RDF APPEAL

COMRADE BUDHNI MUNDA, PRESIDENT OF NARI MUKTI SANGH
ARRESTED BY THE SUNDERGARH AND ROURKELA POLICE IN ORISSA.

Comrade Budhni Munda, President of Nari Mukti Sangh was arrested by the Sundergarh and Rourkela Police in Orissa along with two other activists, Sanjay alias Bijay Tudu, and Rajan Rahul Munda at Gati Jaran in Ladhi Matha Police Station limits on 7^th September 2006 at 7 A.M. They were interrogated for 36 hours illegally in the CRPF camp at Lathikata before producing before a local magistrate.

Revolutionary Democratic Front (RDF) severely indicts the illegal arrest of comrade Budhini Munda and others. Comrade Budhini Munda is also known as Sobha and Shila. It was learnt that she had been to Orissa as part of her organization’s work. She organizes Nari Mukti Sangh in four states including Orissa.

Nari Mukti Sangh is working legally and uses all open means of protest methods. Budhini Munda and two others who have been arrested along with her were remanded to police custody on the 8^th evening in the name of further police investigations. We condemn this act of police taking her into their custody and further torturing her psychologically.

We demand that her police remand be cancelled and she should be sent to judicial remand. We demand her release on bail or by scraping all illegal cases booked on her.

The RDF calls for a 24 hours bandh in Orissa, Jharkhand, and Bihar on 14^th October, 2006. We appeal to all sections of people in these three states to observe bandh (General Strike) voluntarily and make it a success. We also appeal to all democratic organizations to support the bandh call.

Rajkishore

General Secretary

Post Box No. 11664

Pushpa Bhawan

New Delhi-62

rdfindia@gmail.com

10.01.2006

Release Revolutionary Leader

Narayan Sanyal alias Vijay alias Prasad

Friends,

A popular revolutionary leader Narayan Sanyal was lifted by the Intelligence Branch of Police from Raipur on 28^th December, 2005.He was abducted in such a manner, which actually exposed once more, the real undemocratic and repressive character of the Indian state and democracy. He was continuously put under illegal police custody for 7 days, violating all the directives of the Supreme Court, given in respect of Arrest and Interrogation of a person. During police custody, Narayan Sanyal had to face many kinds of mental tortures. He was even threatened to be killed in fake police encounter. But when PUCL, PUDR, HRF, RDF and other civil rights and democratic organizations, along with different press and media raised strong voices against this illegal police arrest, the A.P. police, ultimately had to produce him before Kothagudem court of Khammam district in the evening of 3^rd January, 2006.Afterwards, he was implicated in several serious cases and sent to Warangal jail.

From the Press Release of CPI (Maoist), it has come to notice that Narayan Sanyal is a senior member of its central committee. He is active in the revolutionary movements of the country since more than 35 years. Following the call of Charu Majumdar, the leader of Naxalbari Peasant Revolt, he jumped into Naxalbadi movement, leaving his Bank job in West Bengal, and continued his journey till date. He went to Bihar to become part of the movement there in 70's and was arrested in 1973. He was kept in various prisons in West Bengal and Bihar till 1978. Inside the jail he led several struggles for the rights of the political prisoners. The post-emergency movement to release the political prisoners, including naxalites forced the Bihar government to release him. He stood steadfast for the unity of communist revolutionaries. Immediately, he jumped into revolutionary movement and his efforts paved way to form CPI (ML) (Unity Organisation). Later, it was metamorphosed into CPI (ML) (Party Unity) which led many heroic struggles in (the then) Central Bihar. He became the Secretary of the Central Committee of CPI (ML) (Party Unity) in 1987. When CPI (ML) (Party Unity) and CPI (ML) (PW) merged into CPI (ML) (PW) in 1998, he became its CC Member. He played an important role in the unity process between CPI (ML) (PW) and MCCI, which merged into CPI (Maoist) in September, 2004. He also became the CC Member of the CPI (Maoist). He is about 68 years old, and in recent years suffering from ill health. He had gone to Raipur on 28th December, 2005 for his medical treatment, when picked by the Police.

