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Farmers’ groups attempt to ‘broaden’ struggle / Jailed activists join farmers protests [full statement]

Farmers’ groups attempt to ‘broaden’ struggle / Jailed activists join farmers protests [full statement]

Farmers’ groups along Delhi border attempt to ‘broaden’ struggle

11/01/2021

Counterview / by Harsh Thakor

A protracted war of resistance appears to be unfolding on the border of Delhi, whee protesting farmers have intensified their struggle against the three agricultural laws. A massive tractor march was planned as a precursor to a similar rally on the Republic Day. Farmers are being mobilized under the guidance of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) and other organisations in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
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Their full statement (click to enlarge)

Several Elgaar Parishad accused on day-long hunger strike in support of protesting farmers

23/12/2020

The Indian Express / by Express News Service

Three other accused in the case, Sudha Bharadwaj, Jyoti Jagtap and Shoma Sen, are lodged separately at Byculla women’s jail.
To show solidarity with protesting farmers, some of the arrested accused in the Elgaar Parishad case who are lodged at Taloja Central Jail observed a day-long symbolic hunger strike on Wednesday.
The accused, including Mahesh Raut, Anand Teltumbde, Surendra Gadling, Hany Babu, Sagar Gorkhe, Ramesh Gaichor, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and Rona Wilson, said in a statement issued through their lawyers that since they cannot join the farmers on the ground, they want to show solidarity with their cause through a hunger strike on December 23, which is observed as National Farmers’ Day.
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Jailed activists join farmers protests, symbolic hunger strike in solidarity

23/12/2020

Indie Journal / by Indie Journal

The activists have criticised the Central Government for bringing in the farm laws.
On farmers’ day, today, several intellectuals and activists detained in the Bhima Koregaon case will be undertaking a day-long symbolic hunger strike, in solidarity with the farmers protesting against the farm laws. The activists have criticised the Central Government for bringing in the farm laws, calling it a “sinister plot to make farmers slave of the corporate giants”.
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Also read: FARMERS’ UNION EXPLAINS WHY IT IS DEMANDING JAILED ACTIVISTS’ RELEASE (Dec 14)

Dalit group demands action against Sambhaji Bhide / Casting a Veil

Dalit group demands action against Sambhaji Bhide / Casting a Veil

Dalit group demands action against Sambhaji Bhide

11/01/2021

The Indian Express / by Express News Service

One person was killed and several others left injured in the violence at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 2018, when lakhs of Dalits, mainly from the Ambedkarite Mahar community, gathered at the Jaystambh in Perne village for the 200th commemoration of Battle of Koregaon Bhima.
Members of the Republican Yuva Morcha on Monday demanded action against Hindutva leader Sambhaji Bhide in the Koregaon Bhima violence case.
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Proposal to Chargesheet Hindutva Leaders in Bhima Koregaon Violence

02/01/2021

Gauri Lankesh News / by Savitha Ganesh

Hindutva leaders, Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide are named accused in the chargesheet.
The Maharashtra Government has received a proposal from the police to receive sanction for filing the official chargesheet relating to the violence that took place at Bhima Koregaon on January 1st, 2018. Hindutva leaders, Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide are named accused in the chargesheet. The decision to sanction the charge sheet is yet to be made.
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Govt gets proposal seeking sanction to file chargesheet in case accusing Hindutva leaders

02/01/2021

The Indian Express / by Express News Service

State government has received a proposal from the police seeking sanction for filing the chargesheet in the case related to Koregaon Bhima violence of January 1, 2018, in which Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide are named as accused.
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Casting a Veil

31/12/2020

The Caravan / by Pramod Mandade, Fridaus Soni

What we miss by ignoring Maratha caste politics in the Bhima Koregaon case
Three years ago on 1 January 2018, an annual gathering of largely Dalit visitors to the memorial of Bhima Koregaon, near Pune, was attacked by mobs led by Hindu-nationalist organisations. For several weeks, these organisations had been trying to rouse the area’s Maratha population against the Dalit Buddhist community. A day after the violence, Anita Sawale, an anti-caste activist who was present at the gathering, filed a first-information report identifying the mobs as followers of the Hindutva leaders Manohar Bhide – who calls himself Sambhaji Bhide – and Milind Ekbote.
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Stan Swamy, has been harassed since 2018: OHCR / Endorse: International appeal

