Raipur: The Congress-led Chhattisgarh government on Wednesday appointed controversial former Bastar Inspector General of Police SRP Kalluri as the head of the Economic Offences Wing and the Anti-Corruption Bureau in state capital Raipur.
 
The 1994-batch IPS officer had served as IG of Bastar Range from June 2014 to February 2017. During his posting in the Naxal hotbed, Kalluri had faced criticism for alleged fake encounters and targeting local journalists, social and human rights activists. In February 2017 Kalluri was moved out of Bastar and transferred to PHQ, Raipur.
 
The decision has shocked many as current CM of state, Bhupesh Baghel, had called Kalluri a rapist and had demanded he be thrown in jail when he was a part of the Opposition. He had launched an extensive tirade against him in 2016. “The Congress government led by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel was widely expected to investigate Kalluri’s track record of alleged human rights violations. In October 2016, as the state Congress president, Baghel had asked for Kalluri to be jailed. However, his government appears to have rewarded the controversial officer by appointing him to key posts,” a report said.
 
Kalluri, who has been accused of human rights violations in the past, had been transferred out of Bastar in February 2017 after a mob attacked activist and scholar Bela Bhatia. He was posted in the training department in the police headquarters. A month later, he was sent notices for indiscipline after he attended an event where a police officer said human rights activists should be crushed on the roads and he was not the only official who held such views.
 
Other officers who are equally tainted have also been retained.
 
Late on Wednesday, the government issued orders transferring five senior police officers, days after I K Elsela was transferred to Bastar as SP of Narayanpur district. Elsela was posted out of Sukma after he told a gathering that rights activists should be run over by vehicles.
 
A leaked internal memo of the Central Bureau of Investigation showed that the agency suspected Kalluri’s involvement in the violence that took place in three Adivasi villages in 2011. The villagers of Tadmetla, Morpalli and Teemapuram alleged the security forces burnt down over 300 homes, killed three men and raped three women in the course of an anti-Maoist operation. Kalluri, who was then the senior superintendent of police in Dantewada, was the officer responsible for the operation.
 
The National Human Rights Commission has earlier sent Kalluri notices for hearings into allegations of human rights violations, but he has avoided them, citing personal reasons.
 
Kalluri had garnered fame for making 1200 Naxals surrender when a government constituted committee report found that only three out of 1200 were actually Naxalites. The rest were innocent Adivasis. There are more accounts against him including a woman who claimed that he shot her Naxalite husband after asking him to surrender and raped her.
 
Six senior Indian Police Service officers, including three Inspector Generals of Police (IGPs) were a part of this bureaucratic reshuffle. “Arun Deo Gautam, a 1992-batch IPS officer currently Additional Director General (ADG) at the Crime Investigation Department (CID), has been shifted to mantralaya (Secretariat) as secretary of home, jail and transport departments. IGP Durg Range G P Singh was shifted and appointed IG at PHQ Raipur. Deputy Inspector General (Dantewada Range) Ratan Lal Dangi, a 2003-batch IPS officer, has been made in-charge IGP of Durg Range. Similarly, IGP Raipur Range Dipanshu Kabra has been shifted as IG, PHQ Raipur, while Anand Chhabra, a 2001-batch IPS officer, who is the special secretary in home, jail and transport departments, has been made new in-charge IGP of Raipur Range. On Wednesday night, the government had replaced Chief Secretary Ajay Singh with Sunil Kujur, a 1986-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer,” The Business Standard reported.
 

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There was however no sign of him till 3pm and then suddenly we were told that he has “appeared” on the stage. It was informed by several residents of IIMC that he had been lodged much earlier inside IIMC campus by the organizers so as to avoid the protestors. We continued our protest outside. Now the question is why is Mr. Kalluri so scared of even placards, slogans and questions from students? What makes him scared to face protests? Why couldn’t the so called “Bastar tiger” muster enough courage to even face largely a group of students?

That’s because our questions are far more heavier than his smug arrogance. It’s because we have the power to tear apart the halo and show the real horror that he has unleashed in Bastar while he was an IG there. The protesters today made it clear that it is simply unacceptable to invite an ex-IG who is the architect of a Satya Judgment type vigilante gang; one who has presided over numerous instances of fake encounters, gang-rapes, torture and fake arrests of the adivasis; and one who has been sent on “long leave” after an investigation by the NHRC due to gross human right violations. He has also in fact presided over the threats, attacks and hounding of all those voices that have dared to expose his bloody tenure. This includes Soni Sori, Lingaram Kodopi, Bela Bhatia, Nandini Sundar and so on. He even went to the extent of telling a journalist, Kamal Shukla, “Either leave journalism, or leave Bastar.” The protestors today condemned the IIMC administration for inviting such a character to lecture on “journalism”. We condemned the design of the IIMC administration to produce stenographers instead of journalists, ones who will jot ask question, who will not look for the truth, but will parrot the likes of Kalluri. The protestors raised their voice against not just the individual or an institution, but also demanded an end to the war on people being waged by the state-corporate nexus to facilitate the loot of resources at the cost of thousands of adivasi lives and livelihood. Kalluri has just been one of its hit-men. We thereby reiterated our demand of ending Operation Green Hunt and pledged to stand by the struggle of the adivasis for their jal-jangal-jameen.

