[LINK TO SOLIDARITY STATEMENT BELOW]
If you saw the programme on IBN7 last night, vilifying Teesta Setalvad and Javed Anand, with BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra and Sangh spokesperson Rakesh Sinha at their asabhya virulent best, shouting down and intimidating mild Sandeep Pandey and shouting continuously throughout whatever feisty Priyanka Chaturvedi (Congress spokesperson) had to say (which was hard-hitting and unanswerable), you would know what the case against the two activists is really about.
Of course, the charges against them are of corruption and embezzling of funds collected for Gujarat riot victims, but when Priyanka Chaturvedi pointed out that the case against them is dubious because Gujarat police and judiciary are not exactly exemplars of probity, given the assiduous stalking carried out by the Gujarat police on behalf of Modi’s man, of a young woman (whose family was paid off/ intimidated in classic Hindutva style, ending in the woman claiming gratitude for being stalked) they had no answer. (She could have added the blatant miscarriages of justice in cases of fake encounters and the Ishrat Jahan killing.)
It was then that Rakesh Sinha started bellowing self-righteously about the journal Communalism Combat that has taken continuously anti-national stands on the execution of Kasab, on the issue of fair trials for people accused of terrorism and so on. How dare you defend such anti-national people, he roared threateningly while the anchor Sumit Awasthi smirked triumphantly. (Remember this is the news channel that sacked an Editor for raising his voice against its blatant pro-Modi bias in the Delhi election coverage).**
Priyanka’s calm reply was that the freedom to express political views against the government or which run contrary to dominant wisdom – and Communalism Combat has not spared the Congress or the UPA – is a constitutional right, which perhaps the current dispensation would like to do away with.
But I must say it was a relief to hear the official spokespersons of Hindu right-wing formations clearly state what the problem is with Teesta and Javed – not that they are petty embezzlers, but that they are ‘anti-national’ in the eyes of the Hindu Right. That is, they have consistently stood up for secular values and democratic rights, doggedly followed up on the cases against killers in the Gujarat pogrom of 2002, successfully getting some of them transferred out of the highly compromised state judiciary, and generally been a pain in the neck for the Hindu Right and for Modi’s Gujarat pogrom apologist regime.
Thank you, Rakesh Sinha and Sambit Patra, for the virulence boiling in your system, which cannot stay under control even for strategic reasons!
1. Here is a petition we can sign to express solidarity with these indomitable activists:
2. Statement from NAPM:
NAPM is deeply disturbed with news from the Gujarat High Court refusing the anticipatory bail applications of rights activists Teesta Setalvad, Javed Anand and 3 others from Gulberg Society. We strongly feel that the High Court could have meticulously examined the extensive submissions put forth by Teesta, before rejecting the bail application, seeking dropping of charges. We also express our discontent with the sweeping observations made in the Order against social justice groups.
Although there is temporary respite with the intervention of the Hon’ble Chief Justice of the Supreme Court today, it is a matter of extreme anxiety that ‘armed’ with the High Court’s order, the Gujarat police is keen to immediately arrest Teesta and others for “custodial interrogation”. We hope the Supreme Court will appreciate the overall circumstances of the case, merits of the High Court’s order and observe as to whether at all there is any need for “custodial interrogation” of the bail applicants, at this stage of the legal process.
It has been widely acknowledged that the Teesta, Javed and activists with the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) and the Sabrang Trust withstood the might of the Gujarat State for more than 12 years and fearlessly stood with the victims and survivors of the gruesome riots, since 2002. The constant political vendetta by the ruling party, at the behest of communal outfits in the state is no hidden secret.
NAPM is also worried at the increasing scenario of the present Govt. targeting rights activists, by making unsubstantiated allegations of financial irregularities and demand a halt to this approach. We call upon all peace-loving citizens, people’s organizations and political parties to voice their protest and seek fairness and justice to the activists fighting relentlessly for the cause of Gujarat riot victims. We also demand full justice and rehabilitation to the riot-survivors who are having for wait endlessly for years from a very ‘concerned State’, which does not see the need of vigilante groups.