As soon as PUCL, Chattisgarh got the news of the arrest of Narayan Sanyal, it put the demand to the government to safeguard his human rights and declare his arrest, immediately. It also sent the massage of his arrest to PUDR, Delhi and other civil rights organizations, along with the press and media. PUDR, Delhi issued an Urgent Appeal and demanded to announce the formal arrest of Prasad (alias Narayan Sanyal). Likewise, Revolutionary Democratic Front also issued An Appeal at country and world level, urging the progressive and democratic forces to come forward to defend the life of Narayan Sanyal. It organized a Protest Dharna in Delhi on 3^rd January, 2006 and handed over a Memorandum to the Home Minister and the Resident Commissioner of Andhra Bhavan, demanding the immediate production of Narayan Sanyal before the court. The same appeal was also made by the International League of Peoples Struggle, World Peoples Resistance Forum and others international forums. The press and media also played positive roles by regularly publishing the news of the illegal arrest of Narayan Sanyal. Beside that, his family member filed a Habius Corpus in the High Court of Chattisgarh.

All these efforts forced the police and other government officials to declare the arrest of Narayan Sanyal. They did not succeed in inflicting any physical blow to the ‘most wanted’ maoist leader. At first the Home Secretary, Chattisgarh conveyed the PUCL,Chattisgarh and PUDR, Delhi on 30^th December,2005 that Prasad ( alias Narayan Sanyal) had been picked up from Raipur, but not arrested formally. But, when the press people contacted him on 31^th December, he refused to confirm the arrest of Prasad. In the meanwhile, the Human Rights Forum of A.P. asked to the Senior Police Officer of AP, who also denied the arrest of Prasad. But later on, one of the officer of AP Police accepted before the UNI that, ‘ The maoist leader has been arrested… and he is healthy’. Then the Chattisgarh Home Secretary also accepted before IANS that, ‘ I have come to know that a 67 years old maoist leader has been arrested, and he is in the custody of AP Police. The Chattisharh government has nothing to do with this matter’. And lastly, the AP Police produced Narayan Sanyal before the press on 3 rd January, 2006 at 3 PM.

The Khammam district S.P. told a blatant lie before the press that, ‘Narayan Sanyal has been arrested from Bhadrachalam town on 3rd January, 2006 at 3.30 AM. The AP Police produced him before the court of Kothagudam, by implicating in case of Arms Act. He was sent to Warangal Jail under 15 days of judicial remand. He has also been implicated in 21 other serious cases, including the cases related with attacks on Chandrababu Naidu, Bastar S.P., Police of Koraput and Jahanbad Jail, and the killing of a Congress leader of Dantewada. Now, the police has started the process of producing the aged and unhealthy maoist leader in the above mentioned cases, pending in the courts of different states. The police of different states are also trying to take him on remand, in the name of enquiry and interrogation. It’s very dangerous for the health and life of Narayan Sanyal to be transferred from one place to another for such dubious purposes.

It is known to all that AP Police is infamous in organizing a cruel repressive campaign against the maoists. They have killed about 200 maoists and their supporters and sent hundreds of them into jails, in the year of 2005 only. A few years back, they had killed three central leaders of CPI (ML) PW in fake encounter, by capturing them from Banglore. Recently, they have also killed a central leader of CPI(ML) Janshakti in the same way. Thus, in the custody and supervision of the AP Police, the life of Narayan Sanyal can never be safe and secured. Specially, when and intensive repressive campaign against the maoist movements of nine states is going on under the Joint Operation Command, directly formed by the central government, it has become a very serious concern to defend the life of Narayan Sanyal. It is to note that under the same Joint Operation, the polit bureau member of CPI (Maoist) Shushil Roy and its central committee member Patitpawan had been arrested in West Bengal, a few months before. They had also been illegally kept and tortured under police custody for 3 days.

Under these circumstances, it is the duty of all the human rights, civil rights organizations and democratic-revolutionary forces to come forward in the defense of the human rights of Narayan Sanyal. They should also put the demand of granting him the status of a political prisoner, before the government.

Finally, we call upon all the progressive, democratic and revolutionary forces to organize a broad-based people’s movement for the release of the popular revolutionary leader Narayan Sanyal.

Rajkishor

General Secretary

RDF

67-A, Rameshwar Nagar, Azadpur

Delhi-33

COMITATI DI APPOGGIO ALLA RESISTENZA –

PER IL COMUNISMO (CARC)

Via Tanaro, 7 20128 Milano Tel/Fax 02-26306454

e-mail: resistenza@carc.it sito: www.carc.it

Direzione Nazionale

Settore Relazioni Internazionali

3335628297@tim.it

Appello del Fronte Democratico Rivoluzionario dell'India

Rispondiamo all'appello del Fronte Democratico Rivoluzionario dell'India, diffondendolo nelle versioni in italiano e inglese, invitando coloro che intendono contribuire in qualsiasi modo a riferirsi direttamente al recapito e-mail riportato nell'appello.