Some have put forth the question as to why did we protest Kalluri’s invitation to IIMC. They asked, aren’t we who talk about free speech not being hypocritical here? Well, Kalluri throttled free speech every day in Bastar, he arrested activists and journalists, he sent goons to intimidate anyone speaking out. The express agenda being to make the ongoing brutal war against adivasis a war without witness. In such a context to protest against Kalluri, in fact, becomes an act of defending free speech, and not the other way around. Ultimately, the fight for free speech is fundamentally a fight against power.

From Bastar Solidarity Network – Delhi Chapter, we congratulate and salute all those who stood their ground today and raised their fists, their placards and their slogans against the killer Kalluri, against Operation Green Hunt, against the puppet IIMC administration and the powers that be.

Courtesy: Kafila.online
 

The post “Killer Kalluri go back”: Protest over IIMC invite to cop slammed by NHRC for serious rights violations in Bastar appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Alumni and students have protested an invitation to the controversial former inspector general of Bastar, Chattisgarh, SRP Kalluri to speak at a journalism seminar at Delhi’s Indian Institute of Mass Communication on Saturday has drawn protests from some students and alumni. “Should such a media-baiter [Indian Police Service] officer, who is also alleged to have hounded many journalists out of his region, be allowed to speak on the premises of a media institute of international repute?” about 50 alumni said in a letter on Thursday night to the government-run media school’s director general, KG Suresh.

In a letter circulated in the public dommain, they added: “Though we do not dispute any citizen’s right to speak on any issue of public importance…we firmly believe IIMC should deny this right to the likes of…Kalluri who loves to hate the media and media persons…” The police officer, who has been dogged by accusations of having been involved in severe human rights violations, has been invited to speak on marginalised communities at a seminar titled “Vartaman Paripreksh me Rashtriya Patrakarita” or nationalist journalism in today’s context.

It isn’t just Kalluri’s presence that has outraged the protestors: they have criticsed the premise of the seminar itself, which will begin, the invitation promises, with a 7 am yajna – a ritual worship or offering made before a fire.

Over the last few years, Kalluri has been accused of stoking protests against journalists, human rights activists, lawyers and researchers in Bastar. Several, including journalist Malini Subramaniam and human rights lawyer, Shalini Gera had to leave the region following harassment on Kalluri’s watch. He was transferred from his post in February. In March, he was served a disciplinary notice for attending an event in Bastar without official permission.

It wasn’t just Kalluri’s presence that had drawn the ire of the protestors: they objected to the theme of the seminar as well. “What defines ‘rashtriya’ journalism?” they asked in their letter. “Has any media school in the world introduced this discourse in its curriculum? What is the origin of the term?….It goes against the scientific and information-driven journalism.”

In addition to the yajna and Kalluri’s piece, the seminar is also scheduled to to feature the editor of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s mouthpiece, Panchjanya.

The seminar is being organised by a group called Media Scan.

Increasingly, at IIMC, the presence of conservative and rightwing groups has grown, drawing consistent protests. Talking to sections of the media, Indian Institute of Mass Communication’s director general KG Suresh described Media Scan as an “organisation of media persons” not affiliated to the Sangh. Suresh said he was unlikely to honour the alumni’s request to scuttle the seminar and, especially, Kalluri’s visit. “If we can listen to the Hurriyat, why can we not listen to Kalluri?” he asked, referring to Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, the Kashmiri separatist party.

A student of the institute, Rohin Kumar had written to him and faculty-members, in protest against the yajna. “The Indian state and its institutions have to maintain [a] “principled distance” from religiosity, is what I was taught,” he wrote. He also argued that the seminar was peddling “jingoism”.

The alumni has countered the director general's defence. “Your bid to wash your hands of the selection of speakers and theme notwithstanding, we believe that IIMC must have convinced itself of the righteousness of [the] seminar’s message before allowing it to be held at IIMC and what impression [it is] going to leave in the national and international community,” they wrote.

Defending himself against charges of allowing the institution to be used to spread RSS propaganda, Suresh pointed out that the campus is virtually empty now. “The academic session is over,” he said. “Except for the few in the hostel – who will vacate by May 31 – there is not even a single student here. Who am I saffronising then? The buildings?” He further said that the event being on a Saturday, no faculty or staff-member will be on campus either. “It will be their [Media Scan’s] own people and invitees,” he said. “If I had to saffronise, I would do it during the academic session.”

The text of the letter circulated by alumni may be read here:

An open letter to DG- IIMC, New Delhi

Sir,
We, the former students of IIMC, are writing to you to express grave concern over a few developments in the institute.

