from Baharampur PS 4. Whether the accused people are getting legal benefits in defending and asked them to go there. The themselves? NIA also asked them to come to 5. Whether the propaganda that ‘Madrasas are the base - centres / the camp at Lalbag. However, dens of terrorism’ has any objective basis or not? without any official notice. Call logs of the mobiles of the sons of We conducted an intense survey within a radius of 300 Kilometres Soleman were scrutinized of Nadia and Murshidabad, between 25/12/2014 to 27/12/2014. minutely. At the inception, police and reporters used to come there CDRO Bulletin June, July, August, 2015 23 for about four times a day. In EVENT TWO: We met a middle EVENT FOUR: In the same panic, people stopped giving them aged man (40) in a nearby village. village, we met a physically jobs. Elder son Sikander Ali was Along with agriculture, he is challenged person. His 12-years asked by the Head Master not to engaged in electrical repairing and old daughter was a student of come to Madrasha. At one time, other activities to support his Simulia- Madrasha. Because of that they used to own five and half family. Both in the NIA - camp at ‘offence’, he was included in the bighas of land. Soleman sold off Lalbag and NIA- office in Kolkata, NI A-doubt list. In fear, he brought the entire land and moved to he was interrogated for long hours his daughter back to village and her Mecca. For about eight years he on a routine basis. Long hours of studies has been stopped abruptly. had been engaging in herding sheep interrogation was punctuated with there. Presently, he does not own third degree methods of torture EVENT FIVE: We wanted to any land. His family is facing lots and intimidation. Doctor’s meet Md. Omar at a Para nearby. of economic hardships. He has prescription bears this testimony. His two daughters, aged about 5 five sons and two daughters. Two The panic seemed so heavy on him and 11, had been studying at of his sons are students of Chaar that he was not even opening his Simulia Madrasha. NIA Jamat and Chaay Jamat at a mouth. Panic-stricken, they didn’t summoned him. As a result, his Madrasha in U.P. This was not due handover the prescription to us only source of living, a small job to any careerist ambition, but they (but we saw the prescription, read at a brick kiln, was terminated. We are bound to quit the family and it thoroughly and were could not talk to him as he was become refuge because of dire confirmed). On our way back not at his residence when we poverty. Poor Muslims send their from that place, a gathering of visited. He lives in a plastic- kids to far off places, because about 25-30 people let us know encircled hut which can hardly be there the little ones are provided about their utter helplessness and called an abode. It was a skeleton education and food almost for free. the danger that awaits them, if they of a hut, so to speak. As we wanted to know the age of open their mouths. their young ones, they hurriedly EVENT SIX: Our next destination produced their AADHAR CARDS. EVENT THREE: This was the was Rajia Bibi’s house. Rajia Bibi The implied message was: ‘See, incident occurred at another was described a ‘trained terrorist’ we are but the residents of this adjacent village. The brother of a by Ananda Bazar Patrika much land.’ NIA’s success (?) in person was in job in Saudi and before the judicial procedure torturing the minority Muslims gave some money to his friend started. The name of her native foreigners in their land is who then purchased a piece of land village is Barbakpur, PS-Karimpur, unquestionable! Alema Bibi has with that money at Simulia (the Subdivision- Tehatta, District- been booked on the following exact village where the 02/10/ Nadia. Her husband died at sections of the IPC: 326, 307, 286, 2014- incident occurred). Khagragarh and she was arrested 34, 120B, 201 and 3, 4 of E.S. Act. However, in no time, the fertile along with Alema Bibi and her kids. PS case No, 1134/14 of NIA - brains discovered the link Rajia’s parents were not at Bardhaman,June, July, August, dated 2/10/2014. 