Esprimiamo la massima solidarietà alle popolazioni aggredite, ai comunisti impegnati nella lotta contro l'aggressione, alle masse popolari dell'India, oppresse da un sistema che si spaccia come democratico, ai partiti comunisti che lottano e combattono contro questo sistema e contro l'imperialismo.

CARC-Settore Relazioni Internazionali

Appello internazionale del Fronte Democratico Rivoluzionario (RDF) dell'India.

Sosteniamo il processo rivoluzionario in corso e condanniamo gli attacchi genocidi fascisti attuati sotto il nome di "Salwa Judum" nel Bastar!

L'azione governativa in corso con il nome di Salwa Judum nel Bastar, regione del Chathisgar, in India, non solo ha prodotto centinaia di arresti, torture, assassinii e stupri di gruppo, ma ha distrutto le basi economiche necessarie alla vita. L'obiettivo del governo è quello di spegnere con il terrore brutale le scintille di rivoluzione che brillano proprio nel cuore dell'India.

Negli ultimi 25 anni la popolazione della regione ha vissuto un grande risveglio. Infatti negli ultimi 25 anni di lotta i Naxaliti, come sono chiamati i maoisti in India, hanno riportato queste popolazioni tribali al rispetto di sé, sconfiggendo la crudele e brutale autorità del meccanismo statale ed istituendo forme rudimentali di potere popolare. Si tratta di una lotta epica, di sacrificio e determinazione, in cui centinaia di maoisti e di loro sostenitori hanno dato la vita per la nascita della nuova società. Precedentemente alla venuta dei Naxaliti, trent'anni di cosiddetta indipendenza non hanno prodotto nulla per la gente del luogo. La loro condizione è anzi peggiorata: hanno perso le terre per i piani minerari, e sono stati regolarmente cacciati e rapinati dai forestali e da altri agenti del governo in combutta con i feudatari locali. Non c'erano istruzione, sistema sanitario, elettricità, né da vestire e nemmeno il minimo sviluppo agricolo. Il poco che riuscivano a guadagnare nel lavoro in foresta era loro sottratto dai commercianti, dai forestali e dai padroni del villaggio.

Ora, dopo questi 25 anni di lotta armata contro le forze del governo, hanno ottenuto educazione di base, medicine, conoscenze d'agraria e altro - senza dubbio in forma rudimentale - tramite il nuovo potere stabilito sotto la direzione dei maoisti che condividono con loro vita e morte. I media proclamano dall'alto che i Naxaliti impediscono lo sviluppo, ma in realtà il solo sviluppo che le popolazioni tribali hanno conosciuto è avvenuto dopo che i Naxaliti sono entrati nella regione. Ora si cerca di strappare i frutti di queste piccole vittorie attraverso la più orrenda brutalità.

Migliaia di persone sono state deportate con la forza, più di cento brutalmente assassinate, 70 villaggi bruciati, 40 donne hanno subito sturpi di gruppo, i raccolti distrutti, armenti e polli sottratti tutto sotto il nome di "Salwa Judum", che significa "campagna di pace". Tutto questo va avanti dal giugno 2005, ma i principali mezzi di comunicazione tacciono, attuando un sistematico e consapevole black-out. Eccettuati poche testimonianze, a mezzo stampa è stata passata solo la propaganda governativa.

Le brutalità sono orribili. Sono stati decapitati dei ragazzi. Le loro teste sono state conficcate davanti alle loro case. Delle donne sono state stuprate in gruppo, torturate, i loro seni recisi. A donne incinte sono stati strappati i feti e sono state abbandonate a dissanguarsi, ad agonizzare fino alla morte nel profondo della foresta. Interi villaggi sono bruciati, i raccolti distrutti, e tuttle bestie rubate o uccise. La gente è ammassata in campi di concentramento nello stile dei "villaggi strategici" usati dalle forze USA in Vietnam e in altre contro-insurrezioni. Vivono come schiavi in questi campi di concentramento estremamente anti-igienici, costretti a lavorare per la polizia, i battaglioni Naga e i paramilitari, per una miseria.