Medha Patkar – Narmada Bachao Andolan and the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM); Prafulla Samantara – Lok Shakti Abhiyan & Lingraj Azad – Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti, NAPM, Odisha; Dr. Sunilam, Aradhna Bhargava – Kisan Sangharsh Samiti & Meera – Narmada Bachao Andolan, NAPM, MP; Suniti SR, Suhas Kolhekar, Prasad Bagwe – NAPM, Maharashtra; Gabriel Dietrich, Geetha Ramakrishnan – Unorganised Sector Workers Federation, NAPM, TN; C R Neelkandan – NAPM Kerala; P Chennaiah & Ramakrishnan Raju – NAPM Andhra Pradesh, Arundhati Dhuru, Richa Singh – NAPM, UP; Sister Celia – Domestic Workers Union & Rukmini V P, Garment Labour Union, NAPM, Karnataka; Vimal Bhai – Matu Jan sangathan & Jabar Singh, NAPM, Uttarakhand; Anand Mazgaonkar, Krishnakant – Paryavaran Suraksh Samiti, NAPM Gujarat;Kamayani Swami, Ashish Ranjan – Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan & Mahendra Yadav – Kosi Navnirman Manch, NAPM Bihar;Faisal Khan, Khudai Khidmatgar, NAPM Haryana; Kailash Meena, NAPM Rajasthan; Amitava Mitra & Sujato Bhadra, NAPM West Bengal; B S Rawat – Jan Sangharsh Vahini & Rajendra Ravi, Madhuresh Kumar and Kanika Sharma – NAPM, Delhi
For details contact : Madhuresh Kumar 9818905316 | email : napmindia@gmail.com
3. Statement from People’s Alliance for Secularism and Democracy (PADS):
People’s Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS) expresses alarm at the Gujarat Police move to arrest the two activists, Teesta Setalvad and Javed Anand in Mumbai. The arrest of Teesta Setalvad, who was denied bail by the Gujarat High court, has been stayed for 24 hours at the intervention of the Supreme Court.
Teesta Setalvad has been relentlessly championing the rights of the victims of the Gujarat pogroms of 2002. Her efforts resulted in the transfer of some of the riot related cases out of Gujarat and conviction of some bigwigs from the Gujarat government. The Government of Gujarat led by Anandiben Patel, the successor of the incumbent Prime Minister, is vindictive and has been after Teesta Setalvad and Javed Anand for their bold stand in defence of the riot victims. Its aim seems to be to discourage anyone from taking legal recourse against misdeeds of the Gujarat government during and after the 2002 pogrom. A case of embezzlement of funds collected by their NGOs has been filed against Teesta, Javed and three others. Defendants have submitted documentary evidence in court against prosecution allegations. It must be noted that while the Gujarat government appears hell bent on targeting Teesta and her associates for standing up for riot victims, it has been reinstating the police officials who are facing serious criminal charges in fake encounter cases.
The PADS demands that the Gujarat government stop harassing Ms. Teesta Setalvad and Mr Javed Anand – whose anticipatory bail applications have been rejected by the Gujarat High Court today.
4. Kafila had published in January 2015 a statement against the continued harassment of Teesta and Javed
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** IBN7 has also done a completely dishonest and fake “expose” of “love jihad” – the lack of ethics this “news” channel reveals is deeply disturbing.
No prizes for guessing who owns IBN7 – it is jointly owned by TV18 Broadcast Limited (Network18) and Turner International India (Time Warner Inc) – and TV 18 is owned by….Reliance Industries :)
KAFILA - COLLECTIVE EXPLORATIONS SINCE 2006 
Truth will out!
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TK Arun on the absurd charges against Teesta and Javed:
The charges against her are that the money collected by the trust for the benefit of the victims has been used to pay personal credit card bills and that a sum exceeding Rs 1 crore has been diverted from the fund. The credit card bills certainly contain personal items of expenditure, but the money taken from the trust was used to pay for travel between Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad for fighting the cases and related expenses, and for paying their salaries as employees of the trust.The diversion of funds of the order of magnitude of a crore turns out to be a simple case of the money having been put in a fixed deposit in the name of the trust to earn a higher rate of interest, before being returned to the trust’s savings account, along with the interest earned.
