The Hindu : New Delhi News : Activists demand release of Chhattisgarh PUCL leader

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 19, 2007
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New Delhi

Activists demand release of Chhattisgarh PUCL leader

Staff Reporter

Binayak Sen

NEW DELHI: Concerned over continuing detention of health care activist and Chhattisgarh People’s Union for Civil Liberties general secretary Binayak Sen -- under the much criticised Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act, 2006, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 2004 -- civil rights activists came together here on Wednesday to reiterate their demand for his immediate release. Dr. Sen, who has worked in the field of community health and human rights for the past 25 years, has been under judicial custody since May 14 on “charges of waging a war against the State” .

“A Committee for the Release of Dr. Binayak Sen has been formed in the Capital to try and secure his release. The committee comprises individual associated with democratic rights organisations, academics as well as activists. It has been more than two months since his detention and the Chhattisgarh Government has been spreading false stories about him, including labelling him a dangerous naxalite,” said activist Apoorvanand at a press conference.

Condemning the Chhattisgarh Government for not releasing Dr. Sen, senior journalist Prabhash Joshi said: “We are against any sort of violence. But if anyone who talks to naxalities is branded a naxalite then it is a bad situation for human rights as well as for the freedom of the Press. If on one hand there are gun-totting naxalites and the police on the other, it is important to have people like Dr. Sen to bring these quarters together to find a solution. Otherwise there is no room for democratic solution.”

Apart from demanding that all charges against Dr. Sen be dropped, the activists have also called for immediate disbanding of Salwa Judum in addition to repeal of the Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act, 2006, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 2004.

“If the State is going to come down on human rights and civil liberties activists like Dr. Sen because they are working with Maoists who have been declared unlawful, then you are closing room for dialogue. Every day in Iraq there are suicide bombings, clearly people want to lay down their lives for a cause. It is important to know why they are so angry and excited. But if the State is going to respond in this way (by detaining activists) then you close all options,” said senior advocate Prashant Bhushan.

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