Watch the video of presentation here
PUTTING UNDER SIEGE FOR MORE THAN 40 DAYS NEW DELHI, IN A HEAD-ON CONFRONTATION WITH THE HINDU MODI FASCIST GOVERNMENT, FOR THE CANCELLATION OF THE LAWS ON AGRICULTURE THAT WOULD THROW THEM INTO HUNGER AND MISERY CRUSHED BY THE LARGE MULTINATIONAL GROUPS.
GOVERNMENT, WHICH RECENTLY ENACTED LABOR LAWS FOR EASY LAYOFFS, WAGE CUTS, PRECARIOUSNESS, WHICH LED TO THE GIANT STRIKE OF 250 MILLION WORKERS ON NOVEMBER 26, WHICH GAVE FARMERS STRENGTH TO BEGIN THE SIEGE
IN THE STREETS FOR DENUNCIATION OF THE FALSE NEGOTIATIONS TO BREAK THE FRONT OF STRUGGLE, OF THE JUDICIARY THAT FLANKS MODI AGAINST THE PEASANTS, OF THE REPRESSION AGAINST THOSE WHO FIGHT
BEAUTIFUL SQUARES THAT LOOK ‘TO INDIA AS AN EXAMPLE’
WHICH WERE ANIMATED BY THE ACTION OF THE WOMEN WHO, FROM THE LABORS ON THE FIELDS, TOOK THEIR PLACE IN THE FRONT ROW OF THE MOBILIZATIONS
WHO RECALLED THE SACRIFICE OF THE DOZENS OF PEASANTS WHO HAVE ALREADY DIED IN THIS HARSH SIEGE
A MOBILIZATION, THAT OF THE 17TH, THAT IS ONLY JUST ON THE BEGINNING, LOOKING AT JANUARY 26, THE DAY OF NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE, WITH THE DROP OF PEASANTS IN NEW DELHI THAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO PREVENT, BUT THAT ‘MUST BE DONE’ BECAUSE ONLY THE FIGHT PAYS OFF.
17.01.2021:
ORE 15.00 BRESCIA PIAZZA VITTORIA
ORE 15.00: CHIARI, TELGATE, CALCINATE, COLOGNO, CIVIDATE AL PIANO, GORLAGO, TRESCORE BALNEARIO,
NELLE PIAZZE DAVANTI AI COMUNI,
con il rispetto delle misure anti contagio, distanziamento e mascherine
Pubblicato da sindacatodiclasse a 15 gennaio – CON I CONTADINI INDIANI, PER LA VITTORIA DEI CONTADINI INDIANI, FORTE IMPEGNO SOLIDALE DEI LAVORATORI NELLE FABBRICHE E COOPERATIVE TRA BERGAMO E BRESCIA, IN CAMPO PER GARANTIRE LA RIUSCITA DELLA MOBILITAZIONE DEL 17 GENNAIO https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxZAgGcpfddSdl9cSolhKHftc9SZ1EYfnF91x3rDzfOfMbLP3zpr5nFW5HQhW3H0YEcMWnKM30Crbw3cKI-SHHlT4V7jzb32WYGIRTBVgiKq_qw_iTvKItZWgBQMZ6rQCyHZncK
P
from Maoistroad
Farmers’ protest in India
Thousands of farmers poured into India’s capital, New Delhi, in a real siege between November and December last year to protest against the new three agricultural laws that the government enacted in September 2020.
A protest never seen in size, as several media admit: “Protests are the largest mobilization ever of the peasants …”
Soon after the promulgation of the three black laws, as the peasants call them, protests had begun in the various states of the Indian Union, especially in the northern states of the country, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh… and after a general strike on 25 September throughout India (Bharat Bandh), the protest also spread to entire Uttar Pradesh, and also to Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Kerala, Uttarakhand and parts of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh; but since the beginning of November the organized peasant masses gathered in over 40 large “unions”, having had no response from the government, have decided to move the protest directly to the city where the government is based.
The reasons for challenging the three black laws are clear and simple, so as clear has become to everyone their substance: the government wants to give the green light to the entry of multinationals into the country’s agriculture by clearly dismantling the current system of production, sale and distribution of agricultural products (a system which works through the sale to the state at collection centers and protected markets – the so-called ‘mandi’ – at a guaranteed minimum price – MSP is the acronym used in India), which allows millions of farmers to survive; the government wants the privatization of the whole sector which accounts for about a quarter of gross domestic product and 650 million workers involved in agriculture (half of the population!) and put it in the hands of the large multinationals, especially Indian at the moment, dominated by the Ambani, Adani, Birlas, Tata etc., with their control over agricultural products, control of prices on contracts with farmers, etc., in short, total control of the sector. Modi’s statements in this regard are clear: “The new decade will see the birth and growth of indigenous multinationals”, “Reforms, from agriculture to space, will increase the scope of business…”
The meaning and objectives of the laws are therefore clear, but as everyone knows, governments try to disguise their content by adding words to deceive, to calm the masses in revolt, declaring that these laws even represent improvements and benefits for the people!
The three laws bear these high-sounding names:
The first law expands the planned current commercial areas for agricultural products to “any place of production, harvesting, aggregation”; allows both wholesale and retail e-commerce of essential agricultural products: a modality almost impossible for farmers to use; prohibits state governments from imposing market taxes, excise duties or other types of levies on farmers, traders and e-commerce platforms acting in an “external trading area”.
The second provides a legal framework that should safeguard farmers who enter into contracts with purchasers, and provide for price indication; but in anticipation of the logical prevarication of “buyers” towards farmers, it defines a dispute resolution mechanism. The farmers, that is, after being screwed, as a journalist says, will be able to “complain”, perhaps bringing to court giants of the world economy!
The third law removes foodstuffs such as cereals, legumes, potatoes, onions, edible oilseeds and oils from the list of essential products, removing the storage limits of such items except in “extraordinary circumstances”; And in order to throw smoke in the eye it imposes a limit on the accumulation of stocks for agricultural products only if this leads to an increase in prices.
In fact, as we can see, it is precisely the dismantling of the current system, which by the masters of the multinationals has been called for as a ‘prerequisite’ (free market, prices to be bargained for, no ‘protected’ production) for any investments.
To get farmers into even more debt and bankrupt them, that is what they aim to, for a “free” use of the land, transforming it into monocultures or factories, mines. That’s what, exactly, they have been trying for about 30 years, as some analysts remember! It is the recipes of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, the “structural adjustments” imposed on various states in exchange for the possibility of obtaining international loans: in fact, this is the case of “reforms” that worsen the living and working conditions of workers, labourers and the popular masses in general. And the Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund says it openly: “The laws on agriculture and work are important steps in the right direction. They have the potential for a more flexible labour market… and in the case of agriculture to have a more integrated market that creates competition…” These ‘adjustments’ are gladly followed by Modi, who is simultaneously trying to restrict the powers of the various States of the Union, such as on agriculture, by centralizing decisions and passing the costs on to them.
Protests
Once they have understood the true content of the laws (and to these must be added the new law called the “amendment” on electricity that provides, also this, price liberalization and related increase in tariffs and additional costs for farmers!), the masses of farmers have unleashed protests with the sole aim of forcing the government to withdraw the three laws: these are the firm demands to date, together with another series of demands to lighten the burden on the masses of farmers … such as raising the minimum support price (MSP) by at least 50%, reducing the prices of agricultural diesel by 50%, withdrawing all charges against protesting farmers and releasing arrested leaders.
The protests targeted not only the government symbolically in the various states, but the places of production, sale and storage of the goods of India’s masters: supermarkets, petrol pumps, storage silos, telecommunications towers. The attack on these towers, in particular (about 2000) has unleashed the ire of billionaire Ambani (who has a personal wealth of 170 billion dollars in a country where the large masses “live” with one dollar a day – 102nd place out of 107 in the international ranking of countries where hunger is most suffering) who asked the courts and the government to intervene to put an end to “vandalism”.
These protests, which took the government itself by surprise in part, perhaps thinking of splitting the front that has been created by using the differences between large and small farmers, have expanded to the far-fetched, have expanded to other states and many other sectors, have won popular support, the solidarity and material support of intellectuals and workers who fight daily against masters, and against ruthless governments: just think of the factory workers who, when they rebel, are attacked and sometimes killed by the private militias of the masters with the support of the State that uses its industrial police (CISF) to safeguard the profits of multinationals; or think to the same State led by Modi who shows no scruples in having Muslims massacred by discriminatory and racist laws.
Repression
The right protests of the peasants were met by the government with the harshest violence; it first tried to stem protests in different states and then tried to prevent farmers from arriving in the capital New Delhi, raising barricades, even digging trenches in the streets, using “water cannons in the middle of winter, abuse, provocation, trolls, blatant misinformation…” (the Hindu), and still barbed wire, tear gas in an already ice-cold Delhi for polar cold and rain floods.
The death toll so far is about 60, not to mention the absurd scourge of debt and poverty suicides, more than 10,000 in 2019.
The strength of protest
But despite the implementation of a powerful internal “troop” movement, the government failed to do so: “We used water cannons and installed barricades but we were not able to stop the peasants who kept going … Protesters move in large numbers and some of them throw stones at policemen during clashes,” “Protesters broke through vehicle windows with water cannons and walked through the square. Because of the large number we had no choice but to let them through,” one policeman reported. “The police dug trenches to stop us from getting to Delhi. Our brave farmers have passed every barricade, water cannons, tear gas to get here,” said one farmer.
This revolting mass has armed itself not only with traditional weapons of popular struggles to repel police attacks, but also from a “legal” point of view, intelligently using the results of the National Farmers’ Commission led by a famous agricultural scientist and under the jurisdiction of the government itself; results that say that the solution is not at all that of privatization, but rather to strengthen the current system by recognizing farmers a higher price for their products.
The “novelty” of the massive presence of women
The other “surprise” of these gigantic protests against the Modi government is that of women. In fact, thousands of women have gradually joined the peasants that started the fight, somehow “breaking the feudal mentality” as one journalist says, and who have shown all their determination by placing themselves at the forefront of the fight.
For some Indian media it was a “surprise” and they talked about it in these terms: “A surprising feature of the protests this time is the presence of women”… “thousands of women have become a pillar of the farmers’ protests blocking the streets in New Delhi and which have become a major challenge for the government. The presence and above all the protagonism of women is truly a gigantic challenge for Modi’s Hindu fascist government. But this surprise is only the effect of the “invisibility” of the female workforce on India’s vast farmland.
Nearly 75% of rural women in India who work full-time are farmers, according to non-governmental organization Oxfam India, and the number is expected to even increase as more and more men migrate to cities to find a work. Yet just under 13% of women own the land they work. And now these women have “taken to the streets” as some of them say, with the intention of staying there until they have won their battle.
The importance of the issue (within the global crisis)
The Modi government’s obstinacy in wanting these laws to be applied at all costs is explained by the “necessity” of the representative of the Indian masters to give a positive response, this certainly, to the hunger for profits of multinationals aggravated by the global crisis and further aggravated at this time by the global pandemic. The scope of the demonstrations, in fact, a reflection of the importance of the subject in question, is of the gigantic ones, it concerns the current state of affairs at world level, it concerns the crisis and the response that governments try to give to it to get out of it, it touches on global competition, the kind of food supply that is fundamental to the very existence of humanity, it touches on land grabbing, with the expulsion of local populations, it concerns the destruction not only of agricultural land with the use of chemistry, but also the destruction of the immense forests of the country and the management of the immense “raw materials”.
Land and forests that must be “free”, precisely from the control of farmers to allow the owners of the multinationals Ambani, Adani etc. to “stay on the market”, to compete internationally, and given that, for example, the production of household appliances or clothing and other “old” sectors stagnates, other investment fields are needed such as the immense agricultural market or the “new sectors” of high technology that allow great profits… it is recent and very important, in this sense, Ambani’s billionaire agreement with the giants of the Internet, Facebook Inc., Google etc. and implanting new technologies, (the towers destroyed by farmers during protests!) throughout the country means having control of the territory, penetrating the forests building new roads.
