Human Rights Defenders are under attack - arrested. Please act

12^th April 2012

 

To

The Chairman

West Bengal Human Rights Commission

Bhabani Bhaban

Alipur

Kolkata - 27

 

 

Respected Sir

 

I want to bring into your attention on the incident of barbaric and rude physical attack on civil rights activists by the goons attached with Trinamul Congress Party; the ruling dispensation of state government. Today; 12.04.2012 at about 12 noon, score of activists of Association for Protection Democratic Rights (APDR) assembled at Hazra crossing for a protest demonstration. Here it should be mentioned that the organization with other organizations and section of democratic populace are protesting against illegal eviction of marginalized community from Nonadanga. They are also protesting the illegal arrest and detention of 7 activists on 8^th of April. The 7 activists are supposedly being produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate- Alipur Court from police remand. It should be also mentioned here that a large section of democratic community protesting these acts of illegality throughout the country and while I am complaining before you, a big number of students from Delhi are staging protests before Banga Bhaban at New Delhi.

 

At the said time while they were assembled at the Hazra Crossing and about to start their procession being attacked by thugs of Trinamul Congress having active patronage of police. The organization, later informed us that they were contacted the Kalighat Police Station and informed them about their programme with a written application for permission to hold the procession. The organization even obtains the received copy of the application from the Kalighat police station. While the activists assembled at the Hazra Crossing and were in their last minute preparation for the procession, a large police contingent arrived and told the organizers of procession that the Commissioner of Police ordered not to hold any procession till 17^th April. Though, the police failed to show any such written order. Activists were hell bent to hold their scheduled procession and argued with police that they would prefer to be arrested if restricted from hold the procession. In the mean time, the Minister of Transport; Mr. Madan Mitra came to the spot and had a whisper with the Police Officer, present at the spot. All of a sudden, a band of Trinamul Congress hooligans came at the spot and physically attacked the activists in front of the said Minister. The police were mute spectators and not resisted the hooligans from their advances. It was evidently proved that the Minister has swayed the act. It is also obvious that the posted police had certain instructions from the ruling dispensation to be mute during the attack by the thugs and apprehend those who were protesting against an illegal eviction and demanding release of arrested civil rights activists. The police, who were the spectators of these disrupting and savage attacks by ruling party goons, once a while, came into action and shoved the activists to their parked vehicles. The police not even informed the activists about the reasons of their arrest. As usual, the police while arresting those human rights defenders did not issue Memo of Arrest against any arrest. The following persons were arrested from the spot and till the information reached have been detained at the Central Lock- Up of Lalbazar; the Head Quarter of Kolkata Police:-

 

1. Ms. Rangta Munshi, Advocate & Assistant Secretary, APDR
2. Mr. Chandan Pramanik
3. Mr. Priyabrata Bannerjee
4. Mr. Prabir Das
5. Mr. Subhadip Bera
6. Mr. Sourya Bannerjee

And others

 

The whole incident were telecasted in different news channels of Kolkata.

 

In this context I demand:-

 

• The overall attack by the ruling dispensation in front of police force on the democratic environ and Constitutional mandates must be protected by the Commission
• Right to hold peaceful assembly and protest must be maintained and guaranteed
• The role of Mr. Madan Mitra; the Minister of Government of West Bengal, during the attack by hooligans of Trinamul Congress must be ascertained and prosecuted according the law
• The police personnel present at the place of occurrence and  the attackers attached with Trinamul Congress must be identified and prosecuted according the law
• An independent investigation over the incident by your Commission must be done
• The arrested persons must be unconditionally released
• The life and liberty of human rights defenders must be protected   

 

 

Sincerely Yours

 

 

 

(Kirity Roy)

Secretary, MASUM

& 

National Convenor, PACTI

--
Kirity Roy
Secretary
Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha
(MASUM)
&
National Convenor (PACTI)
Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity
40A, Barabagan Lane (4th Floor)
Balaji Place
Shibtala
Srirampur
Hooghly
PIN- 712203
Tele-Fax - +91-33-26220843
Phone- +91-33-26220844 / 0845
e. mail : kirityroy@gmail.com
Web: www.masum.org.in