Tentano di prendere per fame le masse rivoluzionarie e di costringerle alla resa, e perciò prima hanno chiuso tutti i mercati settimanali locali, poi hanno smesso di fornire ai posti di razionamento gli alimenti base come il riso. Si sa che i mercati settimanali sono l'unica risorsa economica per i contadini Adivasi. È qui che vendono i loro prodotti e acquistano il necessario per vivere. Chiudere questi mercati non significa altro che tagliare le risorse per vivere e condannare le famiglie alla morte per fame. L'intento dello Stato è chiaramente quello di farli arrendere oppure morire di fame. Inoltre i raccolti sono stati distrutti, il bestiame portato via, e distrutte pure le case, i materiali e le riserve di grano. (...) Un enorme massa di popolazione, incluse donne e bambini, rischia la morte per fame. Con la campagna Salwa Judum che continua la situazione sta diventando infernale.

L'intera campagna è stata guidata dal Partito del Congresso, che sta alla guida dell'Opposizione, con il pieno appoggio del governo locale del BJP. Entrambi i partiti sono in combutta in questa campagna di brutalità e terrore dove operano associati in banda e sistematicamente forze paramilitari, sottoproletari, elementi feudali, ufficiali di governo e polizia. Hanno dietro i portafogli del grande capitale e degli imperialisti. La regione è ricca di minerale ferroso e ci sono progetti per l'appropriazione dell'area, che si fanno passare come progetti di sviluppo ma che comportano la deportazione degli indigeni. A questo i Naxaliti si oppongono con veemenza.

L'unico soccorso per la popolazione è il sostegno da parte dei Naxaliti, che nella foresta dividono il loro scarso cibo con le popolazioni tribali cacciate dalla loro terra. È per questo stato di cose che facciamo appello a voi perchè diate una mano alle popolazioni tribali affamate, che hanno affrontato atrocità disumane, per il solo motivo che si sono alzate in piedi, che hanno rifiutato di piegarsi alle regole dell'attuale sistema di sfruttamento, corruzione e oppressione.

Facciamo appello a voi perchè tendiate una mano a sostegno di questa storica lotta che ha luogo nel cuore dell'India. Potete farlo in vari modi, e anche piccoli contributi saranno apprezzati. Potete venire e portare la vostra competenza, risiedendo qualche mese nell'area, o contribuire con denaro, medicine e ogni altro articolo che possa essere utile alle popolazioni tribali e a chi combatte. Vi richiediamo anche che diate informazione su quello che sta accadendo nella cosiddetta più grande democrazia del mondo, quello che è scientemente nascosto al pubblico. È importante che la verità raggiunga il popolo del nostro paese, e i popoli di tutto il mondo.

Vi ringraziamo per il sostegno

Khagen Das, Presidente Raj Kishor, Segretario General

Fronte Rivoluzionario Democratico dell'India

e-mail: rdfindia@gmail.com

---------------------------------------

INTERNATIONAL APPEAL

LEND SUPPORT TO THE ONGOING

REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT IN DK!

CONDEMN THE GENOCIDAL FASCIST ATTACKS GOING ON

IN THE NAME OF ‘SALWA JUDUM’ IN BASTAR!!

In the government action going on in the name of Salwa Judum in Bastar region of Chhathisgarh, India, not only have hundreds been arrested, tortured, murdered, gang-raped, but their entire economic lifelines have been smashed. Through brutal terror the government’s aim is to extinguish the sparks of revolution taking place in the very heart of India. Over the last 25 years the people of the region have witnessed a great awakening.

Over the past 25 years of struggle the Naxalites, as Maoists in India are known, awakened these tribals to a life of self-respect, smashing the cruel and brutal authority of the state machinery and establishing the rudimentary form of the new people’s power. It is an epic struggle of sacrifice and determination where hundreds of Maoists and their supporters in this region have given their lives for the birth of the new society. Prior to the entry of the Naxalites thirty years of so-called independence had done nothing for them; in fact their conditions had only worsened, losing their land to mining projects, and regularly hounded and looted by forest and other government officials in league with the local feudal elements. There was no education, no health care, no electricity, no clothing and even very little agricultural development. And what little they earned in forest produce was robbed from them by traders, forest officials, and the village elite.

Now, through these 25 years of armed struggle against the government forces they have got basic education, medicine, agricultural knowledge, etc. — no doubt in rudimentary form — through the organisation of the new power set up under the leadership of the Maoists who live and die with them. The media proclaims from the roof-tops that the Naxalites are preventing development; but the reality is that the only development the tribals have ever seen is after the Naxalites have entered the region. And now the fruits of these small victories are sought to be snatched away from them with the utmost of brutality.