This aspect of forest control is of great interest for the Modi government because these are the main place of action of the People’s War led by the PCI (Maoist), an insurmountable obstacle to the government’s plans. And it is no coincidence that some members of the government immediately targeted the protest and solidarity with it by saying that the farmers’ protest ended up in the hands of the Maoists.
Government plays the card of ‘dialogue’
After the first incessant and very strong weeks of struggle and the encirclement of New Delhi, the government summoned the representatives of the peasants to open the discussion on the three laws. After 7 meetings, however, the government, mainly through its Minister for Agriculture, has stood firm on its positions, it does not intend to abolish the three laws! He just wants to discuss some clauses and even try to convince the farmers of the goodness of the laws. And Narendra Modi, always filling his mouth with the word democracy, has said it openly and clearly: these laws are a watershed! There is a before and after these laws, and there can be no ‘human approach ‘on his part, as some farmers would like!
The farmers, and the peasants, in turn, have stood firm in their demand for the abolition of the three laws and are threatening other initiatives if the request is not granted. The answer is in fact the continuation of the struggle: the farmers have already built real citadels around the capital (which has about 20 million inhabitants) and in particular in some crucial places, and the situation can become even more fiery given that the huge outskirts of Delhi has a large number of industries and hundreds of thousands of workers. After 8 January, if there are no adequate answers, peasants are preparing the “tractor parade”, a march inside the capital for 26 January, Republic Day.
We then can say that with his new three pro-multinational laws Modi has raised such a great stone that in falling back he could give the mortal blow to him and his government…
from Red Spark
Rajnandgaon District, January 15, 2021: A group of Naxalites executed the husband of a village sarpanch on suspicion of being a police informant in Chhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon district, police said on Thursday.
The incident took place on Wednesday night in Pardoni village in the Manpur police station limits, a Naxalite-affected area located around 170 km from Raipur.
The 47-year-old police informant, husband of the Pardoni village sarpanch (panchayat head), was beaten to death.
According to preliminary information, a group of Maoists entered the police informant’s house when he was resting after dinner and dragged him out on the street.
They then took him to the village outskirts and thrashed him brutally. The police informant died on the spot.
After being alerted, a police team shifted the informant’s body to a hospital for post-mortem.
Maoist pamphlets were recovered from the site in which the deceased was accused of being a police informant. A police official denied the informant’s association with the police.
A search operation by police has been launched to trace the Naxalite squad that carried out this execution.
According to a police official, on May 8 of last year, four Naxalites were killed in a gun battle with police in Pardoni village. The Naxals suspected that the informant tipped off the police about the presence of their colleagues.
Kandhamal District, December 28: CPI (Maoist) cadres today blocked Kotagarh-Muniguda road near Radiguma in Odisha’s Kandhamal district by cutting down trees as a part of bandh observed by the party. Vehicular movement was temporarily disrupted due to the incident.
The Maoists also put up posters at various places in Kotagarh and Tumudibandha areas of the district urging the people to extend support to the bandh call. In the posters, the Maoists have opposed construction of CRPF camp in the area and destroying of ganja cultivation.
The CPI (Maoist) has also alleged that tribal people are being engaged as police informers through the lure of money and false promises.
The Maoists had earlier given an Odisha bandh call for today protesting the recent deaths of several Maoist cadres during exchanges of fire with security forces. Releasing an audio clip in this regard, CPI (Maoist) Odisha Committee spokesperson Sonali said the rebels will give befitting reply to the deaths of the cadres. Terming the deaths as killings by SOG and DVF jawans, she warned of destroying the police informers network.
Giridih District, December 24: At least a thousand villagers launched an attack on the picket of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Pandeydih village under Pirtaand Block of Giridih district on Wednesday evening.
Holding traditional weapons, the villagers marched towards the picket. The attack has been alleged to be instigated by the Maoists.
The 7th Battalion of CRPF has opened a picket close to the house Ajay Mahato, a member of the Special Area Committee of the CPI (Maoist), in his village Pandeydih. Mahato is on the most wanted list of police with prize money of Rs 25 lakh on his head.
Pandeydih under Pirtaand Block of Giridih is a CPI (Maoist) stronghold. Apart from Mahto who is active from Parasnath to West Bengal and Orissa border, other Maoist cadres Karamchand Manjhi, and Dhirenda also belong to this village.
The entire Pirtaand block, which was once an impregnable fort of the Maoists, has now crumbled with CRPF’s bold presence and opening of the picket. By opening the picket virtually in the Maoists den, the Police and CRPF has managed to penetrate deep inside the area.
According to sources, the angry villagers, in which a large number of women were present, vandalized the picket. However, the CRPF jawans posted at the picket handled the situation in a calm and restraint manner using force and persuasion. The patience of CRPF personnel helped in normalizing the situation and avert any mishap.
In many places, Maoist violence has mellowed but despite all efforts, Ajay Mahto remains evasive. Mahto is involved in triggering several Maoist incidents and is presently active in the Chaibasa area, said sources.
CRPF DIG Dilip Kumar Chaudhary said, “The mob was there, but the CRPF personnel persuaded them to return. Naxal is directing and instigating them to protest against CRPF camp there.”
Sources said the villagers were opposing the opening of CRPF Picket in their village.
However, men-in-khakis believe that launching of the attack by villagers is a conspiracy of CPI (Maoist) cadre Ajay Mahto, whose entry to his house and village got restricted with the opening of the CRPF picket. The villagers before attacking the picket demonstrated with a traditional weapon and took out a procession in the village.
Police are camping on the spot after the incident. The atmosphere of the village remains tense at the moment.
Varavara Rao Will Remain In Nanavati Hospital Until January 7
Bombay high court on Tuesday continued the stay of Telugu poet and Political Prisoner P Varavara Rao (81) at Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital till January 7, with the interim order of letting his family see him there.
Rao is fit enough to be sent back to Taloja jail, said additional solicitor general Anil Singh for National Investigation Agency (NIA) on his bail plea on medical grounds. Rao was shifted to the hospital in Vile Parle on November 19 for 15 days and then renewed for 15 others.
Narayanpur District, December 13: An Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) trooper was injured when a pressure improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Naxalites went off in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district on Saturday, police said.
The blast occurred around 1 pm on the Narayanpur-Kurusnar road in the Kurusnar police station area where a team from the ITBP’s 53rd Battalion was on patrol, Inspector General of Police (Bastar) Sundarraj P said.
When the team was cordoning off the route that goes through a dense forest, one of the men inadvertently stepped over the IED connection, triggering the blast which left him injured, the official said.
The jawan was rushed to a local hospital from where he was shifted to Raipur for further treatment.
The ITBP is deployed in Narayanpur district, around 250 km away from Raipur, for anti-Maoist operations.
On October 30, an ITBP constable was injured in an IED blast triggered by Naxalites in Kohkameta area of Narayanpur.
December 3, 2020: A division bench of the Bombay high court (HC) on Thursday extended 82-year-old political prisoner P Varavara Rao’s stay at Nanavati Hospital till December 15. Rao’s wife, P Hemlatha, told the court that Rao’s family is happy with the progress in his health, but needed to study the medical report before they could argue for his bail on medical grounds. The court accepted this and restrained the state and National Investigation Agency (NIA) from discharging Rao without informing the court. Rao is among the accused in the Bhima-Koregaon case.
On November 18, the court had directed the state to shift Rao to Nanavati Hospital for treatment. Rao has been in the hospital since November 19. On Thursday, Hemlatha’s petition regarding Rao’s medical condition came up for hearing and the state submitted Nanavati Hospital’s medical report on Rao before the division bench of justices SS Shinde and MS Karnik in a sealed envelope.
After seeing Rao’s report, the bench observed there had been some improvements in Rao’s condition, which Hemlatha’s legal team, comprising advocates Indira Jaising, Anand Grover and R Satyanarayan, confirmed.
Jaising requested the court to give the family a copy of the report and to allow them time to study it so that they may argue further. She also requested the court to restrain the state and NIA from discharging Rao and returning him to Taloja Jail.
The court acceded to the request and noted in its order, “Pursuant to the order passed by court on November 19, Rao is in Nanavati Hospital. Since the matter is adjourned to December 15, Rao may not be discharged from Nanavati Hospital without informing this court. The earlier order dated November 18 (related to visit of family members) shall continue.”
Chief public prosecutor Deepak Thakare and additional solicitor general Anil Singh for NIA informed the court they had no objection to the defense’s request. The court will hear the matter next on December 15.
International call to support the resistance of Dr. G.N. Saibaba!
Professor at Delhi University Dr. G.N. Saibaba has been held in Nagpur Central Prison since 2014, despite being 90 percent disabled. Well-known outside of India, attending many conferences abroad, human rights advocate Dr. G.N. Saibaba started a hunger strike on 21 October 2020, to condemn human rights violations in prison, as well as demanding medical care, books, and sending letters, which is the most fundamental right of every prisoner.
Saibaba, who is in life threatening condition due to many chronic illnesses he suffers from, had previously applied to the Supreme Court, but his brother’s house, which he showed as the address, was rejected because it was within the boundaries of the COVID 19 quarantine. At the current stage, the necessary medical needs are not met, and the medical supplies that his family wants to send are rejected. In addition, the books, letters, and newspaper clippings sent to him by his friends and family from outside have not been given for months. Letters and books are a prisoner’s most natural right and only connection with the outside. Not allowing them to him is a violation of human rights.
As if all this were not enough, Dr. G.N. Saibaba has been prevented from meeting with his lawyers on the pretext of getting COVID-19 for months. He is only allowed to speak to his lawyers by phone twice a month. Preventing him from meeting with his family, friends, and lawyers, and preventing the sending of books, magazines, letters, and newspapers from outside, is an attempt to cut his relationship with the outside world.
With his arrest, the Indian state is trying to achieve multiple goals, preventing him from giving lectures at university as well as cut his communication with outside to arrest his thoughts as well. Dr G.N Saibaba is not the only prisoners facing the human rights violations in India, there are thousands like him. Thousands of people in many countries of the world are arrested, tortured, and mistreated in prisons for their political ideas and opinions.
Dr. G.N. Saibaba’s Freedom Is Possible Through Solidarity!
We, the undersigned, are calling on the international public to announce for Dr Saibaba to be freed, to be treated in a healthy environment, to be given his medicines, books, letters, and newspapers! The hunger strike initiated by Dr G.N Saibaba can only end with victory with the support of Democratic organisations and Individuals. We urge the democratic organisations and individuals to force the Ministry of Justice of India and Nagpur Central Prison to meet the needs of Dr G.N Saibaba!
We call on all organizations and individuals in the international arena to organise solidarity campaigns in their fields to support Dr Saibaba’s resistance!
Signatories:
ATİK – Confederation of Workers from Turkey in Europe
UPOTUDAK- International Committee for Solidarity with Political Prisoners
Partizan
Secours Rouge International
Secours Rouge Toulouse
Le CRI Rouge pour la défense des prisonniers révolutionnaires
Comité d’actions et de soutien aux luttes du peuple Marocainc
Campagne unitaire pour la libération de Georges Abdallah
Corriente del Pueblo Sol Rojo –Mexiko
Soccorso Rosso proletario – Italia
International Comittee of Support the People’s War in India
Dr. G.N. Saibaba’nın Direnişini Sahiplenmek İçin Enternasyonal Çağrı!
Delhi Üniversitesinde profesör olan Dr. G.N. Saibaba yüzde 90 engelli olmasına rağmen 2014 yılından beri Nagpur Merkez Hapishanesinde tutulmaktadır. Hindistan dışında da tanınan, bir çok ülkede üniversitelerde konferanslara katılan, insan hakları savunucusu Dr. G.N. Saibaba; hapishanedeki insan hakları ihlallerini kınamak, her tutsağın en temel hakkı olan tıbbi bakım, kitap okuma, mektup alıp gönderme talebiyle 21 Ekim 2020 tarihinden itibaren açlık grevine başlamıştır.
