STOP REPRESSING HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER SUBASH MOHAPATRA

Rise of torture, extra judicial killings, abuse of fundamental rights of the people specifically of Dalits, Tribals, Women & Children at Chhattisgarh state in India is a matter of great concern. At South Bastar, where tribals constitute over 78% of the total population is witnessing a near civil war situation. Tribals have fallen victims of the Naxalite Movement and Salwa Judum Campaign.

State Government claims it to be the independent movement of the indigenous people against Naxalites; it is not a secret that Salwa Judum is a state sponsored counter terrorism enterprise. In the extra judicial killings many tribals have lost their lives, in many of which Mr. Subash Mohapatra has filed cases before the State Human Rights Commission. Freedom of speech and movement and also truth is the biggest victim. Even voices of Media & Human Rights Activists have also been silenced by unleashing terror.

As if this was not enough, those who opposed the brutalities seeking justice and promoting human rights and democracy have also been targeted. Subash Mohapatra, who has filed more than 300 cases of Human Rights Violations from 2001 till now, including Public Interest Litigations before the High Courts and also Apex Court of India is the latest victim.

Mr. Subash Mohapatra, has been arrested on 17 July 2007 at 03 50 P.M. by Gol Bazar Police, Raipur, Chhattisgarh under IPC 186, 353, 294 and 506. However, Subash categorically denies of committing any crime and that the charges levied against him are totally false and cooked up.

As per the statement of Mr. Subash, he had gone to the office of the State Human Rights Commission to file the reply asked by the Commission regarding the case of exploitation of a Dalit student (case no. HRC/DRG/ 132/2007) During the process, one of the staff of the state commission demanded a bribe of Rs. 2000/-, which took Subash by surprise. Soon other staff also joined him including the Joint Secretary of the Commission where Subash was threatened that if he doesn’t pay, his complains shall dismissed. Smelling that some thing is going wrong he tried to leave the scene to avoid unnecessary confrontation. However the staff of the commission physically assaulted him. One of them even tried to snatch the gold chain from his neck. While the arguments were going on, all of a sudden, Police appeared from nowhere and detained Subash by force and took him to Gol Bazar Police Station at about 3.50 PM on 17-7-2007, while the real culprits are moving Scot-free.

It is not a secret that despite running from pillar to post, police do not to register the FIR of poor, whereas police detains a reputed person by making its appearance within no time to put him behind the bars as if he is a dreaded criminal.

Under the circumstances, I earnestly request you all to please declare solidarity with Subash and sign the online petition demanding his unconditional release and withdrawal of all the falsely laid down charges against him.