Thousands forcibly displaced, over hundred brutally murdered, 70 villages burnt down, 40 women gang-raped, crops destroyed, cattle and poultry looted — all in the name of ‘Salwa Judum’ or ‘peace campaign’. This has been going on since June 2005, but due to a systematic black-out this has consciously not been reported in the mainline media. Except for a few fact finding reports, what at all has come in the press is only government propaganda.

The brutalities are horrifying. Young boys beheaded. Their severed heads stuck on the posts of their own houses. Women gang-raped, tortured and their breasts severed, pregnant women fetuses ripped open…and then left bleeding to die an agonizing death deep in the forests. Entire villages burnt down, crops destroyed and all the cattle/poultry robbed or killed. The people herded into concentration camps — along the style of the “strategic hamlets” used by the US forces in Vietnam and other counter-insurgencies. They are living as slaves in these extremely unhygienic concentration camps doing forced labour for the police, Naga battalion and para-military for a pittance.

In an attempt to starve the revolutionary masses to surrender to the State at first they closed down all local weekly markets and then stopped supplying essential commodities, like rice, to the ration shops. As it is well known, the weekly markets are the sole economic life line for the Adivasi peasants, as it is in these markets that they sell their produce and purchase all their daily needs. Closing them down amounts to nothing but to cut off their lifeline and starve their families to death. So the State’s intention is very clear — either surrender or starve to death. In addition their crops were destroyed, their cattle looted and their houses and all material and food grain stocks destroyed. Already living a subsistence existence it is estimated that roughly Rs.15 crores of destruction has taken place. A huge mass of population face starvation, including women and children. And with Salwa Judum operations still continuing the situation is becoming hell.

The entire campaign is being led by the Congress Party leader of the Opposition with full support from the local BJP government. Both parties are hand-in-glove in this campaign of brutality and terror where para-military forces, lumpens, feudal elements, government officials and police have all ganged up in a systematic and well-planned campaign. Behind them stand the money-bags of big capital and the imperialists. This region is very rich in iron ore and the Tatas have already signed an MoU for land in this area. The Naxalites have been vehemently opposing the displacement that takes place through such projects going under the signboard of ‘development’.

The only succour for the people is the support they get from the Naxalites in the forests who share their limited food with the displaced tribals. It is under these conditions that we appeal to you to lend a helping hand to the starving tribals who have faced inhuman brutalities, for the single reason that they have ‘stood up’ and refused to bend to the corrupt, exploitative and oppressive rule of the present system.

We appeal to you to lend a hand of support to this historic struggle going on in the very heart of India. This you can do in varied ways and even small contributions will be appreciated. You can come and lend your expertise by staying in the area for a few months, or contribute money, medicine and any other items that will be of use to the tribals and forces fighting there. We also request you to spread the message of what is taking place in the so-called largest democracy in the world, which is consciously being kept hidden from the public. It is important that the real truth reaches the people of the country and world at large.

We thank you for your support.

Khagen Das (President) Raj Kishor (General Secretary)

REVOLUTIONARY DEMOCRATIC FRONT (RDF), INDIA

Email:rdfindia@gmail.com

Contact at this email id to send your contributions and teams.

Phones: +91+09417269294, 09416692452.

AN APPEAL

JOIN THE ALL INDIA CONVENTION ON

THE IMPACT OF IMPERIALIST GLOBLISATION ON WORKING CLASS

DATE: 16-17^th OCTOBER 2005 VENUE : RAIPUR (CHATTIGARH)

Friends and Comrades,

In the continuation of Mumbai Resistance – 2004, we organised an All India Anti – imperialist Convention in Kolkata in the first week of Oct.2004, involving about 200 organisations and some well known intellectuals of the country. The three day convention not only discussed the impacts of imperialist globalization on agricultural community, working class and other sections of the society, but also elected an All India Preparatory Committee , to continue the process of uniting progressive and democratic forces and to fulfill the tasks of Kolkata Convention.

In its first meeting of 7^th Oct.2004, the All India Preparatory Committee decided to organise a convention on the role of working class in the movement against imperialist globlisation A four member team was formed to co-ordinate with worker’s organizations all over the country.

The Co-ordination Team met three times, respectively at Patna (Bihar), Raipur (Chattisgarh) and Dhanbad (Jharkhand).The Dhanbad meeting was held on 28^th July, 2005 and it was very much successful. It was attended by all the members of the Co-ordination Team, along with some invitees of host and other organisations.

