Pressure has been mounting against the detention of Dr Binayak Sen in Chattisgarh with swelling number of people demanding unconditional and immediate release of Sen. Petitions addressed to the Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Chattisgarh Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh, and others are swelling with numbers of people signing up from not only India but from expatriate community globally.
Association for India's Development activists expressed their grave disappointment at the rejection of Dr Sen's bail by the Supreme Court of India. Dr Sen was arrested on 14 May 2007 under the draconian law - Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act (CSPSA) 2006, which gives the state sweeping powers to act against those allegedly in contact with a naxalite leader in jail. Dr Sen maintains that these meetings occurred with due written permission of the state.
"More than 7 months since his arrest on vague and unsubstantiated charges under a draconian law, the State of Chhattisgarh is yet to produce any evidence against Dr Sen and continues to drag its feet at every opportunity" said AID activists.
Even as the State holds Dr Sen with no credible case or evidence against him, the actual naxalite problem has only worsened over the past months. The recent escalation of violence and rise in death toll as well as the security breach in Dantewada prison are just few dark indicators.
Dr Binayak Sen, who studied medicine at Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, is the General Secretary of the state's People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and a paediatrician and public health/social activist of repute. He has been working in Chhattisgarh on health, social and human rights issues for over 25 years. He is responsible for stellar contributions to the cause of healthcare for all in Chhattisgarh including setting up the Shaheed Hospital for Mine Workers in Dalli Rajahara and the establishment of the Mitaneen program, a pioneering model putting the Village Health Worker at the forefront of rural healthcare.
Dr. Sen during his PUCL work brought to light the human rights situation in Bastar and Dantewada districts of the state, where a civil war like situation has been prevailing, even as the state propped up by providing money and arms, an organization called the Salwa Judum to supposedly counter the attendant naxalism.
Growing list of people from India and abroad are petitioning for:
- Dr Sen be immediately released and all cases against him be dropped
- Chhattisgarh Government takes immediate steps to restore peace and end the violence by the naxalites as well as the Salwa Judum
- State government ends its support to the Salwa Judum immediately
- State government looks after the interests of all citizens of Chhattisgarh including understanding the underlying reasons why the naxalite movement is gaining strength
"Dr Binayak Sen should be immediately released unconditionally by the state" said noted social activist and Magsaysay Awardee (2002) Dr Sandeep Pandey, who leads National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM). "Binayak Sen has made commendable contribution in responding to healthcare needs of the most underserved communities over decades now, and has brought hope and empowerment to tribal communities of Chattisgarh by strengthening people's voices to safeguard their rights and civil liberties" remarked Dr Pandey.
The state had earlier failed to save the life of a dedicated frontline activist Shankar Guha Niyogi years ago. People around the world are outraged by the continued detention of Dr Sen since more than 7 months now. It also puts a question mark on our democracy where voices of pro-poor activists are stifled by the state in one of the most outrageous manner. Hope the vanguards of justice are listening.
7 Jul 2014 - 10:40pm | AT News
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi raised a number of issues confronting the state as he met prime minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Gogoi...
1 Jul 2015 - 7:39pm | AT News
Dispur has cleared the appointment of a senior IAS officer as the RTI commissioner. He is none other than Painul Basumatary who is set to join in a day or two. Earlier Basumatary was working as CAG...
14 Sep 2015 - 7:22pm | Siddhartha Handique
Finally, the authority has suspended the Golaghat Law College Principal PK Sahu acting on a number of complaints from all sides. The process to place him under suspension gathered momentum after the...
20 May 2012 - 1:58pm | editor
The general election of All Guwahati Achik Students' Association (AGASA) has been conducted on May 1, 2012 at Meghalaya House, Guwahati. The election was presided by outgoing President Saljagringrang...
Wanna do online journalism? You can do if you are confident and workaholic. Need only an online training. We at Assam Times are ready to help you translate your dream in this roaring job. Come January 1, 2018.
Register now for online course free of cost and get the advantage. Manned by a team of sharp and dedicated journos of international repute we are coming up from the new years day.