It is learnt that the institute has given permission to Media Scan for organising a daylong programme on ‘Rashtriya Patrakarita’ which translates as ‘National Journalism’ in English.

You are quoted by ‘The Telegraph’ on May 17, 2017 saying that IIMC is not an organiser but has only rented the premises. You have been quoted thus: "We give our hall for the use of media persons who want to organise an event as long as it is not objectionable, communal, obscene or provocative. Renting the hall is expensive. If I want to help a media organisation, we have to become their partner. Our only support is to give the hall. The organising, selection of speakers, paying for snacks et cetera is up to them. Exams and classes are over and we have not asked students to attend. Also, Saturday is a holiday. Can I stop anyone from lighting a lamp or garlanding an image? The yagna won't be held in the hall…..”

Sir, it is good that the institute has come out in support of media seminars and hope that it would be open to other such events as well in future. You have pointed out that the selection of speakers is not done by the institute. However, if a speaker is going to speak on journalism from the premises of IIMC, an institute which has produced hundreds of thousands of media professionals, and he is known for his open contempt to journalists, then it must ring in bells.

One of the speakers is former IG of Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, Mr SRP Kalluri. While any individual of the country is well within his rights to speak on any issue of public importance in the institute but the background of that person must be looked into. That of Mr Kalluri, at least, doesn’t inspire much confidence as he has often been in news for
openly condemning media.

To cite an instance, he had openly threatened a Hindustan Times journalist recently when he went seeking clarifications for a story the former IG. The IG is quoted in the newspaper’s Nov 14, 2016 report thus: “Aap log aise karenge to hum aapko jaane hi nahi denge ..mere reference se aap gaye the…,” (If you all do like this, we will not let you visit …you went with my reference to Bastar),” an angry Kalluri told Ritesh Mishra.” Earlier, as the same story speaks, he had told the correspondent of the same newspaper, “You write whatever that comes to your mind. We don’t care a damn….” Should an IPS officer, who gives a damn to media, and is alleged to have hounded out many journalists from his region, be allowed to speak on IIMC premises? Sir, you have been a stalwart in journalism and therefore we request to ponder over this question. We, at this juncture, are not bringing forth the human rights abuses that he has been found doing in Bastar for which he has also been admonished by the National Human Rights Commission. “Chhattisgarh
Police raped and assaulted 16 women: NHRC” screamed a newspaper headline about Bijapur region of Bastar range which was taken care of by Mr Kalluri. The full report can be
read accessed through the hyperlink.

To us, the very theme of the seminar, “Rashtriya Patrakarita” sounded perplexing. What exactly is meant by this term? What defines ‘rashtriya’ journalism? Is asking questions or doubting the State considered not ‘rashtriya’? Isn’t these two things fundamental to journalism? Moreover, in our nine-month stay at IIMC, none of our teachers or academics introduced us to this term called ‘national journalism’. Has any media school in the world introduced this discourse in its curriculum? From where does this term stem? In fact, you yourself, taught editing to many a batch. We don’t remember even you using this term. Goes without saying, it goes against the scientific and “information driven journalism".
You have rightly pointed out that since IIMC is not one of the organisers and therefore it hasn’t selected theme, speakers etc. However, we strongly believe that IIMC must have taken care of the fact that as towhat message would be sent from the premises of the, arguably, the largest media school of Asia in the national and international arena. Can IIMC insulate itself from the consequences?

The programme schedule also points out that ‘yagya’ would be organised as a part of the programme. You have clarified that it will not be done in the hall provided by the IIMC. But the same Telegraph report quotes Media Scan proprietor Ashish Kumar. He says, "The yagna will not be performed by a priest but by one of us as organisers. What's wrong in it? Don't we light lamps and garland pictures at functions?". The report further writes, “Yadav said there was a Saraswati idol near the IIMC entrance but could not "recall any ritual" on it.”

We do believe that everyone is entitled to practise his/her faith. We want to bring in here that IIMC’s vision, as stated on its website, says, “The Indian Institute of Mass Communication will set global standards for media education…..contributing to human development, empowerment and participatory democracy, anchored in pluralism….”. We believe any practise done on the institute’s premises of a one particular religion is not in consonance with the very pluralism that the institute boasts of. Had it been an-all religion prayer meeting, then probably we could not have given this argument.

Sir, though we have passed out from the institute, but we still feel a belongingness towards it. We are writing to you with that spirit. We strongly believe that the organisation of the seminar, at heart of which lie many controversies, would badly damage the reputation of IIMC. And as alumni it would deeply pain us. Also, as stated above, it will not gel with the IIMC values and would, therefore, set a very bad precedent. While you have taken the charge of DG sometime back, a few of us had the good fortune of attending your classes as guest faculty when you were receptive to ideas and arguments of all the hues.

Taking into consideration the concerns raised by us, we respectfully demand the cancellation of the permission given to the organisers of this seminar. Also, we hope, that in future, you would consider all these points for the sake of good the institute.