Hindistan’ın Nagpur eyaletindeki Merkez Hapishane’de tutulan ve birçok kronik hastalıktan yaşamsal tehlikesi bulunan Saibaba için daha önce Yüksek Mahkeme’ye başvuru yapılmış, ancak adres olarak gösterdiği kardeşinin evi, COVİD 19 karantinası sınırları içinde bulunduğu için reddedilmişti. Gelinen aşamada kendisine gerekil tıbbi ihtiyaçları karışlanmamakta, ailesinin göndermek istediği tıbbi malzemelerde ret edilmektedir. Ayrıca dışarıdan arkadaşları ve ailesinin kendisine gönderdiği kitaplar, mektuplar ve gazete kupürleri de aylardır verilmemektedir. Mektup ve kitaplar bir mahpusun en doğal hakkı ve dışarıyla olan tek bağlantısıdır. Bunların kendisine verilmemesi insan hakları ihlalidir.
Tüm bunlarla birlikte Dr. G.N. Saibaba aylardır COVİD-19’a yakalanma bahanesiyle Avukatlarıyla da görüşmesi engellenmektedir. Avukatlarıyla sadece ayda iki defa telefonla görüşmesine izin verilmektedir. Ailesiyle, arkadaşlarıyla, avukatlarıyla görüşmesinin engellenmesi, dışarıdan kitap, dergi, mektup ve gazetelerin gönderilmesinin engellenmesi, onun dışarıdaki dünya ile ilişkisinin kesilmesine yönelik bir girişimdir. Hindistan devleti, Dr. G.N. Saibaba’yı tutuklayarak onun üniversitede ders vermesini, yeni öğrenciler yetiştirmesini engellerken, aynı zamanda hapishanedeyken dışarıyla bağını kopararak onun düşüncelerini de hapsetmek istemektedir. Dr. G.N. Saibaba’nın yaşadığı Hindistan’da tutuklu olan binlerce politik tutsağın yaşadıklarından farklı değildir. Dünyanın bir çok ülkesinde binlerce insan düşüncelerinden dolayı hapishanelerde tutuklanmakta, işkence ve kötü muamele görmektedir.
Dr. G.N. Saibaba’nın Özgürlüğü Dayanışmayla Mümkündür!
Bizler aşağıda imzası bulananlar;Dr. G.N. Saibaba’nın özgürlüğüne kavuşması, sağlıklı bir ortamda tedavisinin görülmesi, ilaçlarının, kitaplarının, mektuplarının ve gazetelerinin kendisine verilmesi için uluslararası kamuoyunu duyuralı olmaya çağırıyoruz! Dr. G.N. Saibaba’nın taleplerinin kabul edilmesi amacıyla 21 Ekim’den itibaren başlattığı açlık grevini kazanımla sonuçlanması demokratik kurumlara ve bireylerin Nagpur Merkez Hapishanesi ve Hindistan Adalet Bakanlığı üzerinde baskı kurmasıyla mümkündür! Uluslararası alanda tüm örgüt ve bireyleri Dr. G.N. Saibaba’nın direnişine destek vermesi için bulundukları alanlarda dayanışma kampanyalar örgütlemeye çağırıyoruz!
İmzacılar:
Avrupa Türkiyeli İşçiler Konfederasyonu (ATİK)
Uluslararası Politik Tutsaklarla Dayanışma Komitesi (UPOTUDAK)
Partizan
Uluslararası Kızıl Yardım
Toulouse Kızıl Yardım
Devrimci Mahkumları Savunma
Maroko Halkının Mücadelesini Desteklemek İçin Eylem Komitesi
Georges Abudallah’ın Serbest Bırakılması İçin Üniter Kampanya
Corriente del Pueblo Sol Rojo -Mexiko
Proleter Kızıl Yardım İtalya
ICOR Avrupa Koordinasyonu
Avrupa Göçmen Emekçiler Konfederasyonu (AvEGKON)
Platforma Kurden Anatoliya Navin (PKAN)
Sosyalist Yeniden Kuruluş Partisi Avrupa (SYKP)
Avrupa Demokratik Haklar Konfederasyonu (ADHK)
Yeşil Sol Parti
Kongreya Civakên Demokratîk a Kurdîstanîyên Ewrupa (KCDK-E)
Avrupa Devrimci Demokratik Komün İnisiyatifi (ADDKİ)
Komün Dergisi
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Naxalites Kill CRPF Commandant In Landmine Attack In Sukma District
Sukma District, November 29: The Assistant Commandant of the Central Reserve Police Force has been killed and seven other soldiers injured in a landmine blast in Naxal-affected Sukma district of Chhattisgarh state. On Sunday, Inspector General of Police of Bastar region, Sundararaj P, said that Naxalites detonated a landmine in a forest near Tadmetla village under Chintalnar police station area of Sukma district. In this incident, Nitin P. Bhalerao, Assistant Commandant of 206 Cobra Battalion of CRPF was killed and seven other soldiers were injured. Earlier on Saturday night, the police had informed about the injuries of five soldiers in this incident.
Sundararaj told, “CRPF personnel were sent to patrol in Chintalnar area. The security forces personnel were in the forest of Tadmetla village at around 8.30 pm on Saturday, when the Naxalites detonated a landmine. Eight people, including assistant commandant Bhalerao, were injured in the incident. “They said that there was no information about firing during the incident.”
Inspector General of Police said that on Saturday, five soldiers were injured in the incident. Later it was learned that three other jawans were also injured in this incident. He said that after getting information about the incident, the injured jawans were taken out of the jungle by helicopter and they were sent to Raipur for treatment.
Sundararaj said that the Assistant Commandant has died from his injuries, and that seven other injured soldiers are being treated in a private hospital in Raipur. A police official said that the operation against the Naxalites involved in the incident is going on in the area.
CPI Maoist Posters Surface In Visakhapatnam and Kalahandi Districts During Run Up To PLGA Week
Visakhapatnam District, November 29: Ahead of the CPI (Maoist) People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA) week, scheduled from December 2 to 8, posters allegedly surfaced in Visakhapatnam district on Sunday.
The posters, issued in the name of CPI (Maoist) Visakha East-Division Committee, were pasted on the walls at Maddigaruvu and other areas in G Madugula mandal.
The CPI (Maoist) conveyed through the posters that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the PLGA week and appealed to the tribals to participate in week-long celebrations and make it a success. The Maoists also appealed to the tribal youth to join the PLGA.
It may be remembered that since the year 2000, the Maoists have been observing the PLGA week from December 2 to 8, to condemn the killing of three Central Committee Members of the party, namely Seelam Naresh, Nalla Adi Reddy and Yerramreddy Santosh Reddy, by the security forces in Koyyuru forest in Karimnagar district of Telangana, on December 2, 1999.
During the PLGA Week, the Maoists hold meetings in villages and offer tributes to the red rebels who were killed in police encounters.
Kalahandi District, November 27: CPI (Maoist) posters surfaced in Phuladumera village of Trilochanpur panchayat under Bijepur police limits in Kalahandi district on Friday.
Phuladumera village is located at the foot of Niyamgiri hill. On Friday the residents there discovered CPI (Maoist) posters put up throughout their village.
The Banshadhara-Ghumusar-Nagamali division of the CPI (Maoist) is opposed to the construction of a road at the foot of Niyamgiri hill. The party, which is said to be active in the Niyamgiri area but has not carried out any actions recently, has once again made its presence felt.
The CPI (Maoist) has also urged the population to observe it’s annual People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army Week, beginning December 2.
The last time the Odisha Police’s Special Operations Group jawans engaged in a gunfight with the PLGA was September 9. During that encounter two jawans were killed.
India saw one of the biggest nationwide strikes by workers, joined by protesting farmers today. Several states saw a complete shutdown. Over 250 million workers across sectors participated in the strike, called by 10 central trade unions and hundreds of worker associations and federations.
Kerala, Puducherry, Odisha, Assam and Telangana witnessed a complete shutdown while normal life was partially affected in several other states as workers struck work and took to the streets, protesting against the “anti-worker” and pro-corporate policies and labour laws as well as the new farm laws brought in by the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata party government, among other demands.
“The states of Kerala, Puducherry, Odisha, Assam and Telangana have reported complete shut down. Tamil Nadu reported complete shut down in 13 districts, while the industrial strike continues in the rest of the districts. Punjab and Haryana have reported that the state road transport buses have not left their depots in the morning,” a joint statement issued by the trade unions said.
Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh reported 100% strike, including at BALCO, the statement said.
The joint platform incudes Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Co-ordination Centre (TUCC) and Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) , Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) and United Trade Union Congress (UTUC).
The strike saw stoppage of work in banks, financial services, various government services, transport, steel units, port and docks, telecommunication services, plantations, power generating units, coal and other mines, oil and natural gas production units, and millions of other miscellaneous industries. Government offices, railways, post and telegraph services and scores of other government offices are also likely to be affected as employees will hold solidarity demonstrations. Several lakh women working as Anganwadi workers/helpers, healthcare workers, mid-day meal cooks and those employed in other government run schemes have also gone on strike.
“Reports of successful strike in coal and copper mines, including other mineral resource mines, have been received. The employees of postal, telecom and steel sector were also in action and gramin dak sevaks observed 100 per cent strike,” the statement said.
Farmers from across the country also marched to Delhi in protest against the new corporate-friendly farm laws and in solidarity with workers, braving arrests, teargas, water cannons and numerous barricades on the way, especially in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh .
Almost five million labours from different sections including local government, union government, port, private companies, railway, anganwadi, banks in Maharashtra participated in the strike. This was the biggest strike in recent times.
Work in factories, refineries, banks, transport sector in Assam came to a standstill as workers, including in several tea gardens in Upper Assam participated in the strike. In Jorhat district, Jogibheta tea garden, Hindubari tea garden, Monomoi tea garden and Damayanti tea garden, workers organised protests and PM Modi’s effigy burning.
Among the places where picketing was reported since early morning were Digboi refinery, Guwahati refinery, India Carbon, Assam Carbon, Assam Asbestos etc. The Noonmati area, which has over 3,000 workers, joined the strike. Massive protests were also seen in Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer Limited, ONGC Silchar and other small scale industries in Assam. – Sandipan Talukdar
In Tamil Nadu the strike was near complete in banking, insurance, BSNL, Salem Steel Plant BHEL, Thoothukudi VOC Port and Bharat Petroleum bottling plant. Government employees, employees of cooperative societies, local administration department and anganwadi workers participated in large numbers in the strike and demonstrations.
G Sukumaran, general secretary of Tamil Nadu unit of CITU said, “The strike saw massive participation from workers across various sectors against the policies pursued by the BJP government. More than 50,000 people were detained across the state with huge participation of women workers as well”.
Narendra Rao, general secretary of Water Transport Workers Federation of India (WTWFI) said, “The workers of major ports across the country took part in the strike while we withdrew the strike in Chennai port. We reiterate our demands on scrapping the Major Ports Act, 2020, withdrawal of New Stevedoring policy and the new pension scheme”.
Work in Salem Steel Plant came to a standstill as 98% of the employees participated in the strike. Panneer Selvam, president of SPEU said, “The employees of the SSP have resolved to defeat all privatisation moves carried out by the Union government.” –Neelambaran A
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana saw massive campaigns among workers across sectors against the new labour laws.
Saibabu, Telangana state general secretary of CITU said there was complete strike in public sector units, including Bharat Electronics Limited, Bharat Dynamics Ltd, Electronics Corporation of India Ltd, Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd among others.
“Among private entities, industries located around Hyderabad across Patancheru, Cherlapalli, Medchal and Sangareddy saw thousands of organised sector workers boycotting work and joined protest demonstrations,” he said.
Over 40,000 coal workers across units of the Singareni Collieries Company Ltd in Kothagudem, Bellampalli and Ramagundam too joined the strike, including contract and outsourced workers.
In the construction sector, “about 3 lakh construction workers, 2.5 lakh hamalis (loading and unloading workers) and about three lakh beedi workers have stopped work on Thursday,” said Paladugu Bashkar of CITU.