2015 So between Saudi and Simulia. They Barbakpur when we reached far only once they went to Kolkata went further ahead to move to the there. They went to their other to see their daughter behind the jewellery shop where this man had daughter’s residence. After bars. But returned midway because kept his gold ornaments as pledge coming back, they contacted us of sudden illness. Because of the to get money. Side by side, he has on phone and requested us so that paucity of funds and lack of been harassed continuously we could arrange an interview connections they could not engage without any abatement. The between their daughter and them. any pleader for their daughter. We corporate media is continuously We talked to Rajia’s uncle’s son assured them our assistance on making mountains of mole hills Inaful Gazi (28) and also to Md. both counts. We were inspired to from these incidents. The people Hassan Ali Mandal, a member of see their faces illuminated with who are being harassed every now Rahamatpur Gram Panchayat. We hope. and then, are unable to understand learnt from them that on 3rd the underlying reason even. October, 2014, Rajia’s father Ajijul Hosen Gazi was reported by 24 June, July, August, 2015 CDRO Bulletin Karimpur PS about his in-law’s be framed with one case after 45 days had elapsed. The death. Police came to their another. When we were about to Madrasha used to teach the girl- residence six times till date and leave the place, his five years old children and it was run by women. about seven times by the NIA. son came running in panic and he We talked to some girls belonging Police did not make even the assured him that we are ‘good to the 6-11years age group. minimum arrangement for the people’ and not ‘police people’. We wanted to get glimpses on preservation of the dead body until Our constitutional sense got Madrasha type of education in the it was buried. The family was not confused as we came to realise process. They are taught there informed about the burial. that an antonym of ‘good people’ books like ‘Chaman Islam’, According to the NIA, Rajia’s is ‘Police’. ‘Bakaratu Adab’, ‘Rahamania matrimonial contact was arranged Ganit’, ‘Salafi Barna Parichay’, by her brother Rafiqul and EVENT EIGHT: Police reported ‘Nurani Ka Edah’, ‘Rahamania therefore, he was also one of the that in a house at a village, adjacent Barnabodh.’ In addition to these suspects. Md. Hasan Ali Mondal, to Barbakpur, a jiletin stick was there were other books such as a Panchayat member, told us that discovered. Villagers requested ‘New Buds Book II’, ‘Golden the NIA’s hyper-activism had them to show it to them. Police English ABC’ and ‘Sahitya Mukul’. created a reign of terror in that declined. If Police could agree, These are the books taught at the village inhabited by about 5,000 their complaint would find a base. levels ranging from nursery to people. Within the last three class three. We didn’t find any months, no one had any clue to EVENT NINE: Our first day’s last trace of much - propagated ‘Zihad’ how they can meet Rajia in jail and destination was another Madrasha. there. We also came to learn that so they could not make it. They A Madrasha situated at Ghoramara their classes start with the were happy when we assured of Domkal. The Madrasha was recitation of a piece of poem by them that we would make the black-listed by the NIA because the Madan Mohan Tarkalankar which necessary arrangement. The marriage of one related brother of open with the following ‘Wake up informal meeting venue was the Rajia Bibi took place in this village. in the morning I mutter to myself ground adjacent to the Islamic This Madrasha which housed may I remain good through the Modern Public School. about 50 boys, was ransacked in day.’ search of explosives, though EVENT SEVEN: Next we met nothing was found. In panic, the OUR OBSERVATIONS: The another physically challenged Madrasha have ceased to function. three-day fact finding exercise had person who was called five to made our ideas clearer, more rooted seven times till date by the NIA. EVENT TEN: On 27/12/2014 we and, directed. Our observations are Only once through legal notice and interacted with the villagers. We as below: rest of the times informally. He talked to Panchayat member Abdul 1. A big section of our civil was given serious beating while in Gaffar. NIA ransacked society have rightly raised their hanging position and his physical Mukimnagar Madrasha about one voice against the police- handicap was absolutely ignored and half month back. They took intervention in Jadavpur by the NIA personnel. He had to away some of the pages of a book University. But no such voice go through a long and torturous written in Urdu. Seized the enters our ears when NIA – men process of interrogation. He was attendance register. Though the have been carrying on a kind of called with reference of secretary of the Madrasha was out vandalism in Madrashas and have Khagragarh Case, IPC Sec.34, of station, the NIA-men searched already made three Madrashas 120B, 121A, 122, 123, 307, 326 his house despite the objection of defunct altogether. It is a rather a and 286; ES Act: No 3 & 4, and the villagers. 