Setalvad and Anand run two trusts and their accounts are meticulously audited by reputed chartered accountants. There is absolutely no call to arrest anyone to investigate the veracity of the charges against the activist couple. The sole purpose of the case and the threat of arrest is to con sume their time and energies in defending their own liberty, instead of pursuing the legal battle relating to the riots.
The cause of securing justice in the Gujarat riots and the larger cause of advancing Indian democracy have both gained significantly from the actions of the activist couple. They deserve to be hailed as heroes, not harassed as criminals.
On May 16, 2014, the Supreme Court of India set aside a conviction by the Gujarat High Court of six Muslims for alleged involvement in the attack on the Akshardham temple in September 2002. The Court named police officers responsible for picking up and framing six innocent people, torturing them and fabricating evidence.
The government of Gujarat has not so far acted on this damning verdict.
If the state’s policing energies have to be spent on anything, it is on acting against these policemen who violated the Constitution, their oath of office and maimed the lives of six people, not on tormenting human rights activists who advance the cause of justice and democracy.
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Priyanka Chaturvedi is a Congress member. It is revealing that you conveniently do not find it important to mention it and contextualize her views while you drag in every unconnected bit you can think of to buttress your anti-BJP arguments. If you have political backers, own them up openly. Why this subterfuge?
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chalatmusafir, in your usual semi-literate mode, I see.
These are the words with which I introduce Priyanka Chaturvedi in the 4th line of my post:
“Priyanka Chaturvedi (Congress spokesperson)…”
And get a grip – your fellow trolls at least have the sense to attack me as an “AAPtard” – Congress my “political backer” indeed! Chalte bano, musafir!
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The gravity of situation becomes apparent upon comparison of this frivolous case with the treatment accorded to people given severe punishment by courts(currently relaxing at home), policemen with severe indictment and heavy burden of proof and witnesses against them(given bail and promoted) and people indicted for serious crimes during 2002(70 people let off). IT IS SURREAL!
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Mridula Chari in Scroll.in
The Gujarat government wants activist Teesta Setalvad to be interrogated in custody about charges of embezzling donations collected to build a communal violence museum. But the charges against Setalvad seem to be an attempt to intimidate her to withdraw cases she has helped Zakia Jafri to file against Narendra Modi.
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Solidarity with Teesta Setalvad – Demonstration in Mumbai
A large number of activists gathered outside Dadar Railway Station in Mumbai on Sunday (15-2-2015) evening for a public demonstration of solidarity with Teesta Setalvad & Javed Anand who are being hounded by Gujarat police with false cases. Famous film maker Anand Patwardhan, renowned writer-activist Dr. Ram Puniyani, AIDWA Maharashtra Secretary Sonya Gill, CITU leader Dr.Vivek Monteiro, Dolphy D’souza, Subodh More, Vandana Shah, Sumedh Jadhav and several eminent citizens of Mumbai participated in the meeting organized by Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) Maharashtra committee. DYFI state president conducted Adv.Bhagavan Bhagwan Bhojne, Secretary Preethy Sekhar and State committee member Moin Ansar also spoke.
Anand Patwardhan detailed the long standing criminal record of Gujarat Police which has become a tool in the hands of Sangh Parivar. Cruel encounter killings, diabolic attempts to destroy evidence and frame innocents – these are the credentials of Gujarat Police.
Dr.Ram Puniyani said that Guharat Police is targeting Teesta because Teesta had shown many BJP leaders their way to Jail. What is now taking place is part of the efforts to insulate the perpetrators of 2002 massacres from the process of law. Fascist forces occupying state power are not going to stop at this. They will try to hunt down everyone who will stand up for justice. All citizens who wants secularism and democracy to prevail must fearlessly resist SanghParivar machinations, said Dr.Puniyani.
Sonya Gill said drew attention to the irony of Police officers accused of infamous encounter killings walking free even as Teesta Setalvad and Javed Anand are sought to be put behind bars. Tireless and courageous work by Teesta and Javed have been instrumental in bringing high-placed criminals to justice. Now the state machinery is trying to frame them in the hope that their work could be obstructed. It is a matter of much pride that Teesta and Javed are undeterred by all the machinations of Gujarath Police.