Stan Swamy, has been harassed since 2018: OHCR / Endorse: International appeal

Human rights defender Stan Swamy, has been harassed since 2018: OHCR

11/01/2021

Sabrang / by Sabrang India

Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Special Rapporteur on minority issues; write to Indian Govt over Fr Stan Swamy’s prolonged detention.
The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; the and Special Rapporteur on minority issues, have made public a letter they had written to the Indian Government expressing their concern over the “alleged arbitrary detention of human rights defender Stan Swamy”.
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Endorse: International appeal to United Nations regarding Fr. Stan Swamy, S.J

09/01/2021

By Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat – Society of Jesus

Fr. Stan Swamy, SJ is a 83 years old Indian Jesuit priest incarcerated for alleged anti-national activities. He was arrested on October 8, 2020. The antecedents of this case can be traced back to 1 January 2018 violence against the Dalits across the state of Maharashtra. One Dalit youth was killed and countless of number of Dalits injured. Even though all evidence pointed to the role of right-wing leaders in the violence that erupted after the annual celebration at Bhima Koregaon, the state thought it convenient to foist false cases against human rights defenders who are known to stand up for the poor.
Read more / read & sign appeal

India: Call to UN for release of Fr Stan Swamy

08/01/2021

Independent Catholic News / by ICN

The Jesuits of India, together with an international network of civil society organizations, have appealed to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to obtain the immediate release of Jesuit Father Stan Swamy, 83, who has been imprisoned since 8 October on charges of sedition with 15 other human rights defenders in India. The appeal is a joint initiative of the Jesuits, Claretians and other congregations and organizations present at the United Nations.
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HC Orders Hospital To Submit Fresh Report On Varvara Rao’s Health Condition [read order]

HC Orders Hospital To Submit Fresh Report On Varvara Rao’s Health Condition [read order]

Bombay HC Orders Nanavati Hospital To Submit Fresh Report On Varvara Rao’s Health Condition [read order]

08/01/2021

Live Law / by Nitish Kashyap

The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital at Mumbai to submit a fresh report about the health condition of Dr. PV Varavara Rao on the next date of hearing on January 13 and observed that the 81-year-old Telugu poet accused in the Bhima Koregaon violence will remain in hospital till then.
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Court allows Varavara Rao to stay in hospital till January 13

07/01/2021

Hindustan Times / by K A Y Dodhia

Rao is among over a dozen scholars and rights activists arrested for their alleged links with Maoists and for allegedly instigating violence at Bhima Koregaon near Pune in 2018.
The Bombay high court on Thursday allowed ailing jailed Telugu poet P Varavara Rao, 82, to remain until January 13 in a Mumbai hospital, where he was late last year admitted to on the court’s directions for better treatment.
The extension was granted even as Rao’s condition has improved after his wife, P Hemlatha, sought one-week to go through his medical reports. It also scheduled the hearing of his bail plea on health grounds on January 13.
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Varavara Rao to remain in hospital till next week, says HC

07/01/2021

The Telegraph / by Telegraph Bureau, Agencies

Division bench extends activist’s stay, state government submits health update.
The Bombay High Court on Thursday said that jailed Telugu poet-activist Varavara Rao will continue to stay at a private hospital in Mumbai till January 13.
Rao, 80, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, was admitted to Nanavati Hospital in the city owing to his health issues in November following the court’s orders.
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Stories of Dissent – The BK16

Stories of Dissent – The BK16

By The London Story

Born in America, Sudha Bhardwaj is a human rights lawyer practising in the Chhattisgarh High Court. She renounced her American citizenship at the age of 18, in order to join the Indian civil liberties movement. Bhardwaj has lived in Chhattisgarh, a state with a large tribal population, for more than 29 years of her life. She has been helping tribals against the illegal acquisition of their land by the government and private companies.
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From The Ballad Of Indian Gaols – Rights Activists In Jail Fight For Justice

