Stop harassment of social activists
Date: 12 October 2014
On 1 September 2014, officials of ATS, Pune arrested two social activists viz. Arun Bhelake and Kanchan Nanavare as suspected naxalites in Pune. They were given third degree treatment and made to issue a statement.
This statement was used by ATS to implicate other progressive social activists in this alleged arrest case. And so, the Bharatiya Republican Paksha Bahujan Mahasangha’s Govandi Corporator Hon. Shri. Arun Kamble, Republican Panther's Jaatiant Movement’s State President Sharad Gaikwad, Rahul Seva Mandal’s President Shankar Patil, Kabir Kalamach’s Rupali Jadhav from Pune and mass movement’s key members from Pune are being summoned to the ATS office in Pune for "enquiry".
They are made to sit at the office for the entire day after which their statements are recorded. They are being called to the ATS office multiple times for interrogation and the same questions are repeated, again and again. While a person is expected to cooperate with the authorities for an enquiry for a legitimate case, but ordering them to come to Pune every now and then, under the pretext of enquiry and making them confess as per incorrect statements under coercion can be considered as mental harassment of activists in Maharashtra.
These activists are being asked to disclose name, address and contact details of other members form the above mentioned organisations. Some of persons who are names are not even remotely connected with this case nor have any summons been issued or pending against them. This act of ATS is an attempt to intimidate the members of these organisations and members of civil society.
Harassment of Sudhir Dhawale
On 15 May 2014, after 40 months, Gondia Session Court acquitted Sudhir Dhawale, the Editor of Vidrohi (a bimonthly magazine) and member of Republic Panthers, however, the police continues to harass him. On the 28 September, the police entered his Govandi residence and conducted a search without any warrant nor summons. After which they interrogated him. The police bundled him into a van and escorted him to Deonar police station; they confiscated his mobile phone. After which Dhawale was made to give a written statement and mentally harassed him.
This constant harassment of members of these organisations and senior social activists by the police under the pretext of alleged enquiry must be vehemently protested by all progressive thinkers, intellectuals, artists and social organisations.
Elections are conducted regularly, and our votes are meant to change governments. This gives us the illusion of a democratic country. However, we can see an invisible emergency-like situation which is prevalent. It is an absurd situation where our country's Constitution confers the freedom of expression on us but the reality is, there is suppression of expression. Not just that citizens are systematically harassed by the police for adhering to a particular ideology.
In this sense, we the undersigned demand:
- Definition of Terrorism should be clarified post 9/11
- Intimidation of social activists by the police should cease, immediately
- Mental harassment of members must be stopped, immediately
- We must have the right to raise our voice against anti-democratic elements
Yours Sincerely,
1. Retired Supreme Court Judge Hon. Shri P B Savant
2. Retired Bombay High Court Judge Hon. Shri B G Kolse Patil
3. Former Home State Minister Bhai Vaidya
4. Prof N D Patil (Senior Leader)
5. Prof. Pushpa Bhave
6. Hon. Shri. Balasaheb aka Prakash Ambedkar
7. Prof. Anand Teltumbade, Writer
8. Govind Pansare (CPI-Leader)
9. Ramu Ramanathan, Playwright
10. J V Pawar, Writer
11. Urmila Pawar, Writer
12. Jatin Desai, Journalist
13. Retired Bombay High Court Judge Hon. Shri. Suresh Hosbet
14. Suresh Khopade, Ex-Police Officer
15. Col. Sudhir Sawant
16. Usha Umbhore
17. Shahir Sambhaji Bhagat
18. Sushama Deshpande, Theatre practitioner
19. Sumedh Jadhav, Social Activist
20. Teesta Setalvad,
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