To,
Shri Akhilesh Yadav,
Chief Minister,
Government of Uttar Pradesh,
Dear Shri Akhilesh Yadav ji,
You surely must have been briefed about the arrest of senior activist and advocate, Roma Malik, Sokalo Gond, Avijit and other women activists of the All Indian Union of Forest Working People from the organization’s office in Robertsgunj today morning by the police. We are shocked and amazed at the attempts by the UP administration to repeatedly arrest activists and the struggling people for asserting their constitutional rights and protecting the environment.
While the memory of ruthless repression where the police open fired at the peaceful protesters at Kanhar Dam on Ambedkar Jayanti is still fresh, this attempt to crush the voice of dissent comes in the wake of the planned people’s rally against land acquisition and loot of natural resources that was to take place tomorrow in Robertsgunj is unjustifiable and unacceptable. The right to peaceful protest is part of the fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution of India and no government can take away or infringe upon this sacred right. You may note that in numerous instances in the past the higher courts have repeatedly come down on the authorities for trying to muzzle protests through fabricated cases and arrests.
You may also recall that some of us met you at the CM House in the last week of April, in the wake of the brutal police firings at adivasis and dalits in the Kanhar dam-affected area. The Order of the NGT as well clearly establishes the illegality in the entire process. You had assured us that you take note of all the demands in our memorandum and ensure that the conflict is resolved through dialogue with the people and Gram Sabhas. Is this how your Government seeks to resolve conflict ? Ares these arrests really necessary and lawful? Such actions will only intensify the conflict and lead to further tensions in the area.
We hope you will take serious note of the national discontent against the arrest of senior activists of the AIUFWP and direct the district administration to drop all chargers and release the arrested activists and villagers. We convey our deep disdain for the approach of the UP government to openly harass and target activists who are engaged with the people’s issues on the ground and are raising important questions of land, natural resources and equality and democracy. We wish to remind the government and the administration that peaceful and democratic struggle of the adivasi and dalit communities, led by the women of Sonbhadra, is their constitutional right and we stand in full solidarity with them.
It would be disgraceful if your administration tries to resort to such means to silence democratic voices. The rally, which was announced many days ago and is a matter of public knowledge cannot and should not be stopped by such means, we urge. National Alliance of People’s Movements demands immediate release of Adv. Roma, Sokalo Gond, Avijit and the other arrested persons. We also urge the government to redress the grievances of the struggling people and accept their demands urgently. We hope all those arrested are immediately released and the rally is allowed to go on tomorrow as planned.
With sincere regards,
Vimal bhai
on Behalf
National Alliance of Peoples’ Movements
1. Akhilesh Yadav
CM UP
Email – [email protected]
Telephone:05222236181-2239296 2215501 Fax: 0522 2236838
2. Shri Alok Ranjan
Chief secretary
Email: [email protected]
Fax: +91 522 2239283
3. Shri Arvind Kumar
DGP- UP
Fax: 0552-2206120
4. DM’s office
Email : [email protected]
Telephone : 05444222190
Mobile : 9454417569
Fax : 05444222090
