The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : Decision to withdraw ‘petty’ criminal cases against political leaders flayed

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Sunday, Dec 23, 2007
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Decision to withdraw ‘petty’ criminal cases against political leaders flayed

Staff Reporter

Rights activists demand that cases against those booked in livelihood struggles be freed

BHUBANESWAR: Human rights activists have taken exceptions to the State Government’s decision to withdraw “petty” criminal cases involving political leaders, mostly legislators and Parliamentarians.

The Home Department in a latest communication under Right To Information Act said as many as 77 cases were identified as petty cases pending against present legislators, former MLAs and MPs.

The withdrawal of cases would give reprieve to 71 present and former MLAs and eight MPs and 721 others who were involved in criminal cases with these leaders. While 11 cases were registered before 1990, some 66 cases were related to the period between 1990 and 2004.

“Seven petty cases have already been withdrawn against sitting members of Legislative Assembly,” the Home Department said.

City-based human rights activist Biswaypriya Kanungo, who had sought the information, questioned the wisdom of the decision in bracketing only political leaders who had become either MLA or MP in the withdrawal of cases.

“There have been a lot of struggles by people against displacement and loss of livelihood. But the State Government chose not to touch those cases because MLAs and MPs were not involved in those people’s struggle,” Mr. Kanungo said.

He said cases were still pending against fishermen and tribal people who took part in Kashipur movement and Chilika Bachao Andolan, but the government excluded them from its exonerate list.

Even slum dwellers, who had received bullet injuries protesting eviction in the capital city were having criminal cases against them but they were left to suffer further, Mr. Kanungo said. Several other human rights activists also raised concern over the matter. Human rights activists demanded that cases involving all the people who were agitating for their livelihood be withdrawn.

The Home Department was, however, silent on providing information on cases withdrawn with regard to naxalism.

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