Statement by Hindus for Human Rights and Global Indian Progressive Alliance Protesting the Arrest of Dr. Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 14, 2020
Dr. Anand Teltumbde is a highly respected and revered scholar and human rights defender. Along with his comrade in justice work, Gautam Navlakha, Dr. Teltumbde will be arrested today on demonstrably fabricated charges related to the Bhima Koregaon case.
Dr. Teltumbde is the grandson-in-law of Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, who authored the Constitution of India, the very same constitution that is being savaged with these unjust arrests and countless other injustices that have become the mainstay of current administration. The ironical fact is that the arrests will take place on April 14th, the 129th birth anniversary of Dr. Ambedkar.
Dr. Teltumbde, Mr. Navlakha, and nine other activists who have been in jail since 2018, are accused of inciting caste violence and plotting against the Prime Minister. They are being charged under the UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) despite lack of any credible evidence. Dr. Teltumbde himself has explained the nitty gritty of the case against him in this open letter, penned a day before his arrest stating that “I do not know when I shall be able to talk to you (we his readers) again.”
These 11 activists exercised their constitutional right to practice their freedom of speech and expression; have fought against the Hindu nationalist agenda of the current government; they have defended the Indian constitution. Their arrest appears as an extra-judicial punishment during this time.
Amnesty International has stated, “the impending arrests of the two, along with the arrests of the nine activists in the Bhima Koregaon case in 2018, are politically motivated actions that are aimed at chilling peaceful dissent.” Amnesty International also points out the cruelty of making these arrests in the midst of the global Coronavirus pandemic: “On one hand, the Court acknowledges that overcrowded prisons present a serious threat and recommends the release of prisoners during the pandemic and on the other, it directs two activists who have been critical of the government to surrender before the police and to be sent to jail,” according to Avinash Kumar, Executive Director, Amnesty International India.
Hindus for Human Rights and Global Indian Progressive Alliance were among the 5000+ signatories to this statement calling for a stay on these arrests. However, there seems to be no mercy for the two innocent and brave men, who have worked tirelessly for the upliftment of the poor and marginalized in India, and are today at the hands of the justice system whose first and foremost onus is to protect the constitutional guarantees of every person in the country.
Dr. Teltumbde’s open letter ends with a message to all of us, people of conscience in India and the world, “I earnestly hope that you will speak out before your turn comes.”
A few days ago, we wrote an email to Dr. Teltumbde, offering our love and solidarity, and he wrote back, “Many thanks. I surely count on your support. Indeed, it’s a struggle for democracy and not the support for an individual.”
Today, the best way to honor Dr. Ambedkar’s legacy is to stand tall for the constitution he gave all of us, transitioning a newly independent democratic country into a sovereign democratic republic which gave every Indian fundamental rights under constitutional guarantees. We register our voice in support of the struggle led by Dr. Teltumbde and Mr. Navlakha to keep India's democracy and the democratic principles alive.
Democracy thrives on dissent, debate and discussions. We express our serious displeasure and discontent in witnessing the violation of fundamental rights of our fellow Indian brothers and sisters, clearly and vociferously.
We pledge to speak now, and every single time when we witness social injustice.
We call upon an independent and a nonpartisan judicial inquiry for the truth to come out and ascertain the innocence of the individuals listed herein this statement.
It is critical to accomplish if the alleged charges are due to prima facie evidence that is collected maintaining due process of law or if the charges simply contribute to supporting a political witch-hunt.
We repose our faith in India's criminal justice system and country's courts. Until such time of establishment of an independent judicial inquiry to ascertain the veracity, on humanitarian grounds,
We ask for the release of the nine activists who were unlawfully and unjustly arrested in 2018 on fabricated charges: Surendra Gadling, Sudhir Dhawale, Rona Wilson, Shoma Sen, Mahesh Raut, Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira and Sudha Bharadwaj; and
We further assert withholding the arrests of Dr. Teltumbde and Mr. Navlakha, recognizing the importance of upholding the constitutional guarantees and fair trial, rooted in the principles of due process.
Long live India's democracy and every struggle that upholds India's constitutional values.
CONTACT:
Global Indian Progressive Alliance
Phone/fax: 609-878-0508
Email: info@gipausa.org
Facebook: Global India Progressive Alliance
Twitter: @GIPAlliance
Hindus for Human Rights
Phone: 917-518-2441
Email: info@hindusforhumanrights.org
Facebook: Hindus for Human Rights
Twitter: @Hindus4HR
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