[Reader-list] Protest Statement against the Crackdown on the Students, Youths and Cultural Activists at Faizabad

[Sagnik Chakravartty]

Protest Statement Against the Crackdown on the
Students, Youths and Cultural Activists at Faizabad,
UP

We the undersigned, condemn the arrest of students,
youth and other activists of All India Students
Association, Revolutionary Youth Association and Jan
Sanskriti Manch who had assembled in Faizabad to
observe the anniversary of 1857 Revolt. The students
and youth who had converged, from all over the country
for a two day programme to reclaim the secular history
of Ayodhya on 10th and 11th of May had been prevented
by the District Administration from taking out a
Sadbhavana March and organizing a Shaheed Mela and
Convention for an amicable solution of the Ayodhya
issue.

This is a blatant violation of the democratic rights
of the citizens to organize campaigns and movements
for peace and harmony. It is a shame that it has
become illegal to organize programmes in memory of
1857 and remember the secular struggles of our freedom
fighters even while VHP is being allowed to hold the
twin city of Ayodhya and Faizabad to ransom on
communal grounds and openly violate court orders. 

The unreasoned and last minute withdrawal of
permission for the Sadbhavana March, Shaheed Mela and
Convention and subsequent crackdown on participants is
a clear pointer to the fact that the BSP Chief
Minister is acting at the behest of the communal
forces spearheaded by the Sangh Parivar. This has
serious implications for the democratic process in the
state. 

We demand immediate release of all activists and
leaders and restoration of democratic order in the
state. 

 

 

 

NB: Consent to this statement has already been
received from -

Prabhash Joshi, Manglesh Dabral, Sumit Chakraborty,
Kamal Mitra Chenoy, Anuradha Chenoy and Surendra
Mohan.

 

NB: Send this protest statement for more signatures
and consents.


__________________________________________________________


11 May, 2002

FACT SHEET ON THE CRACKDOWN


"Ayodhya Chalo" programme organised by All India
Students Association (AISA), Revolutionary Youth
Association (RYA) and Jan Sanskriti Manch on 10-11
May'02 on the anniversary of the 1857 Revolt to
reclaim the secular legacy of Faizabad-Ayodhya met
with uncalled for and unprecedented crackdown by the
UP govt. 

The two-day programme of 10-11 May included a
Sadbhavana March and Shaheed Mela (on 10 May) to
uphold the anti-imperialist and secular legacy of 1857
martyrs belonging to the Awadh Faizabad region. This
was to be followed by an "Ayodhya Convention" on 11th
May to explore the possibility of an amicable solution
to the Ayodhya issue. The entire programme had all the
necessary permissions and venue booking from the
District Administration of Faizabad.

But without any meaningful reason cited, the
administration cancelled the permission at the last
moment and withdrew all the bookings. This happened
when thousands of students, youth, women activists and
cultural personalities had already converged to
Faizabad. Clearly, this was a political decision taken
at the highest level in the state and happened at the
behest of the communal forces spearheaded by the Sangh
Parivar.

On 10th May when Sadbhavana Rally started, police
arrested more than thousand processionists including
AISA's National President Kavita Krishnan and RYA's
General Secretary Lal Bahadur Singh. They are still
under arrest in jails of Mau and Sultanpur. Inspite of
this crackdown, the organisers proceeded with the
Convention scheduled for 11th May. Though the original
venue was cancelled, local support helped them
organise the Convention at the Faizabad Press Club.
The Convention started on 11th May at the Press Club
in a situation of massive police siege. The police
kept on threatening to arrest the participants
throughout the process. When the Convention was more
or less through, police entered the venue and snatched
away the mikes in a bid to disrupt the event. But the
Convention was duly concluded by passing several
resolutions (summary of which are appended below). But
after the Convention was over, six persons were
arrested arbitrarily which included Dr. Suvendhu Ghosh
(Head of the Deptt. of Biophysics, Delhi University,
and well known singer and cultural activist), Student
leaders from JNU Radhika Menon and Inteshar Ahmad, All
India Progressive Women Association leaders from UP
Ajanta Lohit and Snehalata, AISA leader from Lucknow
University Kaushal Kishore. Dr. Suvendhu Ghosh was
also assaulted by the police. They are in Faizabad
jail.

We appeal to you to protest against this absolutely
uncalled for crackdown on this programme, whose basic
purpose was to uphold our secular legacy and strive
for peace and harmony. We appeal to you to join
'Citizen's Protest March' on Monday, 13 May '02 at
Jantar-Mantar at 11 AM. 


 

Summary of the Resolutions adopted at the 'Ayodhya
Convention' held at Faizabad on 11 May.

1. The Convention condemned in strongest of terms the
banning of 'Sadbhavana March' and 'Shaheed Mela'
organised on 10 May at Faizabad to uphold the legacy
of united Hindu-Muslim resistance in the 1857 struggle
for independence. The ban was politically motivated
and was implemented by the Mayawati govt. at the
behest of RSS-BJP-VHP-Bajarang Dal. The Convention
considered the ban on this peaceful and democratic
programme as a major attack on our minimum democratic
rights and freedom and vowed to fight it back.

2. The Convention appealed to every common citizen to
stand up and be counted in the effort to separate
religion from politics. The Convention expressed
confidence than once such communal elements as
VHP-Bajarang Dal and other outfits of the Sangh
Parivar are pushed out of the Ayodhya tangle, India's
civil society has enough strength to sort out the
issue amicably. Whether it is a court verdict or an
out-of-court solution, the Convention believe that it
is only a conscious and active mass movement committed
to the cause of secularism which can ensure a just
solution. And in this effort it would be welcome if
various citizens, including such religious leaders of
both communities, jurists and historians who declare
their firm commitment to the principles of separation
of religion and politics, were to form a panel to
explore solutions to the Ayodhya issue through mutual
dialogue. 

3. The Convention urged upon Chief Minister Mayawati
not to play second fiddle to BJP and reinitiate the
cases (earlier struck down on technical grounds)
against L.K. Advani, M.M. Joshi, Uma Bharati and
others accused of Babri Masjid demolition. 

4. The Convention demanded sacking of Modi govt.
responsible for the state-sponsored cleansing of
monorities in Gujarat, trial of all the guilty leaders
and police officials and resignation of Home Minister
LK Advani. The Convention decided to join the
Rashtriya Ekta Abhiyan conducted by the left and
democratic forces in the country and appealed to every
democratic and peace loving citizen to be a part of
this struggle.

The declaration was signed among others by Com.
Dipankar Bhattacharya (Ganeral Secretary, CPI(ML),
Prof. MK Sherwani (All India Muslim Forum), Md. Salim
Khan Pirzada (Indian Muslim Political Conference),
Krishnavatar Pandey (former Education Director, UP and
PUHR), Chittaranjan Singh (PUCL), Balram Yadav (Senior
Advocate, Allahabad High Court, Lucknow Bench), Onkar
Nath Patel (noted journalist), Sandip Pandey (NAPM).


 

CONTACT:

Ranjit Abhigyan, Ph. 222 1067.

Tapas Ranjan, Ph. 786 6410.

Radhika Menon, radhikamen at rediffmail.com


AISA:     aisadelhi at hotmail.com

 
 
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