In Andhra Pradesh, despite Cyclone Nivar causing heavy rainfall, “response to the general strike has been overwhelming,” CH Narasinga Rao, Andhra Pradesh CITU president said.
PSUs in Visakhapatnam including steel plant, shipyard, Bharat Heavy Electronics Limited, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd, Visakha Port, Dockyards, Indian Oil Corporation, Dredging Corporation of India, National Thermal Power Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited were completely shut down except for essential purposes. “Over 90% workers in Adani Group’s Krishnapatnam port in Nellore stopped their work as part of the general strike,” said Rao. – Prudhviraj Rupawat
Thousands of people took to streets and staged protests in Bihar during the nationwide general. Employees of banks, insurance, income tax ,BSNL along with contractual employees of the health,e ducation and other department of the state government participated in the strike that badly hit the work in offices and in the field.
Employees of about 5,127 bank branches sans SBI in Bihar remained on strike.
“It was a complete strike in banks as employees of Bihar Gramin banks and Cooperative banks also joined us.We have protested against privatisation of public sector banks by the centre”, D N Trivedi,a leader of All India Bank Officers Association said.
More than 15 million workers in Kerala along with farmers took part in the nationwide strike affecting normal life, barring essential services.
“Few states have proposed 12-hour work day. The government wants to reinstate enchained working system,” said state CITU president Anathalavattam Anandan, adding that the workers won’t allow the governments to exploit them.
The general strike saw participation of unions and associations from all sections including banking, insurance, public sector undertakings, scheme workers- including ASHAs, Anganwadi Workers- plantation, motor vehicle, unorganized sectors etc.
The employees from private finances and non-banking sectors, also joined under the banner of Non-Banking and Private finance Employees Association. The employees from BPCL, Manappuram Finance, Muthoot finance and other firms also held protests.
The strike witnessed a significant support among the workers in the satellite cities of the national capital; Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad.
The workers of the industrial units in Noida marched in Sector-2 and 8, Botanical Garden, Hosiery complex, Eco Third area and peacefully dispersed following the coronavirus guidelines.
Gangeshwar Dutt Sharma, Secretary, Noida CITU, said “trade unions, for long, have been demanding a liveable salary for factory workers. Currently, factory workers in Noida are being paid only Rs 8,400 as minimum salary.”
Sharma said workers’ anger was also against rampant privatisation of public sector undertaking that was snatching away employment.
Narendra Nath Pandey, Treasurer, Rehri Patri Karmakar Union affiliated to CITU, in Greater Noida said workers are being consistently fired from jobs after the nationwide lockdown was announced.
Roma Sharma, a street vendor at the March said that she has lost her confidence in the central government after it passed labour codes without consulting workers or their organisations. “We had no other option but to hit the street and we did it today.”
CITU West Bengal Committee secretary Anadi Sahoo and INTUC State President Kamrujjmann said 90% of Central government employees joined the strike while 60 -70% state government employees participated.
In military engineering services, 85% workers participated and ordinance factories saw only 20% attendance .
There was ‘huge ‘response in the jute, tea, coal steel and small and medium iron-based industries, too, the unions said.
The strike was also effective in Kolkata Port, cement, banking, wholesale markets and among medical representatives.
About 70% of vehicular traffic in Kolkata was off roads and picketing and blockades on suburban Railway lines were reported.
In Dumdum and Garia there were reports of skirmishes with police as well as in Jadavpur too.
The Police and administration had taken tough measures to foil the strike as the ruling Trinamool Congress did not supporting the workers and farmers strike, while backing the issues raised. – Sandip Chakraborty
Owing to the imposition of Section 144 in the various districts of State in a view of COVID-19 guidelines and cancellation of permission for rallies and processions, the nation-wide general strike got a lukewarm response in Madhya Pradesh.
Out of 52 districts, the strike got support in nearly 25-30 districts including Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Sagar, Damoh, Dhar in various sectors and workers and labourers of the various trade unions and factories registered their disappointment and boycotted the work for the first couple of hours.
Madhya Pradesh farmers who were on their way to Delhi to picket Parliament have also been stopped on Agra-Delhi National Highway 2. Social activist Medha Patkar, CPI(M) leader Jaswinder Singh who were marching towards Delhi with the farmer’s convoy had been stopped from entering Delhi.
The strike was effective in banks, coal mines of of Singrauli, Anupur, Shahdol, Umaria, Baitul and Chhindwara districts and Cement plants of Rewa and Satna districts where 65-70 % of the workers either remain absent or boycotted the half-day work.
In nearly 20 districts including Sagar, Damoh, Panna, Chhattarpur, Indore the private buses and loading trucks were off the road till 12 pm, claimed trade unions.
Various factories of Special Economic Zones including Govindpura Industrial Area, Mandideep, Malanpur, Pithampura and Defense factories of Jabalpur and Itarsi remain closed for half-day in support of the strike. Aganwadi, ASHA-USHA workers, Krishi Upaj Mandis labourers and medical representatives also extended their support and carried out protests despite the imposition of section 144.—Kashif Kakvi
Jammu and Kashmir saw a huge participation of workers in support of the national general strike called jointly by 10 central trade unions. Hundreds of workers gathered in protest at Press Clubs, of Jammu division and Kashmir division, respectively.
Raja, a migrant labourer from Bihar in Jammu, who works as a casual labourer with Border Roads Organisation said since 2016, they are working even on Sundays with no payment for extra work.
“Are these good days that Modi ji had promised? By keeping us empty stomach,” he said.
Slogans like Inqilab Zindabad, Lal Jab Aayega, Inqalab Laayega, Hamari Maange Poori Karo, rent the air as Anganwadi workers joined the strike, too.
In Chenab valley including Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban, workers had picketed outside their work stations. Jai Lal Parihar, CITU leader from Kishtwar, said the primary demand of workers were minimum wages.
His Martyrdom and Birthday falls in the same month of November. Tamil Nadu Native A Velmurugan whose 33rd birthday is on November-27-2020 was martyred on November-3-2020 in an Extra-judicial murder committed by Kerala Government’s Blood Thirsty Commandos, Thunderbolt. November 3 is just another date marked in calendar with blood after November-24-2016 (Nilambur Fake Encounter), March-6-2019 (Vythiri Fake Encounter) and October-28-2019 (Manjakandi Fake Encounter). Velmurugan is the 8th Maoist Revolutionary to be murdered by this Pseudo Left Government of Kerala led by CPI(M).
According to the Version of Police, Velmurugan who was Commandant of Banasura Dalam (wing) of the Western Ghat Zonal Committee of CPI (Maoist) was killed in an encounter in the forest region of Banasura Hill, Padinjarathara, Wayanad District on November 3. But there is controversy surrounding the timing of encounter. The local people’s testimony differs from that of the Police. Since there are several doubts and considering the past fake encounters, there is a huge chance of a fake encounter in this case also. Several groups protested in various parts of the state including at Ernakulam, Malappuram and Kozhikode against the fake encounter.People gathered at High Court Junction, Ernakulam on November 4 and raised slogans against the state government and Thunderbolt. Even the pedestrians and onlookers protested against the extra-judicial killing of the Communist Revolutionary. Velmurugan who belonged to a very poor family in Theni District was a dropout student of law. Why did a Youngster who could have become a lawyer and lead a very comfortable and happy life left everything for Revolution? His Politics and ideology of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism inspired him to wage Class War for a better world for tomorrow. Velmurugan’s blood brother, A Murugan who is a lawyer in Madras High Court said that Initially the family members were not allowed to see the martyr’s body at Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode. Later after huge outrage, officials allowed them to see the body and the brother told to media that there were a lot of bullet injuries, like more than 10 bullet marks and torture alike injuries indicating that he was murdered in a cold-blooded staged Encounter. It’s reported that there were burn injuries on his body which may be caused by the close-range bullet shot. Murugan has told that they would press charges and move Judicially against the Fake Encounter. Presently Crime Branch is investigating the encounter and Police has told that remaining members of Velmurugan’s Squad has escaped with injuries and no one was captured.
Liberals and Pro-Government people justify killing Maoists because they are armed, but let me ask these people where were your organisation and political ethics when your state police murdered “unarmed” innocent civilians in police custody? Majority of the murdered victims belonged to Dalit, Muslim and financially poorer families. Did CPI(M) and it’s youth organisation protest against the State Home Department, Home Minister and State Police? Resistance against State Terror cannot be labelled as violence. Next argument will be, why don’t Maoists join mainstream politics and participate in Democratic activities? This is very funny because their democracy is limited and altered for meeting their opportunistic interests. There are lots of Comrades in Kerala who were awarded with UAPA and jailed by State police for putting up posters against Fake Encounters and demanding judicial investigations on those encounters. The posters were put on daylight publically in name of their Organisations which are not banned. Now, which democracy were they talking about? Unless we destroy the ruling class and its ideas, there is no point in participating in elections for Political power. Now about attacking police officers, Here Maoists sees Police officers only as of the suppressing tool of the state. Both People who sympathise/ join Maoists and Police are exploited by the State. The State exploits their basic human rights, Poverty and hunger. It was only a few years back when Thunderbolt Commandos and their family protested in front of Secretariat against State Government. Thunderbolt commandos themselves hail from poor families and they alleged that they faced Casteist experiences, mental/physical trauma during the training. I, personally have talked with the tribal leader of Kannur, he has told that these Thunderbolts Commandos armed with assault rifles would come to hamlets at night and terrorise the area by throwing utensils and other things to outside in name of the search. If the Adivasis got leftover rice or green coloured dress, Thunderbolt would create havoc. When men go for fishing in the forest at night, these commandos would come for search. Even CPI assistant state secretary, Prakash Babu has said that thunderbolts physically examine the Adivasi womenThe CPI(M) leaders who claim to be a democratic Parliamentary party themselves have threatened to kill police officers publicly all for their personal needs and the party members themselves have destroyed public property even inside the Lower House during the Budget Presentation. Is not it hypocrisy when the same party who got an armed Militant squad called Harmad Bahini in Bengal to execute its Political Rivals criticise Maoists who wage Class war?
The government’s armed forces are given weapons to disarm their opponents, or if it’s inevitable, then they may shoot to capture Alive, not to kill. If there are cases against the communists, you may arrest them under IPC and CRPC according to evidence act and take them to court for judicial proceedings.
Forensic report and witnesses statement of CP Jaleel’s murder has given a brickbat to the Police. After the encounter, Police told that they were forced to fire after Maoists fired hastily. But the staff of Resort told before the media that it was Police who fired first and the Maoists didn’t terrorise the atmosphere. The forensic report also supports the statement of the staff, the report says Jaleel didn’t fire from the weapon which the Police accuses him of carrying. No Gun Powder was found from his hand and the shells found in the encounter site belonged only to the police, this indicates that the encounter was only one-sided and fake. Similar observations and evidence of torture can be found in Nilambur and Manjakandi also. Another suspicious thing is that why didn’t Police let the media enter the Encounter spot? Why didn’t the police allow the relatives to see Velmurugan’s Body? These actions by police support our doubts.
The government should order a Judicial investigation in all Fake Encounters and should Disband the Thunderbolt commandos who are the real disturbance for Tribals. Meanwhile, Anathalavattom Anandan, a State Secretariat member of CPI(M) became a joke when he asked why a Tamil Nadu Native Maoist Cadre came to Kerala. It seems like they have disowned Che Guevara who was born in Argentina, trained in Mexico, led Revolution in Cuba and got Martyred in Bolivia. Is there any new agreement or rules in Guerrilla warfare that, only natives can wage Revolution? If that’s your political Position, Mr Anathalavattom Anandan, Comrade CP Jaleel is a Youngster from Malappuram district of Kerala. He’s the 3rd Comrade to be murdered by your government after receiving SRE fund and other resources from BJP Central Government. The public should rise against the extrajudicial and inhumane Operation Samadhan and Operation Anaconda which are conducted respectively by Central Government and Kerala State government against Maoists
Dear friends
We are sending you a draft solidarity campaign statement for Dr. G.N Saibaba, who began a hunger strike since 21st October 2020 to protest the conditions in Prison.