2 obsolete mobiles, sad realisation on our part. We Sections 16, 18, 18A and 20 of 6 ration cards, 5 LPG-application should not waste any more time UAPA. He was tortured in absolute form and documents, a donation- and raise our voice of loud protest secrecy and he was pressurised collection book of the Madrasha against state terrorism in not to disclose the event to his were seized. The villagers had to educational institution starting family. He was threatened that if sign on a piece of white paper. But from universities to Madrashas. he made the thing public, he would no seizure-list was given even after CDRO Bulletin June, July, August, 2015 25 2. In Khagragarh - issue, the of terrorism’. Madrashas are the Indian Constitution and existing NIA - men are always bringing the imparting religious education no laws have been grossly violated by Madrasha - background of the doubt but that is not imposed as a the NIA. They have taken recourse accused people. State did not do central plan. We have noticed a to third degree methods at random. the same in the case of Rajat kind of demand for such education Neither the accused people get any Majumdar, Sudipta Sen and among the common Muslims at legal benefit nor did even the court Subrata Ray. Our state is clearly grass root level. Many Madshas spell a single word in their discriminatory. It is trying to are self-financed and financed by protection, suppress our Muslim - community the rural people. In some cases, as a Specially Unprivileged Class. their standard of education is Come up and raise your voice This is absolutely undesirable. better than that imparted by the against the concerted conspiracy Muslim people are suffering from Government - sponsored schools. of RSS – BJP – Sangha Parivar. a sense of insecurity. Probably, the existence of 3. In the case the accused, the missionary zeal in Madrashas DEMAND NIA are upholding their religious makes the difference. identity. Once again, this was not 6. Whenever we have gone, 1. Dismantle NIA immediately. done to the accused like Asharam we’ve noticed a healthy ambience 2. Scrap the black law UAPA. Bapu and Rampal. We were firmed of communal unity. In Kurbanis, with our realisation that this was 3. Re-open the Madrashas which Hindus are invited. Muslims are an integral state conspiracy to were closed. also among special invitees in incite the blame of communal 4. Stop harassing Muslims on marriage ceremonies. We hatred. basis of concoctions. think that there is a subtle schemata 4. The Madrashas which were 5. Stop state terror against made defunct, were to impart of destroying this balance and we Madrashas. education either to children or to must denounce this political 6. Want unconditional release of women. Thus, this is an attack on schemata. We have no other all political prisoners, and children’s education and women alternative than to protest unitedly 7. Remove Joint Forces from education. Off course, this is an against this deliberate Jungal Mahaks and hills. ominous sign. criminalisation of an entire 5. We did not find any community. Bandi Mukti Commmittee objective basis of the hue and cry 7. In matters of arrest, that ‘Madrashas are the birth places interrogation and house-searching, 27th December, 2014

A report on land grab and farmers displacement under the leadership of Bhartia in District Patiala Kisan Union (Ekta-Dakaunda). On August 6th, 2015 they once again June,A five July member, August,’s team 2015 of Association for Democratic Rights, Punjab hatched big preparations and made a visit to village Hariao Khurd (District Patiala) and investigated attacked the village on a large scale. the dispute of land there. It was a large area of barren land up till They invaded the village with the partition. The displaced farmers from Pakistan in 1947 came to Punjab help of more than one thousand and settled on this land. They made it cultivable after decades of hard of police force, civil labor. And now, while this has been turned into a fertile land and is only administration, block development source of livelihood for dozens of cultivating families, the greedy land and panchayat department staff mafia with the connivance of ruling politicians and with the help of and 150 officials/employees of twisted court orders is trying to displace the farmers and snatch the Power Corporation. In a large scale land from them. They acquired 125 acre land for govt. sugar mill but operation they sealed houses of handed over to a private business house. They tried time and again to more than 60 families, cut off uproot the farmers from remaining 143+73 acre land. The Farmers power supply, damaged their got organized and resisted Dist. Administration’s with tooth and nail electric tube wells and electricity 26 June, July, August, 2015 CDRO Bulletin transformers, beaten away their village should be allotted residential should be released immediately. cattle. When farmers resisted, plots from that land. And grain 6. Guilty police and other they brutally cane charged them, market be established on remaining officials/employees should be fractured theirs