Statement on Indian Govt Planned Military Offensive

Sanhati (www.sanhati.com), a collective of activists/academics who have been working in solidarity with peoples’ movements in India by providing information and analysis, took the initiative to bring together voices from around the world against the Government of India’s planned military offensive in Central India.  A statement and a background note were drafted in consultation with Indian activists, and duly circulated for endorsement.

Statement against Government of India’s planned military offensive in adivasi-populated regions: National and international signatories

October 12, 2009

To
 Dr. Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister,
 Government of India,
 South Block, Raisina Hill,
 New Delhi,
 India-110 011.

We are deeply concerned by the Indian government’s plans for launching an unprecedented military offensive by army and paramilitary forces in the adivasi (indigenous people)-populated regions of Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Orissa and West Bengal states. The stated objective of the offensive is to “liberate” these areas from the influence of Maoist rebels. Such a military campaign will endanger the lives and livelihoods of millions of the poorest people living in those areas, resulting in massive displacement, destitution and human rights violation of ordinary citizens.

Kobad Ghandy arrested, interrogated

This article was published by Yahoo News.

CPI (Maoist) Politbureau member Kobad Ghandy was arrested in New Delhi on September 17.  He was responsible for the party’s mass publications and often issued statements for  the party under the name of “Azad.”

Ghandy tough-nut to crack, say police sources

New Delhi, October 11   PTI

Arrested Maoist leader Kobad Ghandy appeared to have emerged as a “tough-nut to crack” for Delhi Police even as it came to light that Naxals were using technology to their advantage like operating “hard drive-less” laptops with the help of pen drives.

Ghandy, who is currently under the custody of Delhi Police’s Special Cell, is understood to have not revealed much to his interrogators on the network of Maoists in the city as well as the banned outfit’s future plans.

The 63-year-old Polit Bureau member of CPI (Maoist) was arrested by the Special Cell on September 21 from Bhikaji Kama Place acting on intelligence inputs.

However, Maoists claimed that he was picked up on September 17 by Intelligence Bureau after a “weak element” in the CPI (Maoist), who was acting as Ghandy’s courier, “betrayed” him.

He is one of the ideologues of the party.

West Bengal Govt goes after Mahato supporters

This article was published in The Hindu.

Mahato’s supporters, associates punishable under UAPA: WB govt

October 3, 2009

In a warning to associates and supporters of arrested PCPA leader Chhatradhar Mahato, the West Bengal government on Saturday said that those demanding his release were punishable under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

“The UAPA says that those helping banned organisations in various ways like providing funds and publicity are punishable under the act. Thus, those who are advocating his release are also punishable,” Chief Secretary Asok Mohan Chakraborty told newsmen here.

Mr. Chakraborty was reacting to a question whether the government would take any action against those lobbying for the release of Mahato who was arrested on September 26 under UAPA at Lalgarh. He said that those associates whose names were revealed by the Maoist leaders and workers last week were also punishable in the eyes of the law.

Slander campaign against Chhatradhar Mahato

Chhatradhar Mahato

Chhatradhar Mahato, leader of the People’s Committee against Police Atrocities in Lalgarh, West Bengal, was arrested on September 26 by policemen posing as reporters from a Singapore TV station.  He was charged under the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

Letter from Amit Bhattacharyya, Professor of History, Jadavpur University

The WB government has started a slander campaign against Chhatradhar Mahato. For the last two days one HT  reporter (Surbek Biswas is known as a police reporter, as his only source of information is undisclosed police officials) published reports in Kolkata stating that Mahato had revealed his connections with the Maoists in course of interrogaton by the police.

Today, the police administration and the CPI(M) did something nefarious which they themselves are capable of doing. The DGP [Director-General of Police] called a press conference and stated that Mahato has a property worth 1.5 crores, that he owns 5 houses in Mayurbhaj, that he took money from local people and urban intellectuals, and was in constant contact with the Maoist leader Kishanji.