It is only possible through international solidarity that Saibaba’s hunger strike to result in victor. We request you to sign a joint call to ensure this network of solidarity and turn it into a campaign. We will be glad if you sign and send it in a short time.
ATIK- Confederation of Workers from Turkey in Europe
International call to support the resistance of Dr. G.N. Saibaba!
Professor at Delhi University Dr. G.N. Saibaba has been held in Nagpur Central Prison since 2014, despite being 90 percent disabled. Well-known outside of India, attending many conferences abroad, human rights advocate Dr. G.N. Saibaba started a hunger strike on 21 October 2020, to condemn human rights violations in prison, as well as demanding medical care, books, and sending letters, which is the most fundamental right of every prisoner.
Saibaba, who is in life threatening condition due to many chronic illnesses he suffers from, had previously applied to the Supreme Court, but his brother’s house, which he showed as the address, was rejected because it was within the boundaries of the COVID 19 quarantine. At the current stage, the necessary medical needs are not met, and the medical supplies that his family wants to send are rejected. In addition, the books, letters, and newspaper clippings sent to him by his friends and family from outside have not been given for months. Letters and books are a prisoner’s most natural right and only connection with the outside. Not allowing them to him is a violation of human rights.
As if all this were not enough, Dr. G.N. Saibaba has been prevented from meeting with his lawyers on the pretext of getting COVID-19 for months. He is only allowed to speak to his lawyers by phone twice a month. Preventing him from meeting with his family, friends, and lawyers, and preventing the sending of books, magazines, letters, and newspapers from outside, is an attempt to cut his relationship with the outside world.
With his arrest, the Indian state is trying to achieve multiple goals, preventing him from giving lectures at university as well as cut his communication with outside to arrest his thoughts as well. Dr G.N Saibaba is not the only prisoners facing the human rights violations in India, there are thousands like him. Thousands of people in many countries of the world are arrested, tortured, and mistreated in prisons for their political ideas and opinions.
Dr. G.N. Saibaba’s Freedom Is Possible Through Solidarity!
We, the undersigned, are calling on the international public to announce for Dr Saibaba to be freed, to be treated in a healthy environment, to be given his medicines, books, letters, and newspapers! The hunger strike initiated by Dr G.N Saibaba can only end with victory with the support of Democratic organisations and Individuals. We urge the democratic organisations and individuals to force the Ministry of Justice of India and Nagpur Central Prison to meet the needs of Dr G.N Saibaba!
We call on all organizations and individuals in the international arena to organise solidarity campaigns in their fields to support Dr Saibaba’s resistance!
Signatories:
info@atik-online.net
Of Concepts and Methods – “On Postisms” and Other Essays by K. Murali (Ajith), a new collection of essays, which covers a wide range of topics that are tied together by the author’s ongoing endeavor of “deepening the critique of mechanical thinking.” These texts grapple with different trends of post modernism which have had a stranglehold on “new” thought for that last several decades, Chavismo and “21st Century Socialism,” and the particularities of the manifestation of fascism in India. The essays not only delve into critique and analysis of contradictions in the world today, but also investigate questions about the basis for a materialist ethics, the politics of liberation, and the essential qualities of a vanguard party in current times.
And
Operation Green Hunt in India – Social Practices of the Genocidal Counterinsurgency Strategy “Hearts and Minds” by Adolfo Naya Fernández, a succinct text that methodically leads the reader through the damning evidence that the strategy known as “Hearts and Minds,” put into practice by the Indian State with Operation “Green Hunt” is actually a genocide.
This book launch will feature a panel discussion about topics covered in Ajith’s new book, moderated by acclaimed journalist, K. P. Sethunath with Ajith, Adolfo Naya Fernández, Sidhartha Samtani from People’s Magazine and Sourav Banerjee from Towards a New Dawn as panelists. Panel discussion topics include:
Maoist Critiques and Analysis of Post-Modernism
and
Modern-day Maoism: Maoism’s necessary theoretical developments and practical applications in these times
The book launch will start on:
November 2020: Manifesto of the Communist Party & Principles of Communism – Marx-Engels
November 2020: Essays in Historical Materialism – George Plekhanov
November 2020: The Fascist Offensive & Unity of the Working Class – George Dimitrov
September 2020: Mao Tse-tung Selected Works, Vol. VIII
September 2020: Anarchism or Socialism? & Trotskyism or Leninism? – Joseph Stalin
September 2020: Activist Study Araling Aktibista (ARAK) – PADEPA
September 2020: Curso Basico de Marxismo-Leninismo-Maoism
August 2020: Like Ho Chi Minh! Like Che Guevara! – Ian Scott Horst
August 2020: Critiquing Brahmanism – K. Murali (Ajith)
August 2020: Towards a Scientific Analysis of the Gay Question – Los Angeles Research Group
August 2020: The State and Revolution – Lenin
August 2020: Labour in Irish History – James Connolly
July 2020: Basic Principles of Marxism-Leninism: A Primer – Jose Maria Sison
July 2020: Mao Tse-tung Selected Works, Vol. VII
July 2020: Socialism: Utopian and Scientific – Frederick Engels
May 2020: A New Outlook on Health – Advocators
May 2020: Critique of the Maoist Reason – J. Moufawad-Paul
April 2020: Historic Eight Documents – Charu Mazumdar
April 2020: The Foundations of Leninism – Joseph Stalin
April 2020: Wage Labour and Capital & Wages, Price and Profit – Karl Marx
April 2020: Reform or Revolution? – Rosa Luxemburg
February 2020: Ibrahim Kaypakkaya – On the National Question
February 2020: Mao Tse-tung Selected Works, Vol. VI
Mumbai, November 12: Political Prisoner Varavara Rao, in jail for over two years in the Koregaon-Bhima case, has been denied bail, the Bombay High Court said on Thursday after his family requested that he be freed urgently because of his worsening health condition.
The court said doctors at Nanavati Hospital could examine him via video call and would visit him if needed. If the doctors believe a visit is necessary, they should visit Taloja jail, where Rao is housed, the court ordered, asking that a report be submitted by November 16.
According to NDTV, the family’s lawyer Indira Jaising argued before the High Court, saying that his health was fast deteriorating. He said, “He is bedridden. He is on diapers. He can’t control urination. He is with a urine bag. His catheter has not been removed. Is this man going to run away from justice?”
Bombay High Court said a video call with doctors at Nanavati Hospital should be arranged today if possible and said the case would be heard again on November 17.
“To assess the present condition of Varavara Rao, it will be appropriate to have a video medical examination. All parties agree that video consultation can be arranged today or tomorrow morning by doctors of Nanavati hospital who made the July 30 report,” said the court.
The bench, comprising justices AK Menon and SP Tavade, also acceded to the request for a hearing after the report was submitted and posted the hearing of the petition of Rao’s wife P Hemlatha on November 17 at 3pm. The bench was hearing a writ petition seeking bail for Rao on health grounds.
The 80-year-old Political Prisoner Varavara Rao was arrested in January 2018 and charged under a stringent anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, which allows detention without trial for years.
Varvara Rao has been in Taloja Jail near Mumbai. Co-accused Stan Swamy had called lawyers and informed them that Rao was severely unwell, Jaising said.
“I am seeking an urgent interim relief to shift Varavara Rao from Taloja jail to Nanavati Hospital. Ultimate relief I am seeking is that he be set at liberty as his rights are being violated,” Jaising told the court.
Jharkhand State, November 10: Indian Railway has issued an alert to Jharkhand Police about possible attacks by CPI (Maoist) cadres on railway installation and infrastructure in the wake of ‘Khuni Kranti Saptah’ observed by the Maoist party.
Every year the CPI (Maoist) organize ‘Khuni Kranti Saptah’ from November 9 to November 15 to commemorate the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, during which it’s armed wing (PLGA) targets police, railway and other government installations.
Sources in the railway said that senior officials of the railway too have been briefed about the security protocols to be observed during operation of trains.
“Intelligence inputs suggest that rebels are observing Khunti Kranti Saptah in their stronghold area. Railway being their soft target the possibility of destructive and subversive activities on railway infrastructure can’t be ruled out. In the light of the above findings we have sent an intelligence alert to Jharkhand Police whereas Government Railway Police and Railway Protection Force will also remain alert,” a senior official of railway said.
Meanwhile, Jharkhand police have also issued specific alerts and security has been tightened in the Naxal affected train routes like Parasnath to Chichaki, Gajhandi to Pahadpur, Gomia to Karmahat and Tokisud to Barwadih where the CPI (Maoist) have a sizable presence.
On these routes patrolling has been intensified to ensure safety and security of rail track, railway underpass and likes.
Other than the railway, security has been increased in the Maoist hit pockets in the districts like Latehar, Lohardaga, Simdega, Gadhwa, Dumka, Palamu, Saraikela Kharswan, Gumla, Chatra, Hazaribagh and others.
His Martyrdom and Birthday falls in the same month of November. Tamil Nadu Native A Velmurugan whose 33rd birthday is on November-27-2020 was martyred on November-3-2020 in an Extra-judicial murder committed by Kerala Government’s Blood Thirsty Commandos, Thunderbolt. November 3 is just another date marked in calendar with blood after November-24-2016 (Nilambur Fake Encounter), March-6-2019 (Vythiri Fake Encounter) and October-28-2019 (Manjakandi Fake Encounter). Velmurugan is the 8th Maoist Revolutionary to be murdered by this Pseudo Left Government of Kerala led by CPI(M).
According to the Version of Police, Velmurugan who was Commandant of Banasura Dalam (wing) of the Western Ghat Zonal Committee of CPI (Maoist) was killed in an encounter in the forest region of Banasura Hill, Padinjarathara, Wayanad District on November 3. But there is controversy surrounding the timing of encounter. The local people’s testimony differs from that of the Police. Since there are several doubts and considering the past fake encounters, there is a huge chance of a fake encounter in this case also. Several groups protested in various parts of the state including at Ernakulam, Malappuram and Kozhikode against the fake encounter.
People gathered at High Court Junction, Ernakulam on November 4 and raised slogans against the state government and Thunderbolt. Even the pedestrians and onlookers protested against the extra-judicial killing of the Communist Revolutionary. Velmurugan who belonged to a very poor family in Theni District was a dropout student of law. Why did a Youngster who could have become a lawyer and lead a very comfortable and happy life left everything for Revolution? His Politics and ideology of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism inspired him to wage Class War for a better world for tomorrow. Velmurugan’s blood brother, A Murugan who is a lawyer in Madras High Court said that Initially the family members were not allowed to see the martyr’s body at Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode.
Later after huge outrage, officials allowed them to see the body and the brother told to media that there were a lot of bullet injuries, like more than 10 bullet marks and torture alike injuries indicating that he was murdered in a cold-blooded staged Encounter. It’s reported that there were burn injuries on his body which may be caused by the close-range bullet shot. Murugan has told that they would press charges and move Judicially against the Fake Encounter. Presently Crime Branch is investigating the encounter and Police has told that remaining members of Velmurugan’s Squad has escaped with injuries and no one was captured.
Liberals and Pro-Government people justify killing Maoists because they are armed, but let me ask these people where were your organisation and political ethics when your state police murdered “unarmed” innocent civilians in police custody? Majority of the murdered victims belonged to Dalit, Muslim and financially poorer families. Did CPI(M) and it’s youth organisation protest against the State Home Department, Home Minister and State Police? Resistance against State Terror cannot be labelled as violence. Next argument will be, why don’t Maoists join mainstream politics and participate in Democratic activities? This is very funny because their democracy is limited and altered for meeting their opportunistic interests. There are lots of Comrades in Kerala who were awarded with UAPA and jailed by State police for putting up posters against Fake Encounters and demanding judicial investigations on those encounters. The posters were put on daylight publically in name of their Organisations which are not banned. Now, which democracy were they talking about? Unless we destroy the ruling class and its ideas, there is no point in participating in elections for Political power.