Regards,
We, the journalists who were students of IIMC
 
There are over four dozen signatories to this protest letter.

The post What is Media Bashing ex-IG Kalluri Doing at Journalism School (IIMC) Seminar? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Manish Kunjam, a leader of Communist Party of India (CPI), recounts the horrors of Bastar; where the State has become synonymous to oppression. He talks in detail about the police harassment and false cases being framed against activists.

Kunjam was elected as an MLA in the early 90s. He was recently attacked in his office in Jagdalpur by 25 young men from AGNI (a vigilante group supported by the police to harass activists in Bastar region). He has been asked to leave Bastar repeatedly but has stayed firm. Speaking about the increasing violence at the hands of the police over the last couple of years under the regime of IG SRP Kalluri and his cohorts, Kunjam talks about the relationship between land and the struggle waged by adivasis for decades. The right to life with dignity and the fight against displacement have been portrayed as insurgency problem in central India. Contesting this, Kunjam reminds us that the adivasis are fighting for protecting their lives from the corporates and development ‘mafia’.

See the coverage of feminist historian Uma Chakravarti's talk at the Indian Social Action Forum's (INSAF) event 'Bearing Witness: Voices from Bastar', here .

Courtesy: Newsclick.in

The post The Struggle for Jal, Jungle, Jameen appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Exchange of SMSs between Kalluri and advocate Piyoli upon demanding security for Bela Bhatia / DailyO
 

The post F U Kalluri: Going, Going… Gone? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Image: News18

Sundarraj P, Dantewada deputy inspector general (DIG) of police has been put in charge of Bastar Range in south Chhattisgarh.

Kalluri has been a controversial figure and has had a running battle with civil rights activists and the media of the region. He was again in the news earlier this month after activist Bela Bhatia came under attack from a local outfit believed to be supporting the police in the fight against Maoists.

Kalluri has often been quoted telling journalists from outside the state that they were not welcome in the insurgency-hit region. Several journalists are still in jail in Chhattisgarh after being charged with complicity with Maoists. According to activists, these journalists have been framed.

Media reports state that Kalluri has been unwell for a while. In November last year, he was admitted to hospital with kidney and heart problems. An officer looked after the Bastar region while he was away on medical leave.

Top sources said this time Kalluri may not return to Bastar after he comes back from medical leave.

Related Articles:
1. "It doesn’t seem like the Chhattisgarh government is listening to the Supreme Court"
2. Chief Secretary, Chhattisgarh & IGP Bastar Summoned by NHRC
 

The post Chhattisgarh top cop Kalluri goes on medical leave, may not return to Bastar appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The post Anarchy in Chhattisgarh: What a new fact-finding report says about police atrocities in the state appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Bastar IG S.R.P. Kalluri (centre). Image: PTI

The National Human Rights Commission has noted and taken suo motu cognizance of "the nationwide outcry and protest on IG of Bastar Range Shri S.R.P. Kalluri for registering FIR No.27/2016 P.S. Tongpal dated November 5, 2016 against Delhi University Professor Archana Prasad, JNU Prof. Nandini Sundar, Vineet Tiwari, Sanjay Parate of CPI(M) and Manju Kawasi for offences of murder, criminal trespass, conspiracy and for offences under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. It has been alleged that the professors (human rights defenders) are being threatened by the Bastar Police.”

Several reports in the media – print and electronic – have, over the last week alleged that Chhattisgarh Police have named professor Nandini Sundar and ten others as accused in the murder of a tribal Samnath Baghel in Sukma District on November 4, 2016. Reports leaked by the police state that he was killed by Maoists as he had been leading a campaign against Maoists activities since April, 2016.

Ironically, both academics have been involved over years in the developments within Chhattisgarh, especially with relation to brutal counter-insurgency squads instituted by the government and law enforcement agencies that have splintered the local Adivasi community. Sundar has been a petitioner against Salwa Judum and has, again, in 2016 moved the Supreme Court of India for the re-emergence of another brutal counter-insurgency outfit that was using violent methods against the local Adivasi population.

Five months ago, the two professors were part of a team that had visited Bastar in May, 2016, while this killing has taken place in November, 2016. There is no apparent connection between murder and the visit of these human rights activists and, therefore, it has been alleged that they have been framed in mala fide manner by police to settle scores. It has been stated that FIR has been registered in the name of the wife of killed Baghel. Media reports have however interviewed the wide of the slain tribal who has stated that she has not named any person in the killing of her husband.

