[Reader-list] Anhad activists beaten up in Gujarat

anupam chakravartty c.anupam at gmail.com
Tue Apr 21 15:26:26 IST 2009


*Anhad activists beaten up in Gujarat *

**
Staff Reporter

   *They were campaigning in Gandhinagar asking people to vote *

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*

Alleged members of the VHP and the BJP wielding lathis surrounded them

The victims could not even file FIR due to presence of the accused at the
police station
*
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 NEW DELHI: Over two-dozen activists of ANHAD, a trust that works towards
pluralism, secularism and democracy, were allegedly beaten up at Gandhinagar
in Gujarat on Monday during an election campaign.

The attack took place in the afternoon when the ANHAD activists were
campaigning in Naranpura in the Shastri Nagar area asking people to use
their Constitutional rights and exercise their franchise.

“The campaign started in the morning and the activists formed three separate
groups to reach out effectively to the electorate. It was around 1 p.m. when
a large number of goons owing allegiance to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and
the Bharatiya Janata Party wielding lathis surrounded them. Our activists,
including women, were abused and pushed around. Two of them, Sachin Pandya
and Robin Soni, were allegedly kicked and punched all over,” said ANHAD
founding member Shabnam Hashmi, at a press conference here.

The campaign aimed at awakening people towards their Constitutional rights,
including right to vote, and exploding the “myth” of vibrant Gujarat was
kicked-off on Sunday.

Ms. Hashmi said the attackers took away leaflets and other printed material
carried by the ANHAD activists and threatened them with dire consequences if
they reported the matter to the police. “Though the activists escaped with
minor injuries, but it could have turned either way. It has happened to our
activists many times in the past six months. Even lodging a First
Information Report is dangerous in such cases. We are now planning to
approach the Election Commission in the present case,” Ms. Hashmi added.

Alleging that the BJP cadres even stopped them from filing a police
complaint, Sachin Pandya, said: “When we reached the Gatlodiya police
station in the evening, we found a dozen BJP cadres standing near it. Not
willing to take risk, we returned without filing a report. Now we are
planning to approach the Police Commissioner.”


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