Now about attacking police officers, Here Maoists sees Police officers only as of the suppressing tool of the state. Both People who sympathise/ join Maoists and Police are exploited by the State. The State exploits their basic human rights, Poverty and hunger. It was only a few years back when Thunderbolt Commandos and their family protested in front of Secretariat against State Government. Thunderbolt commandos themselves hail from poor families and they alleged that they faced Casteist experiences, mental/physical trauma during the training. I, personally have talked with the tribal leader of Kannur, he has told that these Thunderbolts Commandos armed with assault rifles would come to hamlets at night and terrorise the area by throwing utensils and other things to outside in name of the search. If the Adivasis got leftover rice or green coloured dress, Thunderbolt would create havoc. When men go for fishing in the forest at night, these commandos would come for search. Even CPI assistant state secretary, Prakash Babu has said that thunderbolts physically examine the Adivasi women.
The CPI(M) leaders who claim to be a democratic Parliamentary party themselves have threatened to kill police officers publicly all for their personal needs and the party members themselves have destroyed public property even inside the Lower House during the Budget Presentation. Is not it hypocrisy when the same party who got an armed Militant squad called Harmad Bahini in Bengal to execute its Political Rivals criticise Maoists who wage Class war?
The government’s armed forces are given weapons to disarm their opponents, or if it’s inevitable, then they may shoot to capture Alive, not to kill. If there are cases against the communists, you may arrest them under IPC and CRPC according to evidence act and take them to court for judicial proceedings.
Forensic report and witnesses statement of CP Jaleel’s murder has given a brickbat to the Police. After the encounter, Police told that they were forced to fire after Maoists fired hastily. But the staff of Resort told before the media that it was Police who fired first and the Maoists didn’t terrorise the atmosphere. The forensic report also supports the statement of the staff, the report says Jaleel didn’t fire from the weapon which the Police accuses him of carrying. No Gun Powder was found from his hand and the shells found in the encounter site belonged only to the police, this indicates that the encounter was only one-sided and fake. Similar observations and evidence of torture can be found in Nilambur and Manjakandi also. Another suspicious thing is that why didn’t Police let the media enter the Encounter spot? Why didn’t the police allow the relatives to see Velmurugan’s Body? These actions by police support our doubts.
The government should order a Judicial investigation in all Fake Encounters and should Disband the Thunderbolt commandos who are the real disturbance for Tribals. Meanwhile, Anathalavattom Anandan, a State Secretariat member of CPI(M) became a joke when he asked why a Tamil Nadu Native Maoist Cadre came to Kerala. It seems like they have disowned Che Guevara who was born in Argentina, trained in Mexico, led Revolution in Cuba and got Martyred in Bolivia. Is there any new agreement or rules in Guerrilla warfare that, only natives can wage Revolution? If that’s your political Position, Mr Anathalavattom Anandan, Comrade CP Jaleel is a Youngster from Malappuram district of Kerala. He’s the 3rd Comrade to be murdered by your government after receiving SRE fund and other resources from BJP Central Government. The public should rise against the extrajudicial and inhumane Operation Samadhan and Operation Anaconda which are conducted respectively by Central Government and Kerala State government against Maoists.
East Singhbhum District, November 9: A general high alert has been sounded in East Singhbhum district in anticipation of the CPI (Maoist) observing it’s Martyrs’ Week. The district police and paramilitary forces are on high alert in Naxal-infested areas, bordering West Bengal and Odisha. The Communist Party of India (Maoist) is set to observe it’s Martyrs’ Week from December 2-8.
Police said apart from ensuring deployment of additional police and paramilitary forces, the combing operations and patrolling has been intensified to check the possibility of the entry of CPI (Maoist) cadres from neighboring states. It has also stepped up intelligence-gathering in anticipation of Martyrs’ Week.
A senior police official said that the police have also intensified the efforts for strengthening security arrangements especially on the routes used by CPI (Maoist) cadres to enter the Naxal infested areas.
“We have asked security forces to conduct long-range patrolling in the areas of Ghurabandha, Ghatshila and Patamda,” said the official.
It may be mentioned here that the CPI (Maoist) observes Martyrs’ Week in memory of Charu Majumdar, the founder of the Naxalite movement. The CPI (Maoist) leadership organizes meetings in areas where it wields considerable influence.
Sources informed that the high alert has been sounded after intelligence reports that the PLGA may attack at Naxal areas of Ghatshila and Patamda.
Sources informed that there are intelligence inputs that CPI (Maoist) may indulge in demonstrative acts of violence by targeting security forces and economic infrastructure such as trains, buses, railway stations, bus stations and other places where people are likely to gather in significant numbers.
”Every effort will be made to maintain law and order and to ensure security of the people. This time all security forces have also been alerted to remain vigilant, particularly against IEDs and landmines,” said another official.
Sources informed that the mobility of the police has prevented the CPI (Maoist) from carrying out any violent activity in the past 15 days in the entire Kolhan division. All the police stations in the three districts of the division, including East and West Singhbhum and Seraikela Kharswan have been asked to increase security and keep a vigil at the bordering areas.
“A strict vigil would be kept on the non-government commercial establishments. Even the security would be beefed up at some of the Naxal prone areas of Ghatshila and Dumaria,” said the official.
According to intelligence sources, the CPI (Maoist) are trying to observe Martyrs’ Week by organizing small meetings at a number of places in West Singhbhum and adjoining Seraikela-Kharsawan district, and Chowka jungle is one of the probable venues for such meetings.
The CPI (Maoist) have resorted to a massive poster campaign at Chowka in the adjoining Seraikela-Kharsawan district as part of it’s upcoming Martyrs’ Week. Concerned over the situation the police and para military forces have started combing operations in that area.
Alan Warsaw CPI (maoist), CPI(maoist), Naxal, naxalites, naxals, Political Prisonner, Varavara Rao
The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to consider a plea for interim bail on health grounds to poet/activist/political prisoner Varavara Rao in the Bhima-Koregaon case, but asked the Bombay High Court to take up his pending petition in this regard expeditiously.
A bench presided over by Justice U U Lalit asked senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for Rao’s wife to approach the High Court. The court noted that the questions regarding human rights of an accused-prisoner were involved here and that the matter was last heard by the HC on September 17
Senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for Rao’s wife Pendyala Hemlatha, contended that his right to health was being violated.
The bench, however, said since cognizance has been taken so we cannot say detention of the man was illegal. The issue of bail was before the HC. The bail could be on merit or on medical grounds.
Jaising said the report by Nanavati Hospital was before the HC. It is bothering us that two judges recused and the matter was not being heard, she added.
“Why is the matter not being listed before the HC? We can direct for the matter to be heard by the HC in two weeks,” the bench said.
Jaising submitted that prisoners have a right to health in custody as held by the Supreme Court. She claimed that the petitioner’s right to life and dignity was being violated.
“The High Court must see if facilities at Taloja hospital is sufficient. We need to see if jail hospital has all the facilities or not. If they have, then you can’t say there is better facility in England or Nanavati. If its available, then treatment will be in jail hospital,” the bench said.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the NIA in the matter.
The court finally allowed the petitioner to withdraw the plea and approach the High Court.
In her writ petition, Rao’s wife Hemalatha claimed that his continued custody amounted to “cruel and inhuman treatment,” violating his right to liberty and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution.
She said Rao was hospitalized on May 27 but was hurriedly discharged on June 2. His bail plea on the grounds of his medical condition and Covid-19 was pending despite the fact that he needed constant follow-up.
Varavara Rao and nine other activists have been arrested by Maharashtra police in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist link case which was initially probed by the Pune police and transferred to the NIA in January this year.
The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune in December 31,2017, which the police claimed triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial.
Alan Warsaw CPI (maoist), CPI(maoist), G N Saibaba, Naxal, naxalites, naxals, Political Prisonner, Saibaba
Hyderabad: The family members of political prisoner G N Saibaba claimed that Nagpur jail authorities orally informed the former Delhi University (DU) professor that his second parole was rejected. Saibaba is serving a life sentence after he was convicted by Nagpur court in 2017 for his links with the CPI (Maoist). His brother Ramdev told TOI that though they have applied for parole three months back they are yet to receive any official reply.
“On October 20, when we spoke to Saibaba, he informed us about the rejection of parole. The jail authorities refused to give any details to Saibaba. When he insisted on what grounds it was rejected they told him that since his family members moved the parole application they would only be given the reasons for rejection,’’ Ramdev said, adding that he did not get any official reply from the jail authorities. “Usually, jail authorities decide a parole application within 38 days. If the application is rejected, the applicant can appeal within 15 days before an appellate authority of the prison department,” Ramdev added.
So far, Saibaba’s family moved two regular paroles and an emergency parole when his mother died in August. It may be mentioned here that Saibaba threatened to fast-unto-death in the jail alleging that he was not being provided with facilities like newspapers and medicines supplied by his family and friends.
Saibaba is serving a life sentence after he was convicted by Nagpur court in 2017 for his links with the CPI (Maoist). So far, Saibaba’s family have moved two regular paroles.
Lohardaga (Jharkhand), October 30: Two police personnel were critically injured during an ambush by armed cadres of the CPI (Maoist) in Jharkhand’s Lohardaga district on Friday, police said.
During a search operation in Shahi Ghat area, Maoists exploded an IED and fired upon a police team, in which two personnel were critically injured, a senior officer said.
The policemen returned fire at the Maoists, following which they escaped into the dense forest, Lohardaga Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Jitendra Kumar Singh told PTI.
The injured police personnel Upendra Singh and Arvind Pandey were airlifted and admitted to a hospital in Ranchi, he said.
Additional police forces and CRPF personnel have been deployed in the area and a search operation is underway, the officer added.
Narayanpur District, October 30: One Indo-Tibetan border police officer has been injured in an IED blast triggered by Naxalites in Narayanpur district while on a search operation where a sudden explosion occurred. However, it is reported that it was a minor blast and not much loss has been inflicted on the police force.
This is not the first time such an incident of attack has occurred in the Naxalite areas as previously, it has been noted that the Maoists were responsible for an attack at a camp of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force in the restive Bastar region of Chhattisgarh a few years ago, with no casualty or injury to anyone on the ITBP side.
Press Conference Invite Wednesday, 21.10.2020 12.00 noon via ZOOM
Political Parties & Eminent persons will jointly address this press conference : • to condemn the illegal arrests of 16 activists implicated in the Bhima Koregaon Conspiracy Case • to demand the release of all the arrested prisoners • and against the brazen misuse of the UAPA against dissentors.
Dear Madam / Sir,
There was nationwide outrage over the recent arrest in Ranchi by the NIA of 83 year old Father Stan Swamy, on 8th October, 2020, in the Bhima Koregaon case. Despite him being a patient of Parkinson’s disease and suffering other health problems, he is now in jail. Similarly writer and poet Sh. Varavara Rao, 80 years has been languishing in Jail for more than two years. Despite being seriously ill and having suffered COVID and subsequent hospitalisation, even bail is being denied to him. Apart from these two, there are five others currently incarcerated in this case who are senior citizens being held without any role in the criminal conspiracy of the Bhima Koregaon violence that happened on 1st January, 2018.
A total of 16 people have been arrested under the UAPA in this case, which include the recently arrested 3 cultural activists of the Kabir Kala Manch (KKM), Ramesh Gaichor, Sagar Ghogre and Jyoti Jagtap, as well as thinker, writers and academics Anand Teltumbde, Gautam Navlakha, Shoma Sen, Hany Baby, lawyers, Sudha Bharadwaj, Surendra Gadling, Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, who are all also trade unionists, and activists Sudhir Dhawale, Mahesh Raut and Rona Wilson, who are all being held in prison in this completely fabricated and motivated case.
This Press conference has been organized by PUCL to condemn the role of investigating agencies in carrying out these illegal arrests, to highlight the humanitarian crisis and misuse of UAPA to criminalise dissent and to demand the release of all 16 activists arrested in this case.