The participants of the meeting were as follows: 1. Vittal Raj (AIFTU, AP), 2. Chandranna (AIFTU, AP), 3. T. Hanumandalu (Telangana Aikya Vedika), 4. S. P. Singh (CMM), 5. Narendra (CCSS- Bihar), 6. Swapan Goswami (SSC- W. B.), 7.Darshan Pal (RDF), 8. Arjun Pd. Singh (RDF), 9. Bachha Singh (Majdoor Sangathan Samiti, Jharkhand), 10. Sanjay Kumar Singh (Rail Majdoor Sangram Samiti, Gaya) and 11. B.P.Rakshit (JPSM,Jharkhand).

In the meeting the dates, venue and the structure of the convention were finalised. It was decided to hold the convention on 16-17^th Oct. 2005 at Raipur, Chattisgarh. The convention will have six sessions, in which the following papers will be presented by the representatives of different participating organisations:

SESSIONS / PAPERS PRESENTED BY

1. Impacts of Imperialist Globalisation on Working Class…..AIFTU,AP

2. Imperialist Globalisation and Organised Workers………MSS, Jharkhand

3. Imperialist Onslaughts on Un-organised Workers……… CCSS-Bihar

4. Globalisation and the Plight of Agriculture Workers……APCLC / Panjab Union

5. Impacts of Globalisation on Service Sector Employees and Workers…….SSC, W.B.

6. Role of Working Class in the Movement against Imperialist Globalisation….Common Paper

Any participating organization / individual may present its /his views orally /in written form in any of the session of the convention. Since, in the last session, a common paper is going to be presented on behalf of the Co-ordination Team, other participating organisations can also put forward their perspective of working class movement against imperialist globalization.

In the concluding session, some political resolutions will be taken up and a proposal be moved to make the Co-ordination Team more broad and effective ,by including some new members.

Thus, the Raipur Convention is going to be an important event, so far as its political and organisational content is concerned.

It is to note that in the current deadliest phase of imperialist globalization, the onslaught on different sections of the working class is going to be much more disastrous. The ruling class and the reformist parties are not only following the imperialist policies, but also snatching the hard won legal and democratic rights of the working class. Only the unity of the working class movements, with a clear-cut scientific perspective can put a strong challenge before the ruling classes of India and the capitalist / imperialist forces of the world.

With this perspective, we appeal to you /your organization to join the Raipur Convention and to help in organizing the event, as far as you can.

With fraternal greetings.

Arjun Prasad Singh

(On Behalf of the Co-ordination Team)

10.08.2005

APPEAL

Indian Revolutionary Leaders’ Lives are in Danger!
Free Comrades Som (Sushil Roy) and Tapas (Patitpaban)!

Release Thousands of Political Prisoners
Languishing in Various Prisons Cross the Country!

Comrade Sushil Roy, known to millions of people in India and South Asia as Comrade Som and Barunda, was arrested by the Indian intelligence agencies on 15^th May 2005. He has been a leader of the revolutionary masses in the country and a Politburo member of the Communist Party of India (Maoist). He was arrested from Konenagar railway station in Hooghly district along with comrade Patitpaban who is popularly known as comrade Tapas. Comrade Tapas is a central committee member and the secretary of the West Bengal State committee of CPI (Maoist).

Comrade Susheel Roy, comrade Patitpaban and other members of CPI (Maoist) were illegally detained and subjected to physical and psychological torture by the West Bengal police under the supervision of the leaders of CPI-Marxist, a leading partner of the ruling left-front coalition government in West Bengal and a major ruling coalition partner in New Delhi. Later, they were produced in a court of law on 24^th May in Belpahari in West Midnapur after strong protests came from the people.

Comrades Som and Tapas have been implicated in a number of fabricated criminal cases and are at present incarcerated in a jail in West Midnapur. The arrests of the senior leaders of the CPI (Maoist) were made within a few weeks after the UPA Government formulated a major policy decision about internal security as the main issue of the country. CPI-Marxist is a major partner along with the Congress Party in framing this policy of cold blooded murders and witch-hunting of the revolutionaries in India.

Comrade Barunda (Comrade Som) is a senior leader of the united CPI (Maoist). His political life began with the Working class movement in Kolkata. He played a crucial role in the strike of Jai Engineering Workers (Usha Company) in 1966-67. He also a played an important role in the historical West Bengal Food Movement. Along with Comrade Kanhai Chaterjee, the founder Secretary of the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC), he was one among the first visionaries who propounded the Chinese line under Mao as a suitable one for India. He was part of the Chinta Group and Dakshin Desh from the very beginning. He became the General Secretary of MCC after the martyrdom of Kanhai Chaterjee and was elected as General Secretary in 1989 in its first Conference. He continued in this position till 1996 when he chose not be the General Secretary owing to his ill-health. He played a significant role in merging the MCCI and CPI (ML) Peoples War forming the CPI (Maoist) in 2004. He was elected to the Politburo of the merged Maoist Party.

