The war on Maoists in Chhattisgarh is beginning
to turn on civil society, reports Shivam Vij
 |
‘anti-national’:
Binayak Sen outside his house on May 21 when he was taken from
jail by the police for a search operation
Preadeep Dadsena |
| |
The SC has asked
the Chhattisgarh
government to explain its support to Salwa Judum |
The large number
of protests by the civil society, both in Delhi and Raipur, over the
arrest of a Human Rights activist in Raipur is the most significant
sign yet of the Chhattisgarh government’s troubles over its policy
against Naxalism. While the Intelligence Bureau has asked the Chhattisgarh
government to explain why Binayak Sen was arrested, the Union Home ministry
is considering cutting down funding for the controversial Salwa Judum
project. The Supreme Court, acting in response to a pil, has also issued
a notice to the Chhattisgarh government over human rights atrocities
committed in the name of Salwa Judum or “peace movement”,
which is supported by the government.
The People’s
Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has been bringing to light cases where
the police has claimed that it killed Naxalites, when in fact those
killed were ordinary tribals whose only fault was that they did not
join the Salwa Judum. Such cases are difficult to bring to light because
they often take place in the remote interiors and the tribals often
do not speak Hindi. The PUCL has been at the forefront of exposing these
killings and other activities, wherein entire villages have allegedly
been ravaged for not joining the Salwa Judum. Unfortunately for the
Chhattisgarh government, the PUCL has been able to rally civil rights
groups and the media across the country against the Salwa Judum. The
arrest of Binayak Sen on May 14 is a result of this effort to put the
truth out, says PUCL Chhattisgarh president Rajendra Sail.
The police also
searched Sen’s organic farm without a search warrant in what,
Sen and his family feared, was an attempt to plant evidence of Sen’s
involvement in Naxalite activities by linking him to a jailed senior
CPI (Maoist) leader, Narayan Sanyal. Sen often met Sanyal in jail
and exchanged postcards with him, but this was all with the knowledge
of jail authorities who were privy to these conversations. The PUCL
says that Sen met Sanyal to enquire about his health and help him get
medical attention. The immediate cause of Sen’s arrest was a letter
found with Piyush Guha, a businessman, which was to be handed over to
Sanyal. Guha has also been arrested and the police refuses to divulge
the contents of the letter.
Home Minister Netam
said there’ll be no action against the policemen who killed seven
tribals |
On May 21, the police
searched Sen’s house and is now trying to use whatever they could
lay their hands on as evidence. This includes CDs pertaining to five
fake encounters, a computer cpu, books and pamphlets by or about Naxalites
or Salwa Judum members.
Sen has not been
arrested under the ipc or provisions of the crpc, but under the Chhattisgarh
Special Public Security Act, 2005 (CSPSA) and the Unlawful Activities
(Prevention) Act, 1967. The CSPSA, which was passed after pota
lapsed, is said to be even more draconian. The Act has a provision that
makes punishable verbal or written communication and representation
or publication or broadcast of anything relating to Maoist activities.
A number of local journalists have been threatened and silenced using
these provisions.
Sen’s arrest
came just when the Chhattisgarh administration was facing charges of
having fake encounters conducted by the Salwa Judum. On March 31, seven
tribals were killed in an “encounter” in Santoshpur village.
Civil society activists say that the Chhattisgarh Police and Salwa Judum
officers took the seven from Ponjer village to Santoshpur to kill them.
The police claims they were members of the Sangham, the Naxalite wing
composed of local tribals. An autopsy confirmed foul play but the state
government has only ordered a police inquiry. Home Minister Ram Vichar
Netam has gone on record saying that no action would be taken against
the police officials. The police officials investigating the case say
that the killings were committed by Naxalites dressed as policemen.
However, an anonymously shot video shows the spo sarpanch of Santoshpur
spilling the beans (available at cgnet.in/santoshpur).
It is feared that
Sen’s arrest may be followed by arrests of other activists in
Raipur. Activists in other parts of the country could also be targetted.
In Mumbai, the police have arrested one Arun Ferreira, who wanted to
be a priest, for his alleged involvement in Naxalite activities. In
February this year, the Union Home ministry was on the verge of acting
against overground Naxalite symapthisers including academics and former
bureaucrats, for statements they had made in a seminar in Delhi.
The Supreme Court,
meanwhile, has issued a notice to the Chhattisgarh government asking
it to explain its support to the Salwa Judum. This was in response to
a petition filed by Nandini Sundar, Ramachandra Guha and EAS Sarma demanding
an end to government support for the Salwa Judum; an independent inquiry
into all killings, rape and arson whether by the Salwa Judum, security
forces or Naxalites; registration of FIRs and prosecution of those found
guilty; compensation to those affected by the Salwa Judum on the same
lines as victims of Naxalites; rehabilitation of those who wish to leave
the Salwa Judum; and preventing the state government from appointing
minors as Special Police Officers.
But the Salwa Judum
may die with a whimper even before the apex court passes a judgement.
The Planning Commission, the Tribal Affairs ministry and the Panchayati
Raj ministry have requested the Union Home ministry to stop funding
the Salwa Judum and divert those funds towards development activities.