It will be addressed by the following members of political parties and civil society representatives : 1. Mr. Hemant Soren, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Jharkhand. 2. Mr. Sitaram Yechury, Ex-MP, General Secretary, CPI(M). 3. Mr. D. Raja, MP (Rajya Sabha), General Secretary, CPI. 4. Ms. Supriya Sule, MP (Lok Sabha), NCP. 5. Ms. Kanimozhi, MP (Lok Sabha), DMK. 6. Mr. Shashi Tharoor, MP (Lok Sabha), INC.
7. Prof. Jean Dreze, Eminent economist. 8. Fr. Dr. Marianus Kujur, Director, XISS, Ranchi. 9. Ms. Dayamani Barla, well known tribal rights activist. 10. Mr. Mihir Desai, Senior Advocate, Bombay HC and Vice President, PUCL. 11. Ms. Rupali Jadhav, Kabir Kala Manch.
The ZOOM link to the call which will start sharp at 1200 pm (noon) on Wednesday, 21st October, 2020 is:The ZOOM link to the call which will start sharp at 1200 pm (noon) on Wednesday, 21st October, 2020 is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84413261787?pwd=Z25URE9MNlFTQW1OQXl1KzVsSHp1QT09
Meeting ID: 844 1326 1787 Passcode: 247523
We request you to send a reporter to cover the Press Conference. Regards, Dr. V. Suresh, General Secretary, (9444231497) For more details please contact: Kavita Srivastava, National Secretary, 9351562965 Mihir Desai, Vice President, 9821138056 V Suresh, General Secretary, 9444231497
tribune of the people
Philadelphia
Solidarity graffiti in support of the People’s War in India as well as Indian political prisoners was documented in Philadelphia, reading, “Support the People’s War in India,” “Free GN Saibaba,” and “Free Varavara Rao.”
Chatra District, October 16: Armed Naxalites set a loader and two dumpers on fire at Bachra railway siding of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) in Chatra district, police said on Friday.
Tandwa Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Ashutosh Satyam said around 15 Naxalites entered the Bachra railway sliding on Thursday night and to scare away the workers engaged in coal loading fired in the air.
The workers fled the spot in fear after which the Naxalites set a loader and two dumpers on fire, the police said.
The Tandwa SDPO rushed to the spot after getting the information. The fire was extinguished by the fire brigade personnel.
Superintendent of Police Rishabh Jha said police has started an investigation into the incident.
JOINT STATEMENT BY DU STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS ON THE RAPE AND MURDER OF A 17 YEAR OLD DALIT GIRL IN RAJPURA GURHMANDI AND FIR AGAINST DETAINED FAMILY, STUDENT ACTIVISTS AND JOURNALIST, 17-10-2020
A 17 year old Dalit girl from Rajpura GurhMandi who was working as a domestic worker at a house in Model Town was found dead in the employer’s house on October 4th. The family has alleged rape and murder of the victim by the employer’s son and driver. The family has stated that the girl attempted speaking to her aunt just hours before her death only to be interrupted by the landlady. Later, the family was called and after a heated exchange with the police, were briefly allowed to see the body of the girl who was found hanging from the ceiling of the drivers room. The body was later whisked away without disclosure of any details about the whereabouts of the body. It was finally on October 8th, that the police allowed the family to briefly view the body after the postmortem and forcefully took it away and cremated it without the consent of the family and in the presence of approximately 300 police officials. This was done despite repeated requests by the family to let them take the body to their house for a short duration of time.
Family members of the victim, including women, were subjected to extreme physical torture by male police personnel, while in police custody for a duration of 8 hours. This had occurred when they reached the police station to enquire about the whereabouts of the body.
On the 16th of October, a protest was called outside Model Town Police Station demanding an immediate registration of FIR, fair and impartial investigation into the incident and action to be taken against police officials involved in the forceful cremation of the girl’s body and custodial torture of the family. At this protest gathering 10 people were detained, taken into police custody and brutally assaulted by the police personnel. The detainees include family members, student activists and a Caravan journalist. The Model Town police have now registered an FIR agianst the detained persons under the Epidemic Act.
The brazenness with which the Delhi police have attempted to cover up, destroy evidence and crush the protesting family into silence shows the extent of state impunity granted to the police and the accused, when they belong to the affluent class or upper caste sections. Ever since the Hathras gangrape case effected massive outrage across the country, several reports of sexual violence and murder of women, especially from Dalit and marginalized sections, have surfaced along with news of Hathras style forceful cremations, procedural lapses, destruction of evidence and cover-ups.
While we recognise that these are not isolated incidents and are located in the larger social reality shaped and defined by caste, patriarchy and class based relations and institutions, it is imperative to recognise the blatant state sanction involved in shielding perpetrators that only serves to embolden such caste based sexual violence.
We have seen in the case of Hathras rape victim how from the local police, medical examiners, district administration to government, the entire state apparatus was in cohorts to distort the statement of the victim and family violating all principles of fairness and justice. This model keeps getting replicated everyday along with rising cases of sexual violence and heavy repression of public outrage and protests by the heavy state machinery. We condemn the illegal cover up, destruction of evidence, forceful cremation and custodial violence and the attempt to criminalize peaceful protesters by the Model Town Police.
We demand:
1) Immediate registration of FIR against the accused under relevant sections of IPC and SC ST Atrocities Act.
2) Independent and impartial investigation to be carried out into the case.
3) Immediate action to be taken against police personnel involved in committing procedural lapses and forceful cremation of the victim’s body.
4) Action to be taken against police personnel who were involved in the custodial violence of the family members, student activists and a journalist.
5) Withdraw the FIR filed against family members, students and journalist for peacefully protesting.
BSCEM
Disha
DSU
KYS
PinjraTod
SFI
Pendyala Hemalatha’s petition said the writer and poet should be granted bail, citing various health issues that he is facing.
A file image of Varavara Rao.
New Delhi: The wife of Telugu poet and writer Varavara Rao, arrested in connection with the Elgar Parishad case, moved the Supreme Court on Thursday seeking bail for him, claiming that his continued custody amounted to cruel and inhuman treatment.
The petition, filed by Pendyala Hemalatha, urged the court that during the pendency of the petition, the 81-year-old accused be released on temporary medical bail and be allowed to travel to Hyderabad to be with his family and loved ones.
It sought the immediate release of Rao on the ground that his continued custody amounts to cruel and inhuman treatment, violating Article 21 of the Constitution (life or personal liberty) and violative of his dignity in custody.
The plea said that he has lost about 18 kg and is suffering from various health issues and is “basically bed-ridden”.
The plea said: “The health condition of the Petitioner’s husband is very feeble and he suffers from various co-morbidities. It is submitted that it is well known that COVID-19 patients do not have similar symptoms. It is further known that COVID-19 hampers all organs including neurological or/ and every patient displays different symptoms.”
The petition says that when Rao was arrested on August 28, 2018, he had no neurological problems. “It is therefore highly likely that COVID-19 and the fall that he had in St. George Hospital has led to neurological problems as reflected in the medical report filed by Nanavati Hospital dated July 30,” it adds.
The petition, filed by advocate Sunil Fernandes, said that considering the co-morbidity factors of age, persistent hyponatremia in COVID-19 case, the patient will require close monitoring.
Earlier when he was discharged, he was advised to undergo sodium test, which apparently had not been done by the jail authorities.
The petition says that after Rao was hospitalised on May 27, he was “hurriedly discharged” in June, while his bail plea on the ground of his medical problems and COVID-19 was pending. This was despite the fact that he needed constant follow ups and the move was only to “avoid judicial determination of his bail on medical grounds”, the petition says.
The petition says Rao’s health condition continues to be precarious.
Rao lacks bowel and urine control, the petition says, adding that he has a catheter urine bag and has to use diapers. He is being given swab baths by the co-accused as he is ‘basically bed-ridden’, the petition says, adding that Rao’s mental status is also not sound.
Rao was among several activists and lawyers who were arrested by the Pune Police in the Elgar Parishad case in 2018. The case has been transferred to the National Investigating Agency (NIA), which has subsequently arrested more activists and academics, with Stan Swamy the latest to be taken into custody.
With Swamy’s arrest, 16 people have been arrested in connection with the case. Those arrested earlier were Sudhir Dhawale, a writer and Mumbai-based Dalit rights activist; Mahesh Raut, a young activist from Gadchiroli who worked on displacement; Shoma Sen, who was the head of the English literature department at Nagpur University; advocates Arun Ferreira and Sudha Bharadwaj; Varavara Rao; activist Vernon Gonsalves; prisoners’ rights activist Rona Wilson; Surendra Gadling, a UAPA expert and lawyer from Nagpur; Delhi University professor Hany Babu; and Kabir Kala Manch artists Sagar Gorkhe, Ramesh Gaichor and Jyoti Jagtap.
The former DU professor’s wife A.S. Vasantha Kumari said he has been denied access to reading material, medicines and clothes.
G.N. Saibaba. Photo: PTI
The Wire StaffGovernmentLawRights
New Delhi: Professor G.N. Saibaba, who is serving a life term in the Nagpur Central Prison for alleged links with Maoists, has decided to go on a hunger strike from October 21 as he is not been provided with clothes, medicines and books for a month.
According to a Hindu report, Saibaba’s wife A.S. Vasantha Kumari has said he has been denied access to reading material, medicines and clothes. “Saibaba who is lodged in jail since 2014 has been denied all basic human rights where he is not given any letters or allowed any phone calls from me since over a month,” she said.
Kumari has sent letters about “the hardships and harassment Saibaba faces in jail” and the “unfair restrictions” imposed on him to the Maharashtra additional director general of prisons Sunil Ramanand and the superintendent of prisons (Nagpur) Anupkumar Kumre.
“Sometimes all the medicines given by his advocates are not being given to him. He has multiple health problems and needs to take prescribed medicines every day to save his life,” Kumari told The Telegraph.
Advocate Aakash Sarode, who regularly delivers medicines, clothes to Saibaba, said that last month he had delivered a shirt, under garments, medicines, four books and two notepads for him. “However none of it was taken by the prison authorities, without giving any reason for the same. I went back again two weeks back but they refused to take anything I got. I will try going once again before October 21,” Sarode said.
Kumre, however, denied the “baseless allegations” according to The Hindu‘s report and confirmed that Saibaba was going on hunger strike from October 21. “Due to coronavirus we have stopped taking newspapers in jail since March but other than that books and letters are given to him after we go through them and decide on what is ‘right’ and needs to be given to him,” he said.
Clarifying what was considered “right”, Kumre said, “the administration (which includes the SP, Additional SP and another prison official) verifies the books and sees if they are “nice”,” and added that books on Gandhi, freedom fighters or mythology were usually allowed. “A magazine or any other reading matter has to be ‘correct’ for the inmate. As far as clothes are concerned, due to coronavirus we have stopped allowing any civil clothes inside the jail as it spreads the virus,” he said.
ADG (Prisons) Sunil Ramanand said that “the DIG is going to Nagpur jail tomorrow to ascertain the situation.”
In March 2017, a sessions court in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district convicted Saibaba and four others, including a journalist and a Jawaharlal Nehru University student, for Maoist links and engaging in activities amounting to “waging war against the country”.
The court held Saibaba and others guilty under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The ailing activist had recently filed a plea seeking bail on medical grounds as well as to meet his mother, who was suffering from cancer, in Hyderabad. The bail was denied by the Bombay high court four days before his mother passed away.
A collection of poems by revolutionary activist-poet Varavara Rao, giving a peek into his political beliefs and assertion of the primacy of people’s rights, will be translated into English, announced publishing house Penguin Random House on October 10, 2020.
Titled “Varavara Rao: India’s Revolutionary Poet”, the book edited by N. Venugopal and Meena Kandasamy, will be published under Penguin’s ‘Vintage imprint’ next year, they added.
One of India’s foremost revolutionary poets, Rao, who is presently incarcerated for the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, has picked about “two-thirds of the poems” to-be featured in the book himself before the arrest.