limbs, made arrests land. charged and punished after proper indiscriminately, dragged and 4. Farmers should be investigation of the repression on insulted women brutally and compensated for their loss and the innocent farmers. destroyed many houses damage to their property and constructed on the land. The police crops. Buta Singh, slapped draconian IPC articles 5. All false criminal cases Press secretary, AFDR including attempt to murder and should be scrapped and farmers attacking the police etc. charges on the arrested leaders and village The death of Bannappa is nothing but a people and put them in the jail. This repression was so much custodial death brutal that some sections of ruling class parties condemned it. The Police should stop harassing the people in the incidents farmers are on continued struggle following the murder including hunger strike in front of deputy commissioner’s office Dear people and democrats, since 7th August and has been Civil Liberties Committee has been demanding the rule of law from entered in to 11th day. The issue the State and Central governments for the last forty years. But it has is so urgent for the farmers that never been implemented. Democratic governments are not short of the women and school girls are powers to formulate and implement the policies to address the people’s participating in this struggle in big problems. However, the police acting under the pressure of politicians number. AFDR team met village and higher officials are using illegal methods of encounter killings, people, Kisan Union leaders and abductions, and lockup deaths (custodial deaths). The way encounter Dist. Administration. It murder is the ultimate result of state repression, lockup death is the highest form of custodial violence. Bannappa’s death in Maredpally investigated all the facts police station is part of this. thoroughly. AFDR concluded that During the celebrations of Bonala Festival Bannappa (auto driver) the farmers are genuine occupants residing in Mahatma Gandhi Nagar slum had some altercation with of the land and it is insolent nexus Sreenivas, a home guard from Karimnagar residing in the same slum. of administers, ruling politicians This incident occurred in the afternoon of 02.08.2015. At about 9.00 and land mafia which is disturbing pm Bannappa was picked up from the house when he was about to their peaceful lives and trying to have his dinner. Police told his wife Sumitra that he would be sent back grab this the land. in an hour. When his brother Arjun went to the police station to bring him, police told him that they would send back Bannappa in the morning. So AFDR demands: At 08.30 in the following morning the Police called his mother Madhavi 1. Land to be continued by to the station along with ration card and 500 rupees. Bannappa was having rent after marginal increase then handed over to the family members in a critical condition. Though to the farmers. not much external wounds were visible he was unable to walk and was 2. The Punjab Govt. should neither in a position talk nor able swallow milk that was offered to him. pass a bill to make the farmers The marks on his throat and other body parts were the clear evidence permanent owner of the land. of the torture in the lock up throughout the night. When people 3. 125 Acres land given for confronted the police station about his condition, the response of police Sugar Mill should be taken back was definitely not of a “friendly police”. The response of the police (as not used for that purpose) and had angered his relatives and the neighbors. The Supreme Court landless SC & ST people of the guidelines are clear about the definition of custodial death; says that if

CDRO Bulletin June, July, August, 2015 27 the death is due to the injuries in systematic destruction of the hills Committee feels that there is failure the police station it will still be in Karimangar, in the name of open on the part of the State to considered as custodial death even cast mines, is pushing the lives of acknowledge and respect the if the death happens after the the people into graveyard. When infuriated emotions of the people release. It is fact Bannappa died people like Bannappa are migrating when it treated the attack on the within hours after he was handed to the cities for livelihood they are police station as intolerable over to the relatives. His death has being picked up and tortured to violence in an area outside the put the future of his mother, wife death in the police lockups. It is Maoist influence. We demand that and two children into uncertainty. becoming clear to the people that the government instead of using This must have primarily infuriated the entire police system is meant oppressive measures on the people the colony people and the family only for