CPDR Condemns Arrests of Advocates and Activists from Nagpur and Mumbai

In a post dawn sweep down, the Pune police have arrested Adv Gadling, Prof Shoma Sen, Sudhir Dhawle, Rona Wilson and Mahesh Raut

ELGAR PARISHAD

Several arrests under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) were carried out by the Maharashtra police today. At about 6 am today, June 6, the Pune police arrested advocate Surendra Gadling, professor Shoma Sen, head of department of English, Nagpur University and general secretary, Indian Association of People’s Lawyers from Nagpur, Sudhir Dhawale, Editor Vidrohi from Mumbai, Rona Wilson, Public Relations Secretary Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners and Mahesh Raut, anti-displacement activist from Bharat Jan Andolan and former Fellow at Prime Minister’s Rural Development (PMRD) for Gadchiroli District.

These arrests and searches have been purportedly made under the FIR registered on January 8, 2018 at Vishram Baug Police Station, Pune with regard to the holding of the Elgar Parishad on 31st December, 2017 by the Bhima-Koregaon Shaurya Din Prerna Abhiyan. This FIR, originally registered u/s 153(A), 505 (1)(b), 117 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), was converted to a conspiracy case in March 2018 and now has had sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) added to it. The arrests today have thus been made under UAPA, which has several draconian provisions which ensure long detention and makes it difficult to obtain bail.

These arrests are in the face of the mass demand of several political parties and human rights organizations and activists and the Prerna Abhiyan in particular to arrest the leaders of supremacist organisations linked or connected to the sangh parivar, for example, in particular, Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote. Bhide and Ekbote were allegedly responsible for the violence on January 1, 2018 violence at Bhima-Koregaon. The Phadnavis government, which has been accused of protecting these actual perpetrators of the violence, has been attempting to twist the narrative around the New Year Day violence at Bhima Koregaon. Video footage clearly shows an undermanned peaceful assembly of Dalits being set upon and attacked by persons donning saffron attire. Within weeks and after largescale arrests of young Dalits all over the state, the state government has attempted to shift blame on the Elgar Parishad that had called for the historic commemoration. Further, the government tried to argue that ‘banned Maoist organisations are supporting the Prerna Abhiyan.’

In a detailed press note issued by Dr Anand Teltumde, general secretary of the Committee to Protect Democratic Rights (CPDR) has stated that the Bhima-Koregaon Shaurya Din Prerna Abhiyan is a coalition of around 260 mass organizations under the Chairmanship of Retired Supreme Court Justice P B Sawant and includes prominent political figures like Adv Prakash Ambedkar, leader of the Bahujan Republican Party (Bharip) and Justice Kolse-Patil (Retd).

In commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima-Koregaon that vanquished Peshwa rule, the Abhiyan had organized a mass meeting on December 31, 2017 at the historic Shaniwar wada in Pune, with several prominent speakers like Retired High Court Justice Kolse Patil, Adv Prakash Ambedkar, Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani and others being present. The Elgar Parishad was organised with the stated objective of fighting the Nav-peshwahi (New Forms of Peshwai Raj). The program was hugely successful and attended by thousands from across the state.

However on the following day, those commemorating the event at Bhima-Koregaon were attacked by a mob carrying saffron flags, allegedly instigated by Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote. These two extreme right wing activists are known to have close connections with the ruling BJP. CPDR alleges that this attack was part of a pre-meditated plan.

Today’s early morning sweep down, it is alleged, has been stage-managed by the Maharashtra government keeping in mind the judicial enquiry headed by Justice J N Patel (Retd). The state government was compelled to institute a judicial inquiry as protests against the repression spiralled. The CPDR alleges that, in order to ensure that submissions from the victims of the Hindutva and State violence are suppressed and kep away from the judicial commission, key leaders of the Prerna Abhiyan have been arrested . It has also been done to queer the pitch for the forthcoming elections in the State as well as 2019. The BJP government is desperate to create a reign of terror in order to polarize the Dalit and Bahujan votes. The desire to create a terror narrative is tantamount to protecting the real terror culprits Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote who will ensure votes for the BJP, says the statement issued by the CPDR.

CPDR has strongly condemned this open show of State terror and complete bypassing of the rule of law by the BJP governments in the State and the Centre and has, further, demanded the immediate release of Surendra Gadling, Shoma Sen, Sudhir Dhawle, Rona Wilson and Mahesh Raut forthwith .