The NHRC has also taken judicial note of the petition filed by professor Nandini Sundar in the Supreme Court recently that has highlighted the renewed atrocities by the Bastar Police against the tribal people by burning of their homes. The Supreme Court ordered investigation by the CBI. The CBI found S.R.P. Kalluri, IG of Police, Bastar Range responsible for the burning of homes. Sundar had also earlier filed a petition in Supreme Court in Salwa Judum case in 2007 against atrocities by police in the tribal areas. She, along with other lawyers and journalists has in the past brought to the notice of the Commission the mass rape of women, murders and other crimes by security officers under the umbrella of police. The Commission is separately examining those complaints and has sought comments from the State of Chhattisgarh on the findings submitted to the Commission by its team after visiting Chhattisgarh.

The Commission also took suo motu cognizance this month against the unprecedented acts of hostility and indiscipline by Chhattisgarh Auxiliary Police in burning the effigies of the professors, lawyers and journalists as they were instrumental in exposing the deeds of police. 

The Commission on consideration of the whole situation obtaining in Chhattisgarh over more than a year views the action of registration of FIR against Prof. Nandini Sundar and others as an act in line with earlier acts of hostility displayed by police.

It has also been reported in the press that Mrs. Baghel, wife of killed Samnath Baghel had told NDTV on November 4, 2016 that she had not named Nandini Sundar or anyone in her complaint. She is reported to have said that t Maoists had attacked their house while they were sleeping on the night of November 4, 2016. The NHRC has also note that Nandini Sundar has told the ANI that she and others have not been in the area for the last five months.

The naming of these human rights activists in the FIR in the backdrop and circumstances mentioned above lends credence of the observation of People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) that all this was part of the State Police vendetta against the lawyers, journalists and human rights activists who have been critical of fake encounters, mass rapes, arson, etc. by security forces. The naming of these persons in FIR appears to be the ploy to stop their entry and visit to the tribal areas for exposing their misdeeds.

In the considered view of the Commission, Police of Chhattisgarh in the circumstances mentioned above owes its explanation to the Commission as there are allegations and its action seems to be coloured by malafide, hostility and abuse of power on the allegations of false implication to silence the human rights defenders. Though, the Commission is aware of the direction of the Hon'ble Supreme Court given on November 15, 2016 directing issue of notice of four weeks before their arrest, yet the acts on the part of police stand on independent footing for the Commission to intervene.

It is the duty and function of the Commission to see that the faith of the people in the police is not eroded and society is governed by rule of law and faith of people in upholding the human rights of people is restored and vindicated at the earliest.

The Commission is deeply disturbed by the state of affairs in the State of Chhattisgarh over last one year or more and is of the view that the Chief Secretary, Govt. of Chhattisgarh and S.R.P.Kalluri, IGP, Bastar Range should appear in person before the Commission November 30, 2016 at 11.00 am with all reports to explain the allegations made against the police and administration in the press media and by human rights defenders. 

The Commission also is of the view that since allegations are made against the S.R.P. Kalluri, IGP, Bastar Range, the Commission would like to know from them why the investigation in the FIR now registered should not be handed over to an independent agency like CB CID or CBI.

Related Articles:
1. Fact Finding Team Indicts State and Maoists, Govt Retaliates by Filing Case calling team ‘Anti-National’: Chhatisgarh

The post Chief Secretary, Chhattisgarh & IGP Bastar Summoned by NHRC appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Pavan Dahat

In the latest version of the Chhattisgarh law enforcement agencies attack on press freedom, senior IPS officer and Bastar range Inspector General (IG) of Police, Shiv Ram Prasad Kalluri has launched a virulent and targeted attack against the Hindu newspaper’s senior reporter, Pavan Dahat.

Fast on the heels of this targeted attack a ‘rally’ by the now disbanded Samajik Ekta Manch and Salwa Judum started sharing his post and have even organised a rally against the journalist. This is scheduled for September 17.

This is exactly the same pattern that was followed by the Chhattisgarh law enforcement agencies that succeeded in getting independent journalist Malini Subramaniam, lawyers and others out of south Chhattisgarh.

Sabrangindia learned that the trigger was the following story Dahat wrote on the killing of a civilian in Sukma.  The story clearly presents an overall assessment of the recent killing commenting, “The way the police disowned Mr. Rathod, sparked anger among his relatives and people of Chintalnar.”

Pavan Dahat is known for his professionalism over the past two and a half years, reporting from Chhattisgarh. Many of the claims made by Kalluri loyalists suggest that they did not even bother to read the story published by The Hindi. The main aim appears to be target reporters from the national media and this follows a systemic crackdown on local journalists and human rights activists since earlier this year. IG Kalluri with a questionable record had been removed from this region and re-instated since 2014. It is learned that a journalist from the Times of India is also being subjected to same propaganda for a story she did on village heads in Kanker district.

Since late 2015, systematic attacks on journalists reporting from south Chhattisgarh beginning with Malini Subramaniam writing for Scroll.in. Thereafter lawyers of the Jagdalpur Legal Aid group were targeted especially Isha Khandelwal and Sjalini Gera and thereafter researcher Bela Bhatia. Soon after the attack on local journalists, Deepak Jaiswal Deepak Jaiswal became the fourth Bastar journalist to be arrested between October 2015 and March 2016 leading to strong protests from the South Bastar Reporters Association.