extra-judicial killings and must try to resolve the matter members. On the insistence of threatening the ordinary peoples. peacefully. Sumitra, wife of Bannappa, the Many Bannapas were killed in the It has become a regular police had filed the case under CPC police stations. This type of rule practice of the police to arrest and 174 (death under mysterious can’t be a democratic rule. One torture innocent poor slum people circumstances). They transferred can’t justify the police harassing for any kind of crime. Police the involved policemen and the people for agitating against the behave inhumanly with slum initiated a departmental inquiry. unjustifiable killing of Bannappa. people by treating every person The people, however, would have Police has branded the protest as living in the slums as criminal. The appreciated the police department the handiwork of rowdy shouters killing of Bannappa is part of the for transparency, if had they and criminal elements. If false police attack on poor slum people. registered the complaint under cases and illegal detention of the In this killing, the invisible wounds section 302. innocent slum people continues the are more severe than the visible People generally agitated when people’s resentment against the wounds. Because of the injury on the police have violated law. A police will increase. If the police the throat, poor Bannappa was not violent agitation, following the acts in impartial and transparent even in a position to spell out his death of Bannappa under the manner there will be cordial painful conditions. circumstances mentioned above, atmosphere in this area. Only then was axiomatic. The Government the people would be able to show Demands: and police have to understand this. to the people that they are ‘friendly 1. All the policemen who were It is worth mentioning that ever police’. responsible for the killing of since the formation of the Instead of misinterpreting the Bannappa should be booked and Telangana State five custodial attack on police station as attach tried under IPC 302. deaths have taken place. on their prestige, they must 2. Bannapa’s family should be Compensations was sanctioned understand the aggrieved emotions compensated with government job June,only in July one, August, instance, 2015 that is, the of the people. It is a fact that no for his wife, a flat to reside, Korutla lock up death. On one side politician or military official was schooling for his children and Rs peasants are forced to commit ever charge-sheeted for attacking 50 lakhs. suicide in the state (Justice police station in the past. The 3. The Police should stop Chandrakumar places this figure indifference shown to the people harassing the people after the as 1700) and on the other side the would suggest that there are attack on police station. poor and innocents are being killed different rules for the powerful and 4. There should be a in police station. Prof Jayashamkar the ordinary people. The magisterial inquiry into the killing and popular poet Kaloji had never indifference and harassment to the of Bannappa under section 176 of dreamt of such murderous people exemplify the oppressive CrPC. Telangana, but for a democratic nature of the police, which is Telangana. The incumbent contrary to the humanitarian rule CLC government, by indulging in of law. The Civil Liberties

28 June, July, August, 2015 CDRO Bulletin in various States as well as in On the arrest of Debaranjan Sarangi international fora. Deba Ranjan and GASS are HRF STATEMENT among the few voices in Odisha that are speaking out against We condemn in the strongest terms the foisting of a false case by the governmental lies and distortions Malkangiri police on human rights defender Debaranjan. We believe that and are striving to draw out the truth. the case booked against him under Section 354 (B) of IPC (relating to More recently, they have played a molestation of a woman) and other charges to be a completely fabricated seminal role in bringing to light the one. Its sole purpose is to try and demoralise and malign Deba Ranjan and to extra-judicial killing by BSF stop him and the organisation he works with, the Ganatantrik Adhikar personnel of an adivasi farmer Ganga Surakhya Sangathan (GASS) from pursuing their human rights work. We Kirsani of Litiput village, Koraput demand that the Odisha government immediately direct the police to district. This is one of those rare withdraw the false cases registered against Deba Ranjan. instances when it was even Over the past two decades Debaranjan has been a consistent and established officially that it was a passionate voice against injustice both within and outside Odisha. As a killing by unilateral firing of the BSF. writer, film maker and human rights activist he has highlighted and