From The Ballad Of Indian Gaols – Rights Activists In Jail Fight For Justice

Outlook India / by Preetha Nair

Rights activists in jail on various charges under the UAPA continue their fight for justice.
The law takes its own course, but for rights activists assailed by the UAPA, that path is overly tortuous and weighted down by fraudulent police chargesheets. The charges are grave, but can scarcely survive judicial scrutiny, say supporters of Varavara Rao and Umar Khalid, of Akhil Gogoi, Natasha Narwal and Khalid Saifi. As the cases snail on in court, horrible prison conditions have taken a toll on all. Their spirit of resistance, borne along on idealism, will outlive this trial.
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Bhima Koregaon case: Three years of legal and rights violations

Bhima Koregaon case: Three years of legal and rights violations

Newslaundry / by Prateek Goyal

The violation of the rights of the activists, lawyers and scholars, disregard for rules and misuse of law has marked the case since the very beginning.
Maharashtra’s prisons routinely provide TVs, refrigerators, air conditioners, cellphones, and homemade food to hardcore criminals and politicians. Yet, they refused to give a drinking straw to Stan Swamy, an 83-year-old scholar and activist awaiting trial. The police also denied a request to allow the family of Gautam Navlakha, who is 70, to send him prescription glasses. The courts were petitioned but they did little to help.
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Organisers of the Elgaar Parishad say the event will be held on Jan 30 / COVID-19 Dampens Celebration

Organisers of the Elgaar Parishad say the event will be held on Jan 30 / COVID-19 Dampens Celebration

Organisers of the Elgaar Parishad say the event will be held on January 30

02/01/2021

Frontline / by Anupama Katakam

After the Pune Police refused permission for the Elgaar Parishad this year, retired judge B.G. Kolse-Patil, who is one of the main organisers, said they would go ahead and hold the event. Until 2017, the Elgaar Parishad was an annual gathering of primarily Dalit rights activists in Pune. The event was not held for two years since then because of a relentless witch-hunt and subsequent arrest of activists who are reportedly connected to the event.
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COVID-19 Dampens Jan 1 Celebration at Bhima Koregaon, Few Hundreds Attend with Limited Passes

02/01/2021

Newsclick / by Varsha Torgalkar

The Pune Police had also closed all the roads going towards Bhima Koregoan, with only those with passes being allowed to proceed. However, many who had travelled from other cities complained that they were not aware of the concept of passes.
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Denied permission, ex-judge Kolse-Patil says he will hold ‘Elgaar Parishad’ on Jan 30

01/01/2021

The Hindu / by Shoumojit Banerjee

He accuses govt. of directing police to keep a watch on him.
With the Pune police denying permission to hold another ‘Elgaar Parishad’ on December 31, retired Bombay High Court judge B. G. Kolse-Patil — who was among the chief organisers of the original and controversial ‘Elgaar Parishad’ held in December 2017 — has announced his resolve to hold the event on January 30, 2021, on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary.
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Denied December 31 nod, Elgaar Parishad organisers say will hold event on Jan 30

01/01/2021

The Indian Express / by Express News Service

Justice (retd) Kolse Patil said, “We will now hold it on January 30, at the Ganesh Kala Krida Manch in Pune. And if not there, we will hold it on the streets. If not allowed to do that, we will fill the jails.”
Organisers of Elgaar Parishad, who were denied permission by Pune City Police to hold the conference on December 31, have said they will hold it in Pune on January 30. They also said that if police deny permission for the conference again, they will hold the conference “on the streets”.
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Elgar Parishad organisers ask Sharad Pawar to ensure SIT probe

01/01/2021

Free Press Journal / by pti

Organizers of the Elgar Parishad demanded on Thursday that NCP chief Sharad Pawar should fulfil his `assurance’ of an SIT probe into the case related to the 2017 conclave.
The Pune district administration denied permission for the annual Elgar Parishad – which is held on December 31 – this year citing the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Police issue notices to 530 social media groups ahead of Bhima Koregaon anniversary

31/12/2020

Hindustan Times/ by Nadeem Inamdar

The Pune rural police have served notices to as many as 530 social media group administrators, warning them not to allow posts pertaining to inflammatory messages in the wake of January 1 anniversary of the battle of Bhima Koregaon.
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