Meanwhile on the same day that IG Kalluri unleashed his own brand of attack on a journalist, SP, Sukma, Elesela, SP Sukma posted this on this facebook “Reports of bikes belonging to journalists burnt in Dubbatota last night by unidentified persons. TI Dornapal has already visited the site and is enquiring. I am trying to contact the journalists but their phone is switched off…Attack on media personnel, direct or indirect, will be dealt with severely. Perhaps this officer has not noticed – but the greatest attack on journalists is coming from his senior, and his cultivated vigilantes. 

 Here is what Kalluri had to say about this story in The Hindu that has followed all required journalistic procedures. Kalluri posted this comment on various WhattsAap groups of reporters, police, and politicians in Chhattisgarh.
[29/08 7:04 pm] SRP KALLURI: Mystery and fear shroud killing of civilian in Sukma: 

Heartless reporting and Meaningless Support
"The death sparked anger among the villagers of Chintalnar because the police disowned Sanjeet..", writes our friend Pavan Dahat for The Hindu about the murder of a young man by Maoists in Sukma district, Chhattisgarh. His crafty use of language and manipulation of facts portrays police as the culprits for the murder. He selectively quotes the IG Bastar and SP Sukma to pin the blame on police and makes a futile attempt to pit the villagers against the police.

For a moment, keep aside the question whether Sanjeet was a police informer and he was indeed disowned. Shouldn't a young man's brutal execution by the Red Rogues evoke revulsion and anger by a responsible journalist ? The eye witnesses have recounted how the villagers of Chintalnar pleaded the Maoists to release Sanjeet and that they will ensure he leaves the village. Despite such passionate pleas for mercy, he was tortured and then shot in cold blood. These facts do not find place while writing in a national daily because the writer wants to romanticise the armed rebellion.

It is quoted that the Maoists “kept him under observation since 2003.” Pavan Dahat knows very well that no person suspected of being police informer is given such a long time. The recent instance of an aged teacher, killed without warning, for being an informer, in June 2016 in Bhopalpatnam District Bijapur is one among many examples.

Nowhere in the article is it mentioned that Chintalnar is the same place where 76 CRPF men were killed in a single incident in the year 2010. Mukaram Bridge, the place where Sanjeet is shot dead, was blown away multiple times in last two years. Yet it was rebuilt each time just to ensure that the PDS ration reaches Chintalnar and beyond. The destruction of infrastructure means that the pregnant women and children with fatal diseases cannot seek timely cure. In an already forlorn path, fear invoking killings such as these will shut the tribals deep and far away from the rest of the world. Unfortunately, none of these facts move our journalist friend who rather justifies the killing by Maoists. If Sanjeet indeed was working for police since 2003, how come the security forces suffered so heavily in that region and the sabotage by Maoists continues at will ?

Pavan quotes from the Maoists’ letter "we (Maoists) gave him five chances…..this time we have punished him". A murder in cold blood is reported as if there is a merit in the killing after giving five chances! Forget about angst for such dastardly acts, he doesn’t even express a single word of sympathy for the young soul. Instead of invoking a nation's conscience against such barbarity, he picks up the IG Bastar, the favourite punching bag for all Maoist sympathizers.
Every single person suspected of Maoist links is not arrested. The actions of police are circumscribed by rule of law unlike the Maoist mafia that can pick up anyone and kill at will. It seems that the writer is disappointed that police hasn't summarily pressed charges against Sanjeet. Does he mean that Sanjeet wouldn't have been killed if he were arrested earlier?  Should the police arrest people based on suspicion, unmindful of the environment of fear and compulsion in which the villagers live ? What an irony that a journalist glosses over a murder by Maoists while castigating the police for not replying in the same coin!!

By putting his words in the mouths of villagers that they "will ask the IG for weapons to fight the Maoists", Pavan Dahat wants the readers to link it up with the disbanded Salwa Judum and thus discredit the police and the State.
It is true that the young man killed is a non tribal and belongs to trading class. But the writer quotes this fact in such a way that this murder seems like a result of the clash between the exploited and the exploiter. The Indian State is not so whimsical that it has differing parameters of law based on class.

Those who want Bastar to be on the boil continue to lend support to Maoists through fictionalised accounts, sham protests and illegal aid. Their voices grew shrill in the face of relentless efforts by the State to achieve development and security. No amount of provocation of innocent tribals against the State will yield success because they are tired of Maoists' deception. Adivasis now openly question the hollow, violence-ridden ideologies of Maoists and seek to embrace the democratic polity. They realize how the non tribal, outsider Maoist leaders and their children enjoy the safer shores of metro cities by plunging the tribals into unending violence.