critiqued We deplore this attempt by the policies of destructive development, unbridled mining practices, State to scuttle voices of dissent. We displacement, police impunity, atrocities on dalits, women and adivasis, the call upon the Odisha government to inhuman and ugly politics of Hindutva and more recently issues of farmers’ sincerely address issues raised by suicides in a context of acute agrarian distress. It is this activism that the human rights defenders in a police seek to throttle by the filing of this false case. They have stooped to democratic manner and to desist from the level of misusing law pertaining to sexual violence on women in their such disgraceful attempts at framing attempt to browbeat Deba Ranjan. dissenters. Debaranjan is a long associate of not only the Human Rights Forum (HRF) and several rights organisations, he is a friend of many ongoing VS Krishna movements across the nation. He was part of a joint fact-finding exercise (HRF general secretary) along with the well-known human rights activist and HRF founder-member (late) K Balagopal in the summer of 2009 that looked into police violence on Bela Bhatia adivasis in the name of curbing the Maoist movement in the districts of (Independent researcher and human South Odissa. He has been part of extended fact-findings that investigated rights worker) attacks on Christians in Khandhamal and Karnataka and on massacres of civilians by the paramilitary in South Chattisgarh. His documentary films 19-8-2015 depicting these and other issues with immense sensitivity have been screened We seek to bring to your notice PUDR MEMORANDUM TO THE NATIONAL the grave human rights violations of Mr. Debaranjan Sarangi, a HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION human rights defender and documentary filmmaker, currently The Chairperson, 22 August 2015 associated with the Ganatantra National Human Rights Commission, Adhikar Suraksha Sangathan Manav Adhikar Bhawan, (GASS), by the Odisha security Block-C, GPO Complex, agencies. Mr. Sarangi has been the INA, New Delhi, Delhi 110023 target of state monitoring and surveillance and has had false Subject: Request for urgent intervention in the case of targeting of cases foisted against him, as a Human Rights Activist Debaranjan Sarangi, Ganatantra pretext for curtailing his activism Adhikar Suraksha Sangathan (GASS), Odisha relating to state violence and atrocities against adivasis in Dear Madam/Sir Odisha. As part of the process

CDRO Bulletin June, July, August, 2015 29 launched by the security agencies, and surveillance by them. Adivasis in Odisha and a case has been registered against Again in the evening, shortly Chhattisgarh, through his writings him at the Malkangiri Police Station before Debaranjan was to leave and documentary films. He has and notice issued to him to be Malkangiri, he was visited by two been associated with several present at the PS on 23 August women police officers in civilian human rights organizations and 2015. We offer below a sequence clothes, demanding that he been a part of fact-finding of events beginning from 8th-9th accompany them to the police missions on fake encounters, August 2015 in Malkangiri, to station. They stated that a disappearances and police substantiate how Mr. Sarangi is complaint of molestation had been atrocities against tribals. being harassed. filed against him earlier that day. Previously, Debaranjan was a The police officers were again member of a fact-finding team to Surveillance, Intimidation and unable to produce a copy of the Basaguda in 2012, in Chhattisgarh, Foisting of false cases against FIR, or any warrant seeking his where 17 people were killed by Debaranjan Sarangi attendance at the police station. CRPF personnel. Debaranjan’s On 8 August 2015, Accordingly, Debaranjan refused video of the fact-finding was Debaranjan Sarangi visited to accompany them to the police submitted to the Judicial Malkangiri for two days to shoot station, and left Malkangiri as Commission of Inquiry instated to a documentary film on the adivasi planned. inquire into the incident, which land rights struggle in Odisha. In Around midnight thereafter, later found that the firing was the afternoon, he was visited by members of security forces visited unprovoked. Debaranjan was also members of the security forces his place of accommodation in a member of the fact-finding team who insisted that he should come Malkangiri again. On discovering in 2013, on the killing of a tribal with them to the police station. On that Debaranjan had already left, youth, Ganga Kirshani, by the being asked for the warrant or a they illegally detained the BSF, on allegations of being a written document seeking his cameraperson who was Maoist. This formed the basis of attendance at the police station, or