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Podcast: Bhima Koregoan violence – Three years on, Activists remain arrested and justice remain awaited

Podcast: Bhima Koregoan violence – Three years on, Activists remain arrested and justice remain awaited

Drawing by Arun Ferreira

By On Record

Three years after the caste violence in Bhima Koregoan, 16 human right activists have been arrested under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act in connection with the case. Multiple conspiracy theories have been laid out by the police but it may be long before they are proved and the guilty is punished.
Professor Apoorvanand from Delhi University and Harish Vasudevan, an advocate practicing at Kerala High court share their insights for the story.
Listen to podcast (11:00min)

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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Bhima Koregaon, Elgar Parishad: One-Sided Probe / Ex-HC judge condemns jailing of activists

Bhima Koregaon, Elgar Parishad: One-Sided Probe / Ex-HC judge condemns jailing of activists

Bhima Koregaon, Elgar Parishad: One-Sided Probe

01/01/2021

HW English / by Neeta Kolhatkar

Hindu right-wing duo, Milind Ekbote and Manohar Bhide, the two main accused named by Anita Sawle in her FIR, are obviously still free.
This December 31, it will be three years since the Elgar Parishad held in Shaniwarwada, Pune, historically was considered the seat, of power seat of the Peshwas. The Parishad was attended by intellectuals, lawyers, activists, students, members of the Kabir Kala Manch and other participants.
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Ex-HC judge condemns jailing of Bhima Koregaon activists

01/01/2021

Deccan Herald / DHNS

The 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence has only increased the popularity of the Bhima Koregaon victory celebrations, retired Karnataka High Court judge H N Naga Mohan Das has said.
Participating in the 203rd historic Bhima Koregaon commemoration event organised virtually by the Babasaheb Dr BR Ambedkar Studies and Research Centre of Bangalore University, Justice Das on Wednesday condemned the term ‘Urban Naxals’ used on participants of the 2018 incident and the continued imprisonment of some of them.
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Organisers of Elgar Parishad say accused are denied basic human rights

Organisers of Elgar Parishad say accused are denied basic human rights

The Hindu / by Sonam Saigal

On Human Rights Day, retired judges say intellectuals have been implicated for speaking against the government.
It is close to three years that intellectuals, activists and lawyers were arrested in the Bhima Koregaon violence case. Retired judges, who organised the Elghar Parishad event, say, “All those accused in the case are not connected with it but they have been implicated because they have spoken against the government. They are denied basic human rights.”
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Why were Activists Like Anand Teltumbde Who Work For the Disadvantaged Jailed?

Why were Activists Like Anand Teltumbde Who Work For the Disadvantaged Jailed?

The Leaflet / by Niharika Ravi

The Human Rights Watch has called the detention by the Indian government of civil rights and Dalit rights activist, Anand Teltumbde as “wrongful” and “politically motivated”.
“Indian authorities are using draconian counterterrorism laws against activists simply for criticizing the government or raising their voices against injustice. The authorities should immediately release Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha and the other activists wrongfully detained in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon case,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director of the Human Rights Watch.
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2 years, 3 charge sheets & 16 arrests — Why Bhima Koregaon accused are still in jail

2 years, 3 charge sheets & 16 arrests — Why Bhima Koregaon accused are still in jail

The Print / by Apoorva Mandhani

Since 2018, stringent UAPA rules, SC’s Zahoor Watali order, NIA takeover and allegedly ‘inadmissible’ evidence has made sure that all accused remain in custody.
On 31 December 2017, a group of activists, political leaders and even retired judges came together at Shaniwar Wada in Pune.
Called the Elgar Parishad (Congress for Speaking Aloud), the organisers of this event included former Supreme Court judge, Justice P.B. Sawant, and former Bombay High Court judge, Justice B.G. Kolse-Patil. The event saw songs, street plays and speeches on various issues, including Dalit rights and criticism of the Narendra Modi government. 
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Suppressing Dissent / Who is Really the Enemy of the People?

Suppressing Dissent / Who is Really the Enemy of the People?

Suppressing Dissent

20/10/2020

Medium.com / by Arun Simon

Dissent is rarely welcomed in any society. As power increases, appreciation of dissent decreases. Innumerable examples can be seen with dictators or absolute powers. It is also possible in religion, culture, and other domains… My country India, with all its high democratic values, is no different. The officially declared emergency(1975) may be the worst period in that line. But there are many unofficial competitors for the same today. The recent arrest of many social activists (latest in that line being Fr. Stan Swamy, a tribal activist) under a draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) along with many contemporary events raises serious questions.
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Who is Really the Enemy of the People?

20/10/2020

NewsClick / by Suhit K Sen

India will have to look to forces within the country to steer back towards political processes that incorporate opposition, dissent and diversity.
Stan Swamy, a Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist, was arrested in Ranchi on 9 October. The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which carried out the arrest, claimed he was a member of the CPI (Maoist) organisation. It appears that anyone who works for Dalit rights, or is not in full agreement with the toxic ideology of the Sangh parivar, must be a Maoist.
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Case against activist Sudha Bharadwaj – Why SC turned down her bail plea

Case against activist Sudha Bharadwaj – Why SC turned down her bail plea

The Indian Express/ by Sadaf Modak

On Thursday, the Supreme Court turned down activist Sudha Bharadwaj’s application for interim bail. The court said that since the plea was on medical grounds, it will not be able to entertain it as the medical report did not back her claims. It, however, said Bharadwaj has a “good case on merits”.
What is the case in which Sudha Bharadwaj and 14 others are arrested?
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+++ Correction: Letters implicating Sudha Bharadwaj were found on the computer of Rona Wilson. The Caravan conducted a cyber-forensic examination of the contents of Wilson’s hard disk, a copy of the disk that was presented in court by the Pune Police and supplied to all the accused. Our investigation revealed that the disk contained malware that can be used to remotely access the computer and plant files. We also found several other discrepancies, pointing towards manipulation of evidence in the case. +++

‘This government has tamed everyone’ – Interview with Rao´s Lawyer

‘This government has tamed everyone’ – Interview with Rao´s Lawyer

Rediff.com /by Vaihayasi Pande Daniel

‘The entire systems they are trying to change.’
Telugu poet, activist, critic and teacher Pendyala Varavara Rao, 79, has a new advocate.
Sudeep Ratnamberdutt Pasbola, who has represented/represents accused like activist Arun Ferreira, politician Rahul Gandhi, gangster Abu Salem, HR consultant Indrani Mukerjea, gangster Arun Gawli, 1993 and 2006 Mumbai blast accused, amongst many others, took on Professor Rao’s case in July… Pasbola spoke to Rediff.com’s Vaihayasi Pande Daniel about Professor Rao’s case and why bail is no longer being granted by courts for certain types of accused.
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