Yet another witch hunting incident fans no less shock and anger across the on Monday two days after it came to light. The incident took place at a remote helmet in Chirang district bordering Bhutan where thr body of the victim was recovered on Saturday. Identified as Guneswar Basumatary, the local resident of Koila Moila near Dotom was believed to have been killed alleging witch craft. According to family members,Guneswar went missing on September 16 evening he visited his relative's house at Koila Moila area. Family members lodged an FIR with Amguri PS,case number 45/2017, under section 302/201 IPC. During a search operation, police and family members recovered body in decomposed...
A local magistrate in Nagaon on Friday remanded Mithu Roy to two days police custody after the trader was produced before it in connection with the recent incident where he and his associates thrashed four former ULFA rebels who approached him for fund to feed the flood hit people. According to allegations, he was the main culprit who hired a few local associates to beat up the youths who were raising fund. He was arrested on Thursday as he was on the run as police arrested his three associates on Wednesday afternoon. Meanwhile, a huge gathering in the central Assam town demanded examplary punishment of the accused youths saying that they...
A candle lighting rally was carried out at Salakati in protest against killing of ABMSU leader Lafikul. The was organized by ABMSU and was participating by ABSU, AKRSU, bengali Federation, Santhali Student's Union and many organizations. The rally was started from Salakati anchalik Abmsu office and concluded at Railway gate. Thousands housands of activists from various student's union and civilians participated and demanded early arrests of main culprits.The ABMSU demanded CBI inquiry into Lafikul murder,arrest main culprits and provide safety and security to the persons of the region. Moinuddin Ali,ABMSU leader said that main culprits should be nabbed as soon as possible...
United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) said The Nagas Nation has lost a true and uncompromising Nationalist. "In the creation of Western South East Asia geographic identity with an organic soul giving hope to even the smallest nationality of the region opportunity to get just political representation amongst the family of Nations reflects his deep understanding and vision in keeping with his superb statesmanship". Describing him as a 'Grandee' of the indigenous citizens of the WESEA region, ULFA(I) chairman Dr Abhizeet Asom in his condolence message to media said "as the Chairman of United Liberation Front of Western South East Asia, he brought an affinity amongst the...
Amid an escalating controversy over beef consumption, yet another leader has quit BJP in Meghalaya suggesting a setback for the saffron party in the pre poll political landscape. North Garo Hills BJP president Bachu Marak pulled out of the party after the national party spokesman Nolin Kohli warned him against a beef party in Tura to celebrate the three years of the NDA government at the Centre. Marak, who pulled many people to BJP in the Congress ruled state rued in his resignation letter to state party president Sjibun Lyngdoh made it plain and simple that he would never go against the sentiment of the Garo people for whom beef is an inevitable item at any feast. He...
A crucial meeting of BPF and AGP leadership with Amit Shah is clearing the decks for the expansion of Sarbananda Sonowal cabinet slated for April 15. Senior BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma along with AGP president Atul Bora, his BPF counterpart Hagrama Mohilary is meeting the BJP president in New Delhi on Monday where the entire process would be finalized. Sources told www.Assam Times that Bongaigaon legislator Phani Bhushan Chaudhury is likely to be inducted in the cabinet from AGP. Both AGP and BPF will have one each in the cabinet while BJP will have six new faces in the expanded cabinet. Those who are attending the close door meet include Hagrama Mohilary, Arul Bora, Hemant Biswa...
In a bizarre incident that triggers statewide anger and surprise, the police have arrested a top ranked officer in Dispur on bribery charges on Tuesday before recovering more than Rs 1 crore from his possession.He is none other than Kujendra Doley, the irrigation secretary who alleged to have been collecting lakhs of rupees from the contractors for releasing their bills.Acting on a complaint from a contractor, the sleuths of the vigilance and anti corruption cell caught the secretary red handed and seized an astronomical amount of money from his office locker he allegedly to pay minister Ranjit Dutta.Then Doley was taken to his residence in the city and Rs 10 lakh were seized in cash during...
Add new comment