"Mystery and fear shroud the killing of a civilian in Sukma" but the fact is there’s no mystery. It is indeed an unmasking of belief in meaningless violence by the Maoists. The writer is so occupied with blaming the police that he doesn’t have a word for the dead man’s family which was untimely orphaned. If there’s fear, it is among those who thus far used the tribals to fight against the State. This is an attempt to prevent the villagers who are increasingly embracing development and debunking violence. By giving a fictional report of villagers being angry and police disowning him, he not only ignored the agony of death but insulted the person who went through it – all for expressing support to armed renegades.

We celebrate and uphold freedom of press but at the same time appeal to all concerned not to allow glorification of heinous crimes and furthering of individual agenda through a highly respected national daily.

Then there is a statement of a CRPF officer Sunand Kumar posted by Mr.Kalluri on the same platform
[30/08 8:26 pm] SRP KALLURI: Mystery and fear shroud killing of civilian in Sukma: 
Sunand Kumar, Commandant, Group Centre, CRPF, New Delhi.( 082260 33333)
Heartless reporting and Meaningless Support.

In the article, obviously there is ‘crafty use of words with manipulation of facts’ with premature knowledge of the reality and truth on the incident. He is not the first to quote IG Bastar or SPs with such a negative outlook. In recent times it has become a fashion to blame Police Officers committed to cut down the red terror in this core LWE region.

Naxals are never accountable to anybody to substantiate the allegations as their blames are generally based on their poor sense of imagination leading to suspicions on innocent tribal. It hardly matters even if they commit the crime wrongly; as they have to simply regret it later without taking any responsibility as observed a number of times……..”

Once Kalluri posted these statements, his supporters (mostly people from now disbanded Samajik Ekta Manch and Salwa Judum) began spreading this post. These posts are virtual copy renditions of what was stated initially by Kalluri.

This statement was posted by Subba Rao and Faruk Ali.

*हृदयविहीन लेखनी व अर्थहीन समर्थन*
नक्सलवाद को महिमामंडित करने के नाम पर विख्यात एक नागपुर बेस्ड पत्रकार पुनः नक्सलियों के समर्थन में पुलिस के खिलाफ अपनी कलम की धार तेज करने निकल पड़ा है। " द हिन्दू " अंग्रेजी दैनिक समाचार पत्र के संवाददाता श्री पवन दहत के अनुसार सुकमाजिले में माओवादियों द्वारा संजीत सिंह राठौर नामक युवा व्यापारी की हत्या के विषय में तथ्यों को तोड़- मरोड़कर इस तरह से पेश किया गया है जैसे उस युवक की हत्या के लिए माओवादी नहीं, बल्कि पुलिस दोषी है। माओवादियों द्वारा किये गए दुर्दांत हत्या कासत्य शोधन, बिना बस्तर पहुँचे ही महानगर के बंद वातानुकूलित कमरे में रहते हुए पवन दहत ने विशेष रूप से आई.जी. बस्तर और एस.पी. सुकमा को इस घटना के लिए दोषी सिद्ध करने की नापाक और शातिराना कोशिश की है जिससे वहाँ के स्थानीय लोगों औरग्रामीणों में पुलिस के प्रति विद्रोह और आक्रोश व्याप्त कराने का भी अपने कलम के माध्यम से असफल प्रयास किया। इस महानुभाव ने आई.जी. बस्तर एवं एस.पी. सुकमा के शब्दों को सुविधानुसार अपने हिसाब से चुन-चुन कर सत्य से परे उद्धृत (Quote) किया है।……”

“…..सैंकड़ो की संख्या में आदिवासियों को नक्सली मारते हैं। इसके लिए भी श्री पवन दहत द्वारा कुछ न कुछ पुलिस मुखबिरी जैसे बहाना ढूंढ़कर माओवादियो का समर्थन किया जा सकता है। हाल ही में दिनांक 30.07.2016 को माओवादियों द्वारा जिला बीजापुर में नवीनदास नामक एक अस्वस्थ इसाई समुदाय के सदस्य की नृशंस हत्या कर दी गई। श्री महेन्द्र कर्मा जी, श्री तानसेन कश्यप जी एवं श्री करतम सूर्या जैसे सैंकड़ो वीर आदिवासी योद्धाओ की माओवादियों ने हत्या की है। माओवादी हर जाति, हर वर्ग एवं हर समुदाय के लोगोंकी हत्या किये हैं।

“….अब इस तरह के उकसावेपूर्ण लेखन से स्थानीय भोले-भाले आदिवासियों को भड़काया, उकसाया नहीं जा सकता क्योंकि आदिवासी अब माओवादियों के छलावे से तंग आ चुके हैं। आदिवासी अब देशद्रोही माओवादियों  की खोखली और हिंसात्मक विचारधारा पर धड़ल्लेसे प्रश्न उठाते हैं व प्रजातान्त्रिक नीतियों को अपनाना चाहते हैं। वे महसूस कर रहे हैं कि किस प्रकार बाहरी गैर – आदिवासी माओवादी लीडर्स और उनके बच्चे महानगरों में शानदार , विलासितापूर्ण तथा सुरक्षित जीवन जीते हैं, वहीं आदिवासी लोगों को अंतहीनहिंसात्मक जीवन जीने को मजबूर कर दिया गया है।