accompanying him and another a petition by GASS before the State to explain the reason behind such boy at the police station for a day. Human Rights Commission, a demand, they failed to produce Since then, security forces have where the Sub-Judicial Magistrate either. Debaranjan therefore been harassing the local tribals in his report to the SHRC refused to accompany them. who had given interviews to confirmed that the youth was The next day, on 9 August, Debaranjan for his documentary, innocent. Debaranjan was tailed by members and the local teachers who had In the light of Debaranjan’s of the Special Branch of the assisted him, in a bid to get further sustained human rights activism in Intelligence Department to the information on him. Odisha and Chhattisgarh, PUDR locations where he was shooting Thereafter, on 16 August. he holds that: the documentary. These officials was served a notice by the SI * The surveillance over June,interrogated July, August, him 2015about his Malkangiri Police Station to be Debaranjan’s movements and involvement with human rights present at the PS for interrogation activities, and the glaring causes, his association with GASS as a case no. 95 dated 09.08.2015 irregularities in the due process in and their activities, and the reason has been registered against him u/ the incidents of 8-9 August in behind his visit to Malkangiri. s 294/241/323/354/354-B/506(ii) Malkangiri, confirm the suspicions Debaranjan faithfully responded to of IPC. And he has been directed that the cases foisted against him all their questions. He was then told to be present at the PS on 23 are false, malicious and intended by the officials that they had been August for interrogation. to intimidate and immobilize him. informed of his plans to visit About Debaranjan Sarangi * The foisting of Section 354 Malkangiri by the office of the Debaranjan Sarangi is a human B IPC (criminal assault with the Director General of Police three rights defender who has been intention of disrobing a woman) days prior to his arrival, and that tirelessly campaigning for the in the absence of any he was under constant monitoring human rights of Dalits and substantiation whatsoever

30 June, July, August, 2015 CDRO Bulletin amounts to gross misuse of the provision by the Odisha Police. * These actions of Odisha Invitation security and police agencies constitute a violation of IMPRISONED VOICES Debaranjan Sarangi’s fundamental right to personal liberty, and are POLI TICAL PRISONERS AND DEMOCRATIC intended to disable the exercise of his freedom of speech and dissent RIGHTS as a citizen of India. The surveillance over his movements 30TH DR. RAMANADHAM and activities further infringe his fundamental right to privacy. MEMORIAL LECTURE * As persons who are involved in the promotion and protection of human rights and who demand Organised by Peoples Union for Democratic Rights state accountability for violations, human rights defenders such as on Debaranjan Sarangi are at 12 September 2015 particular risk of reprisals and persecution by state agencies. Saturday 4.30pm PUDR is deeply concerned at at the manner in which the Odisha security agencies have attempted Indian Social Institute to violate Debaranjan Sarangi’s Lodhi Road, New Delhi (Near Sai mandir) guaranteed freedoms of speech and movement, and to take away the fundamental right to personal INTRODUCTION BY liberty without following the due process as established by law. Kanchan Bala, Mehanatkash Mahila Sangathan, Delhi We, therefore, urge you to take urgent and necessary action in SPEAKERS order to prevent such a false case * Arun Ferreira, Committee for the being proceeded against him. Protection of Democratic Rights Thanking you (CPDR), Mumbai * Mehmood Pracha, Advocate, Delhi Yours sincerely * Sujato Bhadra, Association for Protection Sharmila Purkayastha of Democr atic Rights (APDR), Megha Bahl West Bengal Secretaries, PUDR

Contact: [email protected] +91-9013292099

CDRO Bulletin June, July, August, 2015 31 Widely published photos on the Yakub Memon Protest

Protest organised by Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS) in Guwahati, on 25 August 2015 CDRO BULLETIN MAY 2015 CONTENTS

Who has the RIGHT to KILL? Oppose the Re-Launch of Salwa Judum in Chhattisgarh, CDRO . Targeting Political Prisoners: Back in Colonial Times? Urbanization as Development, PUCL. PUDR Statements against Violation of Democratic Rights. Ashiq Bukhari Revelations Must Lead to Criminal Accountability, June, July, August, 2015 JKCCS. Indian Army and Rape in Assam, MASS. Goondami and West Bengal Civic Poll of April 2015, APDR. 20150502 ’s Acche Din One Year After, CPDR. On the Communal Mobbing Manifested at the Gwaltabi Incident of 30 April 2015 and Afterwards, CPDM.

32 June, July, August, 2015 CDRO Bulletin