“This is like fulfillment of a long-cherished dream, as making Varavara Rao’s work accessible to English readers has been my dream for decades. As a person who has closely watched the making of his poems, as one of the first readers in manuscript form, I believe his poetry is an expression of his complete personality that blended social history, alternative people’s politics, people’s right to self- determination and unceasing urge for freedom,” said Venugopal, co-editor and nephew of the poet.
Rao, 79, has authored 13 collections of poetry and 16 books of prose — including seven books of literary criticism — in Telugu. A collection of his letters from prison, “Captive Imagination”, was also published by Penguin.
According to the publishers, the book, a commemoration of Rao’s immense talent and passion for poetry, will be a first “authentic, representative collection” of his poems coming out in a single volume also including some poems translated into English exclusively for the edition.
“The image of Varavara Rao, smiling and fist raised, as he was taken into custody is imprinted on our minds. He exuded an aura of optimism, fortitude and strength. Who is Varavara Rao? What does he stand for? Where better to turn for answers than to his own words, the poems that convey with such extraordinary power his emotions, his thoughts and purpose,” Elizabeth Kuruvilla, executive editor, Penguin Random House India.
Rao has been in jail since the end of 2018 for alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which, the police claimed, triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial located on the outskirts of the western Maharashtra city.
The CPI (Maoist) have allegedly placed wall posters in agency villages in Eturu Nagaram mandal of Mulugu district against the TRS government. The wall posters are seen in Chinnaboinapalli, Kotthuru and Shapelli villages.
The posters read–“TRS government is trying to grab the lands of the people and for the same it is conducting surveys”, “KCR is looting the state”, “People should not fall prey to his words of betrayal.” The posters also claim that the current state government is taking no action but preaching loud. When any person raises his voice for his needs, false cases are being imposed on them. Police forces, “grey hounds” are combing the agency villages. Innocent people are being tortured, the posters read.
“If the combing is not stopped in Telangana agency areas, we will not spare TRS and BJP leaders. Those who act as police informers will have to face the wrath. Villagers should not go to police stations, but resolve their problems and issues at the village level only. Police may hatch any conspiracies but people will take care of the Maoist party,” the posters read. The wall posters have been released in the name of Eturu Nagaram Bhupalpalli Committee of the CPI (Maoist).
Meanwhile, police have been on high alert after receiving information that a group of armed CPI (Maoist) cadres entered Mulugu district from Chhattisgarh state. P Shoban Kumar, OSD of Jayashankar- Bhupalpally and Mulugu, said that combing operations with 10 teams have begun in forest tracts. They have intensified vehicle checks across Eturunagaram, Tadavai, Wazed and Venkatapuram mandals.
I n Pittsburgh, numerous displays of graffiti were documented, including one in solidarity with the Indian People’s War, reading, “Long Live the People’s War in India! Death to US Imperialism!”
RAIPUR: Hundreds of villagers from tribal hamlets attended the weekly 16th Foundation Day (sthapna diwas) celebration organized by the CPI (Maoist) in the conflict zone of south Bastar district.
A week ago, the posters and leaflets left by the CPI (Maoist) exhorting the local tribals to support their Foundation Day celebration from September 21—27, were recovered in some parts of Bastar district.
The CPI (Maoist) came into existence following the merger of the People’s War Group of Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) with another rebel outfit Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) of India in 2004.
The security forces were on alert across the strife-torn district of Bastar as senior state police officials visited the base camps in the hostile Maoist hotbed areas to boost the morale of the forces and resolve their issues.
“Of late the Maoists are preparing the video clippings and images of their meetings and circulating as part of their propaganda. This will help us in identifying their cadres as well. They force the villagers to attend their programme where the locals are misguided. There is nothing new about them holding such big meetings in remote areas where the villagers are forced to participate”, said Sunderraj P, IG of police (Bastar district).
However, the Bastar police claimed that the locals who attended such gatherings out of fear also realize the anti-tribal and anti-development attitudes of the Maoists.
The New Indian Express accessed images of the rebels celebrating their Foundation Day in the remote forested terrain of Abhujhmad, close to Bijapur district border, amid the presence of hundreds of villagers. The rebels belonging to Maad Division Committee and Bhairamgarh Area Committee reportedly attended the event that saw tribals from around 20 villages participating.
An unconfirmed report stated that besides the local leaders, several Maoist cadres were present during their show
HYDERABAD/ ADILABAD/ MULUGU/ BHUPALPALLY/ KHAMMAM: The bandh called for by the CPI (Maoist) went off peacefully in Telangana on Monday. Security forces were in a heightened state of alert in Adilabad, Bhadradri Kothagudem and Komaram Bheem districts. According to the police, letters were sent out in the name of Telangana CPI (Maoist) State secretary Jagan alias Haribhushan, calling for a bandh in protest against the fake encounters which took place between the Maoists and police recently.
The police have been checking each and every vehicle going to and returning from Maharashtra, as well as those from Mulugu and Jayashankar Bhupalpally districts. They have also increased combing operations in areas along the banks of the Pranahita river, in interior forest areas of Tiryani, Bejjur and Penchkalpet. The police are also monitoring the areas with drone cameras. Incidentally, posters against the Maoists appeared at Cherla, Kaliveru and Peddamidiseluru in Cherla mandal and at Dummugudem in Bhadradri Kothagudem district on Monday.
The state of Punjab rose to the occasion in resurrecting the spirit of immortal martyr Bhagat Singh on September 28th.Commemoration conferences or rallies engulfed the whole state shimmering the spark of the ideology of Bhagat Singh in context of the Imperialist policies enslaving the whole population.
It is ironical that the homage assemblies coincided with one of the most impactful bandhs ever carried out in the history of Punjab on September 25th.The present wave is literally writing a new chapter in the history of Punjab. The atmosphere was reminiscent of lightning engulfing every area comprising every part of the society. What was remarkable was how every section of the society was galvanised to the optimum be it peasants, agricultural labourers, teachers, students, youth, women or industrial workers. The scene in the Malwa belt was similar to an army waging a war with people’s wrath at its zenith. This region comprised districts like Sangrur, Faridkot, Bathinda ,Patiala, Ludhiana, Malout, Mansa and Muktsar The rulers were struck at their very chord. Rarely have people in Punjab brimmed with such confidence as here. The-unity of so many revolutionary and progressive streams was also heartening. An adjective is hard to find to do complete justice to the intensity of the protestors whether obstructing the traffic or blocking the rail roads. The event was in striking contrast to the practice of the ruling class parties like Akali Dal or Aam Admi Party who also condemned the bills. All the 31 participating groups exposed the nefarious nature of the opposition parties and pledged not to have any truck with them. In Gaggarpur village of Bhawanigarh region the BKU(Ugrahan) literally took the rulers to ransom.
The struggle blended the planning of an architect with the fury of a boxer and the craft of a surgeon. What has come to light is how imperialism has penetrated every sphere of society. and semi-feudal opression in agriculture is determined by it. Articulate planning has been done to chalk out protest areas by participants. The most remarkable feature was the implementation of the mass line in taking democratic fervour to simmer at its boiling point with the very core of the soul touched of every person.
The most notable participants comprised the BKU(Ugrahan),BKU(Dakaunda),Kirti Kisan Union, BKU(Krantikari)Kisan Sangharsh Commitee, Thermal Workers Union, Democratic Teachers Front, Naujwan Bharat Sabha ,Punjab Students Union ,motormen services Union in addition to several other fronts like Lawyers organizations, intellectuals, writers etc.
In Khatkar Kalan the Punjab Students Union and the Naujwan Bharat Sabha mobilised around 2000 youth and students in a rally and conference on 28th September. Thousands of youths took a pledge on the occasion of Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s birthday.
1) The ongoing scheme against agricultural bills will be taken full loudly until the bills are returned.
2) BJP and R in Punjab. Ace. The offices of the A.S. and the homes of the leaders will be surrounded.
3) Ambani and Adani companies will be boycotted. JIO sims will be shut down and reliance pumps will be boycotted.
4) Shaheed Bhagat Singh and his colleagues will make a museum and library by leaving illegal occupation at a secret place located in Ferozepur.
The Punjab Radical students union held a film show educating the youth about the relevance of Bhagat Singh in context of saffron fascism prevailing today.
Commemorating Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s birthday, The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) garnered the maximum forces creating the crescendo of an inferno at Longowal in Sangrur.15000 persons were mobilized, including around 11000 youth. Rallies were also organized in Buttar (Moga), Jaito (Faridkot), Ber Kalan (Ludhiana) and Mattenangal (Amritsar)The speakers touched all the burning issues of the day. There was tremendous participation of Women which was heartening. At the very core the anti-people essence of the agricultural bills was summed up connecting it to the offensive of globalization as a whole and ascendancy of Hindutva fascism. In particular the policies of Narendra Modi were attacked. The speakers adopted the language of the common people in the manner Bhagat Singh did and made a perfect liason between the policies and the day to day lives of the masses.BKU(Ugrahan) secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan said that over ten thousand farmers, including a large number of women and thousands of youth, joined the gathering.
The main speakers addressing the gatherings included young boys and girls in addition to state president Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Vice President Jaswinder Singh Longowal, Harinder Kaur Bindu, Rajwinder Singh Ramnagar and district level leaders. They advised the youth to emulate Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s farmer labour-friendly revolutionary thinking. It was highlighted how Corona was used as a false pretext to block people’s struggles. A massive rail roko has been called for October 1st by all 31 organizations. The speakers invited the people to garner or channelize their justified anger. They alleged that the new offensive was an attack by Modi government to give an open licence to corporates for blindly looting in farming sector. The Modi government was patronising the loot of the Adanis and Ambanis. The leaders devised a strategy to confront the enemy at it’s very core. A plan was formulated to mobilise farming community to gherao the warehouse of Adani Group where grains are stored as well as the malls and petrol pumps of Ambani group. The speakers elaborated how such protests would confront the corporates at their very backbone and send shivers down their spines. Leaders said that the Adani Group has built large warehouse to buy grains and store them in Punjab. The laws passed would be a virtual passport to loot the grain of the farmers. Instead of distributing grains to poor families, they have to be sent to countries and abroad for big profits. The message will be rendered by the surrounding of agricultural warehouses. Farm labourers and other poor families would also show their true metal by participating in these surrounding actions. The struggle will be taken to the next stage by the surrounding businesses of big capital businesses like toll plazas, multi-company shopping malls like Wal-Mart’s Best Price etc and Pepsico. The current agitational phase will be dedicated as a protest week from today’s birth anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh to the cruel day of the Moga Goli incident created by the Congress government on 5 October 1972 They invited people to join in these surrounding actions. The people were guided not to resort to any anarchy as well as maintain strict discipline and guard against enemies.
for this anniversary we propose read and study of the texts of the first 10 years of PCI (Maoist)
[Books: CPI(Maoist) 10th Anniversary Commemorative Volumes] “Collected Interviews — September 2004 – August 2014”, (October 2014), interviews given by the CPI(Maoist) leadership, 564 pages. English: PDF Format [1,470 KB]
[Books: CPI(Maoist) 10th Anniversary Commemorative Volumes] “Collected Statements of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), 2004-2014”, (October 2014), in 2 different layouts, each in 3 volumes. The “View” layout has the pages sequentially in order, while the “Print” layout has them in the proper order for printing the sheets double-sided and then combining them into printed volumes (with 16-page signatures).
we propose still the 10th Celebration’s texts and speechs of the Meeting in Italyask ICSPWI csgpindia@gmail.com
Cadres of the CPI (Maoist) have blocked a road in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district and put up banners there asking people to observe the foundation week of the party, police said on Wednesday.
The CPI (Maoist) observes its foundation week from September 21 to 27.
The Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) and People’s War Group (PWG) merged to form CPI (Maoist) on September 21, 2004, and since then it has been observing the foundation week every year during this period.
On Tuesday night, CPI (Maoist) cadres blocked Dubbaguda-Malampodur road in Bhamragadh taluka of Gadchiroli district and put up banners and pamphlets on trees in the area, asking people to observe their foundation week with enthusiasm,