“….कैसी विडंबना है कि यह पत्रकार एक ओर तो माओवादियों द्वारा की गई नृशंस हत्या को न्यायसंगत ठहराता है , वहीं दूसरी ओर पुलिस की निन्दा और भर्त्सना करता है। हम प्रेस की स्वतंत्रता की प्रशंसा तथा समर्थन करते हैं किंतु साथ ही विनम्रतापूर्वक ये अपील भीकरते हैं कि इस तरह के घृणित व जघन्य अपराधों को महिमामंडित करने का प्रयास नहीं होना चाहिए। खुद के सोच, विचार एवं प्रयोजन को बढ़ावा देने के लिये अतिसम्मानित राष्ट्रीय अंग्रेजी दैनिक समाचार पत्र जैसे 'द हिन्दू' का इस्तेमाल करना निश्चित हीचिंताजनक है।

Here are some other posts by Kalluri loyalists to show how the social media is mis-used and passions incited against journalists in Chhatisgarh.

“ पवन दहात जैसों को मुँह तोड़ जवाब देने के लिये ही 17 सितंबर को दहाड़ेगा बस्तर “ : message by Subba Rao
“पवन दहात ने चिंतलनार निवासी युवा संजीत सिंह राठौर की हत्या को सही टहराया,जो कि निंदनीय एवं आपत्तिजनक है……… नागपुर मॆ बैठककर बस्तर के बारे मॆ उल्ठा सीधा लिख कर वाहवाही लूटते हैं,अपनी वाहवाही के लिये नक्सली करतूत को सही टहरानाकहां का इंसाफ है………. बस्तर के पत्रकार ही जान सकते हैं यहां कि परिस्तिथि,नागपुर मॆ A.C.मॆ बैठकर नक्सलियों द्वारा हत्याओं को सही होने का सर्टिफिकेट देने वालों का विरोध होना चाहिये……by फारुख अली.

There are even more inciteful posts against journalists especially Pavan Dahat below in the trail. This is a dangerous method being adopted by Chhattisgarh law enforcement agencies simply to curtail the objective eye of the journalist in the region.

The post Hindu Reporter under IG Kalluri Hate Fire: Chhattisgarh appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Another journalist, deepak Jaiswal, was arrested by the Chhatisgarh police on Saturday making this the second arrest and the third all out bid to thwart independent journalists bearing witness to the conflict in the region. Sabrangindia has been tracking the brute repression in Chhatisgarh especially acute since October-November 2015.

There are strong rumours locally that undettered by criticism, the notice by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Chhatisgarh police is all set to arrest four to six more journalists.

Sabrangindia has a copy of the FIR and also a series of articles written by Deepak Jaiswal exposing nepotism and corruption.

The Hindu  reports that Deepak Jaiswal, a young reporter of a Hindi newspaper ‘Dainik Dainadini’ based in Dantewada district of Bastar , was arrested in a case of “entering the examination hall, trespassing, obstructing public servant in discharge of public function”, which was registered against him last year. According to local sources, Mr.Jaiswal was a close associate of journalist Prabhat Singh, who arrested by the police earlier this week.

Mr.Jaiswal was reportedly arrested from court premises in Dantewada, where he had gone to witness court proceedings in Mr.Singh’s case. The Hindu further reports that, when asked about the scribe’s arrest, Dantewada district Superintendent of Police (SP) Mr.Kamlochan Kashyap refused to call him a “journalist”.

“Mr.Deepak Jaiswal is not a journalist. We asked the publicity wing of the government about him and they have given us in writing that he was not registered with them as a journalist. He runs a hotel business here. He has been arrested a case in which Prabhat Singh is also a co-accused. He was a close friend of Prabhat Singh. We immediately produced Deepak Jaiswal in the court and he has been sent on four days of judicial remand,” Mr.Kashyap told The Hindu.

Deepak Jaiswal became the fourth Bastar journalist to be arrested in last six months. The South Bastar Reporters Association, however, came down heavily on the police for refusing to accept Deepak.Jaiswal as a journalist.“Mr.Deepak Jaiswal was a full-time journalist since last two years and I can personally testify for that. We have decided that from now on, no coverage will be given to the police or the Maoists by reporters based in Dantewada district. Why should we report about them if they do not even consider us journalists? We will speak to our counterparts in neighboring Bijapur, Sukma and Bastar district and we would ask them to join us in blocking news related to the police and Maoists. We are journalists and not a part of any party here,” Mr.Bappi Roy, the president of the South Bastar Reporters Association told The Hindu.

Articles by Deepak Jaiswal:

FIR against Deepak Jaiswal

The post Another Journalist Arrested in Bastar: Repression by Chhattisgarh Police Continues appeared first on SabrangIndia.