Comrade Sushil Roy is a great leader of the revolutionary masses of India and South Asia. He has been giving leadership to the toiling masses of India through all periods of ups and downs in the past 40 years. Such veteran Maoist leader is facing danger to his life in the hands of the brutal state mercenary forces of India. Today, it is the responsibility of all democratic forces in India, South Asia and in fact in the entire world to rise to the occasion and save his life.

Comrade Tapas (comrade Patitpaban) associated himself with the MCC since the days of his childhood. He hails from a middle peasant family and played a major role in building the peasant movement in West Bengal. He remained steadfastly with the correct revolutionary politics and gave leadership to the revolutionary cadres and masses in West Bengal for decades. Comrade Chandi Sarkar, another State Committee member of West Bengal unit of CPI (Maoist) has been also incarcerated in the West Bengal jails. He hails from a working class family and worked as the fourth class railway employee before the rise of Naxalbari. As soon the movement started, he became the full-time worker of the CPI (ML) and was jailed in 1970’s. He has been a popular leader of the peasant movement in Nadia District in West Bengal for the last 30 years.

There are many other Maoist leaders, cadres and revolutionary masses in jails in a number of other states. Among the well-known Maoist prisoners are comrade Varara Rao, a revolutionary poet of Andhra Pradesh and comrade G Kalyan Rao, a revolutionary novelist and literary critic from the same state. Comrade Ganti Prasadam otherwise known as Prabhakar, the media Secretary of Andhra Pradesh State unit of CPI (Maoist) has been also languishing in jail. Several state level leaders of the Maoist party in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Bihar have been languishing in various prisons across the country.

Hundreds of Maoists and their supporters have been lynched in extra-judicial killings called falsely ‘encounter killings’ ever since the merger of MCCI and CPI (ML) (Peoples War) and the formation of CPI (Maoist) in September 2004. Thousands of Maoists have been arrested throughout the country following the announcement by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi of a new policy in April 2005 about a perceived threat to the internal security of the country from the Maoists. This is a major shift in the policy of any Union Government at Delhi under any political formation since Naxalbari Movement days for so far all governments put external security, though imaginary again, as a major priority.

With a view to suppress the revolutionary movement, the UPA Government has built up a Joint Operational Command (JOC) comprising the various Special Task Forces, Paramilitary, intelligence forces and the police forces of the major regions in the country - Andhra Pradseh, Bihar, Jharkand, Chattisgargh, Orissa, Maharasthtra, West Bengal, Madha Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh - where the Maoist Party is believed to be strong by the security forces.

The Maoists are generally murdered in cold blood after inhuman and brutal third degree torture methods being employed on them in India when are captured by the state forces. In rare cases they are produced in courts of law. Even in such a context, there are several thousand Maoist leaders, cadres of different levels and revolutionary masses today incarcerated in several high security prisons in India. Invariably all these revolutionaries have been kept in prisons under various draconian legal sections for years together primarily for their political conviction and opposition to the ruling classes in power. Their involvement in the acts of practical armed revolutionary war is basically secondary for they will be immediately released, notwithstanding any number of pending criminal cases against them, if they declare to part with their political conviction.

In West Bengal alone there are more than 2800 prisoners who have been arrested for their political opposition to the ruling left front while 1200 of them belong to the CPI (Maoist). In Orissa about 1000 people are facing cases at present in connection Maoist activities and 400 of then are languishing in various prisons of the state. Similarly, In Andhra Pradesh several hundred Maoists are in prisons. Same is the case in Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhatisgarh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

In Kashmir and Northeast too, several hundreds people have been imprisoned for their political opinion and conviction. Again in Gujarat and various other states as well there several hundred Muslims who have been implicated in false cases including under draconian POTA for the only reason that they are Muslims and they have asserted their religious identity.

In these circumstances the need of the hour is that the democrats of this country should voice the rights of these political prisoners. We need to demand the release of all political prisoners in the country for they are continued to be incarcerated in prisons for their political convictions.

To discuss this issue of political prisoners, let us meet in Delhi on 10^th December 2005, the international human rights day with a view to form a group of rights activists demanding the release of all political prisoners in the country.

