palashcbiswas,
gostokanan, sodepur, kolkata-700110 phone:033-25659551
From: Sukla Sen <sukla.sen@gmail.com>
To: peoples media <mediainitiative@yahoogroups.co.in>; indiathinkersnet <indiathinkersnet@yahoogroups.com>; india-force@yahoogroups.com; mahajanapada <Mahajanapada@yahoogroups.com>; bahujan <Bahujan@yahoogroups.com>; IHRO <ihro@yahoogroups.com>; issueonline <issuesonline_worldwide@yahoogroups.com>; arkitectindia@yahoogroups.com; common-concern <common-concern@googlegroups.com>; invitesplus@yahoogroups.com; mihre <mihre@googlegroups.com>; international-peace-festival <international-peace-festival@googlegroups.com>; humanrightsactivist <humanrightsactivist@yahoogroups.com>; ecological-democracy <ecological-democracy@lists.riseup.net>
Sent: Tuesday, 21 July, 2009 22:23:29
Subject: [Bahujan-forum] Call for Endorsement: Letter to Maharshtra Home Minister Protesting Official "Kidnap" of Activists Coinciding with Hillary Clinton Visit to Mummbai
Friends,
Today's press-cum-public meet (ref: <http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/india- unity/message/ 32655>) held at the Press Club , Mumbai decided to take a delegation to the state Home Minister and hand over the letter reproduced below, which is self-explanatory, at the very earliest.
A formal appointment with him is being sought.
You are requested to immediately send in your endoresements.
In solidarity,
Sukla Sen
for Citizens' Initiative for Peace (CIP)
Letter to Maharshtra Home Minister Protesting Official "Kidnap" of Activists Coinciding with Hillary Clinton Visit to Mummbai
To
The Home Minister of Maharashtra,
Mantralay,
Mumbai
Sub: Undemocratic Arrest/Detention of Activists by Mumbai Police Coinciding with the Visit of Ms Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, to the City
Sir,
We, on behalf of the Citizens' Initiative for Peace (CIP), note with a sense of shock and horror and consequently draw your attention to the fact, even if already well covered by the media, that on the last Friday, July 17, evening, three prominent social/political activist from Mumbai viz., Feroze Mithiborwala, Kishor Jagtap and Aslam Ghazi were picked up by the Mumbai Police and kept under detention, in two city police stations, for over twenty hours.
No reason whatever has been indicated for this official "kidnap".
It appears that they were picked up to scuttle the possibility, just possibility, of any protest demonstration against the visiting US Secretary of State, Ms. Hillary Clinton.
One does not have to agree with political positions of those who were detained in order to strongly denounce this grossly undemocratic act on the part of the Mumbai Police.
The right to dissent, and dissent in public, is what sets a "democracy" apart from an authoritarian regime. And we never tire of claiming, and not too unjustifiably, that India is the "largest democracy" in the world.
It is precisely in that context, the action of the Mumbai Police is extremely unfortunate and utterly condemnable.
It is also, could we add, pretty foolish to do so when the attention of the national and international media is focussed on the city because of the visit by the high profile dignitary. It, we are sure, has caused significant damage to India's democratic credentials. And even the visiting dignitary cannot escape unscathed the negative fallout as many would tend to hold her at least indirectly responsible.
In view of above, we demand that as a remedial measure at least a departmental enquiry be immediately instituted for fixing responsibilities for such irresponsible and grossly undemocratic act. You may also issue an explanation and a note of apology as the proverbial buck presumably stops at your door.
Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,
Dolphy D'souza, Bombay Catholic Sabha
Jatin Desai, People's media Initiative
Sukla Sen, EKTA (Committee for Communal Amity)
Dr. Lena Ganesh, social activist
Sohaib Lokhandwala, Movement for Peace and Justice (MPJ)
Anand Patwardhan, film-maker
Kamayani Bali Mahabal, human rights activist
Asad Bin Saif, BUILD
Mukta Srivastava, NAPM
Sudhir Badami, town and transportation system planner and social activist
Daniel Mazgaonkar, Sarvodaya activist
Ruchi Shroff, social activist
Sanober Keshwar, lawyer
Kumar Ketkar, Editor Loksatta
Gayatri Singh, human rights lawyer
Manasi Pingle, film-maker
Chirag Suvarna, social activist
Chetna Birje, lawyer
Sumedh Jadhav, Friends of Society
Munawar Azad, Awami Bharat
Maqbool Alam, Wakf Khidmat Committee
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