By Arresting Dalit Activists For Bhima Koregaon Violence, Govt. Wants To Brand Them As Maoists
Youth Ki Awaaz / By Varsha Torgalkar
On June 6, six months after the FIR with regards to violence at Bhima Koregaon was filed, Pune police arrested five activists – Shoma Sen, Mahesh Raut and Surendra Gadling from Nagpur, Sudhir Dhawale from Mumbai and Rona Wilson from Delhi – stating alleged links of the Elgar Parishad with Maoists. However, Ravindra Kadam, Joint Commissioner of Police, Pune, said, “Whether speeches made at Elgar caused violence or not is yet to be investigated.”
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WSS: On The Arbitrary Arrests Of Shoma Sen, Sudhir Dhawale, Surendra Gadling, Rona Wilson, and Mahesh Raut By The Maharashtra Police
Statement by Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression (WSS)
Condemn the arbitrary arrests of Shoma Sen, Sudhir Dhawale, Surendra Gadling, Rona Wilson, and Mahesh Raut by the Maharashtra Police!
Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression (WSS) is outraged at the arbitrary arrest of its valued member, Professor Shoma Sen along with other leading Dalit and human rights activists, in an alarming crackdown on civil liberties activists throughout the country.
From Naxal Links to Modi Assassination Plot, Pune Police’s Theories Branch Out
The Wire / By Varsha Torgalkar
The five activists who have been arrested are to be held in police custody for seven days even as questions arise over a letter containing all the details of several plots that allegedly ties them to the banned CPI (Maoist) group.
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IAPL Condemns Arrest of Activists
Press Release by IAPL
Today, Indian Association of People’s Lawyers (IAPL) organised a press conference at the Press Club of India in New Delhi in relation to the recent arrests of Advocate Surendra Gadling, Prof. Shoma Sen , Sudhir Dhawale, Rona Wilson and Mahesh Raut. The arrests took place on the 6th June, 2018, by Pune police at the early Hours of morning.
United Protest against the Arrests of Democratic and Progressive Activists in Delhi and Nagpur!
Condemn the arrest of Surendra Gadling, Sudhir Dhawale, Shoma Sen, Rona Wilson and Mahesh Raut by Maharashtra Police!
Early morning on 6th June 2018, five people – three democratic rights activists, a professor and a lawyer – were arrested from various locations in Nagpur and Delhi by the Maharashtra police in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon riots that took place in January of this year in Pune.
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Press Conference and United Protest
IAPL and other lawyers organization condemning the arrest of Advocate Surendra Gadling and 4 others.
7th June, 2018
Press Club of India
PUCL, MAHARASHTRA CONDEMNS THE ARREST OF SURENDRA GADLING, SUDHIR DHAWALE, RONA WILSON, SHOMA SEN, MAHESH RAUT AND RANA JACOB ON 6TH JUNE 2018
Statement by People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), Maharashtra
PUCL strongly condemns the vindictive and arbitrary arrest of Advocate Surendra Gadling, Mr. Sudhir Dhawale, Mr. Rona Wilson, Ms. Shoma Sen, Mr. Mahesh Raut and Mr. Rana Jacob on 6th June 2018. They have been reportedly booked under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), on the allegation of spreading controversial pamphlets and delivering hate speeches in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence that broke out in January 2018.
AI: Arrests Of Activists Raise Disturbing Questions
Statement by Amnesty International India
Responding to the arrests of five activists from Maharashtra on suspicion of having links with banned Maoist groups, Aakar Patel, Executive Director, Amnesty International India, said:
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“These arrests are a matter of grave concern. Surendra Gadling, Rona Wilson, Sudhir Dhawale, Shoma Sen and Mahesh Raut have a history of working to protect the rights of some of India’s most marginalized people. Their arrests raise disturbing questions about whether they are being targeted for their activism. Anyone arrested for legitimately exercising their right to freedom of expression must be released immediately and unconditionally.”
A poet, a lawyer, a professor: These are the five activists held for sparking Bhima Koregaon clashes
Scroll.in / By Aarefa Johari
Five months after the caste-based violence in Maharashtra’s Bhima Koregaon town, the state police has shifted the focus of its investigation from Hindutva leaders Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide to a group of five social activists working with Dalits, Adivasis and political prisoners.
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