DYFI
protests 'victimisation' of Teesta Setalvad in Mumbai
Feb
16, 11:37 am
Mumbai, Feb 16 (ANI): Democratic
Youth Federation of India (DYFI) staged protest in Mumbai for filing of
misappropriation case against social activist Teesta Setalvad. In January 2014,
police had registered a case against Setalvad, her husband Javed Anand and
others for allegedly usurping rupees 15 million collected by them in form of
donations to turn the 2002 riots hit colony into a riots museum. But the
Supreme Court of India has stayed the arrest of Setalvad, her husband Javed
Anand and others named in the case, till February 19. The slogan-shouting
members of the DYFI claimed that Setalvad was being framed. The Gujarat High
Court had rejected Setalvad's anticipatory bail plea in a criminal case of
embezzlement of funds collected on behalf of 2002 riot victims of Gujarat.
Lawyers, activists see vendetta
behind action against Teesta
NEW
DELHI, February 17, 2015
Anita
Joshua
Noam Chomsky and Sheldon Pollack join scores of people in
expressing solidarity with activist
Three
days before the Supreme Court is to hear final arguments in activist Teesta
Setalvad’s plea for anticipatory bail, lawyers, journalists and civil rights
activists on Monday termed the move to arrest her and her husband Javed Anand
for “custodial questioning” as part of a larger effort to silence dissent.
The
couple has been accused of embezzlement of funds meant for the construction of
a memorial for the Gujarat 2002 riot victims.
In
a statement issued under the Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust banner, political
theorist Noam Chomsky and Sanskrit scholar Sheldon Pollack joined scores of
academics and concerned citizens to express solidarity with Ms. Setalvad and
Mr. Anand.
On
their possible prosecution over charges of financial misappropriation, the
statement said: “We see this as a clear case of the politics of vendetta
launched with explicit intent to whitewash and efface from public memory the
misdeeds of those who today wield political power in the State and at the
Centre.”
Addressing
a related meeting, former Additional Solicitor-General Indira Jaising said the
two were being targeted because they had helped Zakia Jafri – widow of
parliamentarian Ehsan Jafri, who was killed in the riots – get justice.
Questioning
the rationale in trying to arrest the duo in a case based entirely on
paperwork, she said the idea was to strike fear in the hearts of people who
stand up to those currently in power. “It is not just to teach Teesta a lesson,
but to all of us also,’’ she said, echoing a point made by the National
Integration Council member John Dayal earlier. He underlined the fact that
“Teesta has taken on not just the ruling apparatus but the king himself,
Narendra Modi’’.
Of
the view that freedom of expression is under attack from various quarters,
editor of Jansatta Om Thanvi said the media could not afford to remain
silent. “Remain silent now at your own peril,’’ he warned fellow journalists.
Noam
Chomsky and Sheldon Pollack join scores of people in expressing solidarity with
activist
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.