Dr. Vivek Monteiro explained how BJP has been using the police machinery in Gujarat and elsewhere to frame innocents. It is a pity that judiciary is not able to prevent the bias in our police system against minorities and those who stand up for the rights of the marginalized sections.
Police personnel were deployed in large number at the protest site. Their attempts to disrupt the programme was met with stiff resistance from DYFI activists leading to a scuffle but the programme continued challenging the Police. It was yet another instance of Mumbai Police’s intolerance towards secular organizations exercising the right to assembly.
Slogans like “Teesta tum sangharsh karo, hum tumhare saath hai”, “BJP sarkkar ki dadagiri nahi chalegi” electrified the evening at Dadar, it was a show of determination and unity of secular forces in Mumbai. DYFI leaders declared that, in the days to come, the organization will galvanise the secular collective of Maharashtra and meet the challenges posed by Hindutwa forces in the state.
Preethy Sekhar
Secretary, DYFI Maharashtra state committee
Ph: 09892134522
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Interview with Teesta Setalvad on Hillele TV
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Seriously Disturbing times!
http://scroll.in/article/707893/Supreme-Court-asks-why-police-need-to-interrogate-Teesta-and-husband-in-custody-grants-interim-relief
Judges switched around
Justices SJ Mukhopadhyay and NV Ramana were on the original bench to hear the case, before Chief Justice HL Dattu assigned it to Justices Misra and Goel. Lawyers had raised questions about the close links of Mukhopadhyay and Ramana to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, the judges did not recuse themselves from the case.
Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan explained in an e-mailed statement why the judges should have done so. It has been brought to my notice that Mr. Narendra Modi was an invitee of and recently attended the weddings of the children of Justices Mukhopadhyaya and Ramanna, who are hearing the case of Teesta Setalvad.
Eyebrows had also been raised recently when it came to light that former Chief Justice of India and current Kerala Governor P Sathasivam came to Delhi to attend the wedding reception of BJP chief Amit Shah’s son.
http://www.caravanmagazine.in/vantage/why-dushyant-dave-does-not-want-chief-justice-mohit-shah-supreme-court
The Supreme Court Bar Association President and senior advocate Dushyant Dave has written two strongly worded letters to the Chief Justice of India HL Dattu and the judges on the collegium that decides on the appointment of Supreme Court judges, arguing against the possible elevation Chief Justice of Mumbai High Court Mohit Shah to the Supreme Court.
In a letter dated 6 February, Dave, after stating that Shah had been earlier considered and rejected for elevation, cites the 1993 Constitutional Bench judgment that established the collegium and adds that “reconsideration of the Chief Justice Mr Mohit S. Shah case would not only be contrary to the Constitutional Bench judgment, which binds you as well, but would be grossly improper and will seriously impact the reputation and goodwill of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India.”
The letter goes on to raise “one more disturbing fact,” which relates to the bail granted by the Supreme Court to Amit Shah in the Sohrabuddin trial while transferring the cases from Gujarat to Mumbai. Dave quotes the Supreme Court judgment according to which the administrative committee of the High Court “would assign the case to a court where the trial may be concluded judiciously, in accordance with law, and without any delay. The Administrative Committee would also ensure that the trial should be conducted from beginning to end by the same officer.”
The letter goes on to state, “Yet, the Hon’ble Bombay High Court,of which Justice Mohit S. Shah is the Chief Justice, did not follow this specific mandamus.” Dave argues that, as a result, “the Learned Trial Judge was changed on one pretext or the other three or four times without seeking leave of this Hon’ble Court. Ultimately, what happened is well known. I am not on merits of a Judicial Order that may have been passed in favor of Mr Amit Shah, but on the act of commission or omission on the part of Chief Justice Mr. Mohit S. Shah as Head of the Bombay High Court.”
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Indira Jaising:
Why I stand by Teesta Setalvad
Support for Teesta is support for access to justice for victims of a pogrom.
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