Rajkisore

General Secretary

RDF

APPEAL FOR THE RELEASE OF

SOCIAL ACTIVIST DEBASHIS CHAKRABORTY

Debashis Chakraborty.

Age: 34.

Arrested on 29 July 2005 from his office at about 8:30 p.m. in Siliguri, Dist. Darjeeling, West Bengal.

He was summoned by the Additional. S.P., Siliguri with reference to Siliguri P.S. Case no. 109/05 dated 18.04.05, u/s 498-A of IPC against his brother-in-law upon a complaint of his sister but he was arrested in the police van on the basis of his alleged links with MCC (I) as mentioned in the FIR (139/04) of 18.05.04 filed by O.C., Matigara P.S. u/s 121/121A/122/ 123/124A of IPC and few floppies along with the CPU of his computer were seized. At the time of arrest the police had refused to issue any arrest memo despite repeated demands to produce it.

The FIR (139/04) includes a name of one Debashis Chakraborty with no address or name of father to recognise him. According to the FIR, on the night of 17.05.04 the Matigara O.C. raided the house of one Subhash Chakraborty and arrested 9 members of MCC and PWG. On interrogation, the 9 accused persons allegedly confessed that a few leaders of MCC and PWG were organising secret meetings in various places of North Bengal to spread their ideology to wage war through armed struggle against the State and Central Governments and to achieve this they had formed an armed wing called the Peoples’ Liberation Guerrilla Army. The list of leaders so named included the name of Debashis, supposedly a Central Committee member of MCC from Siliguri as stated in the FIR. Based on the documents (which include leaflets and newspapers with no reference to the names mentioned by the 9 arrested persons) and confessions of the 9 arrested persons the FIR states that “ …it is clearly established that the accused persons and the leaders and other members of MCC (I)/PWG have entered in to a conspiracy to wage war and overthrow the constitutionally established government of India and state of West Bengal and committed seditious activities to bring about disaffection to the established law of the land and procure arms, ammunition and explosives for PLGA to unleash an illegal armed struggle against the state. Thereby the accused persons have designed an abetment and aided with clear intention and motive to wage war against the state and as such clearly committed offences u/s 121/121A/122/123/124A IPC.”

In a strikingly similar performance of raid as mentioned in the FIR (182/04) filed by the O.C., P.S. Bhaktinagar, Dist. Jalpaiguri, West Bengal on 19.05.04 at the house of one Khidra Mohan Roy, two more arrests were made who once again confessed to similar links with MCC (I)/ PWG and gave the names of the same leaders who were conspiring to wage war against the democratically elected governments of the nation. Here too Debashis’ name features along with others.

Both these FIRs were lodged at a time when Debashis was in Bangalore working as a Business Development Manager for a Japanese multinational, Gestetner (India) Ltd. He has been posted in Bangalore by the same since March 2004. He resigned from his office in May 2005 on grounds of attending to family responsibility and started a business as agent of Gestetner (India) Ltd. as sales and services for Siliguri and the Northeast.

Debashis was first produced in the Siliguri Court on 30 July 2005. His bail plea was rejected and he was remanded to Police custody for 7 days on the ground that “…there is a chance of recovery of papers and arrest of other co-accused”. There was an simultaneous appeal made by his counsel on this day for keeping the seized computer and floppies in judicial custody to avoid its tampering which was also rejected by the lower court. He was produced in the lower court again on 5 August 2005. This time too his bail appeal was rejected. According to the ACJM, “… only mere technical mistake regarding arrest of the accused or any defect in the FIR shall not be a cogent ground to grant bail. Moreover, … the investigation is in preliminary stage. …(Also) materials in the CD which bar …grant (of) bail at this stage.”

However the plea of the prosecution to retain him in police custody was rejected and he was remanded to judicial custody till 17 August 2005. On the 17^th his bail plea was rejected again and his judicial remand extended till the 30^th. On the 30^th his bail appeal was again rejected on the basis of the previous order of the Session Judge, Darjeeling at Siliguri. But the court did not grant permission of interrogation of Debashis by the I.B. Next hearing was on 14 September 2005 and bail was yet again rejected this time at the District court. Five bail pleas have till date been rejected by the lower and the district courts on no definite ground. No evidence has yet been produced by the prosecution which points remotely to his involvement in any activity directly or indirectly aimed at unsettling the democratically elected governments at the state level or at the centre.

While the judicial machinery of the state as well as the police are convinced that granting bail to Debashis would have a “bad impact upon the society”, the civil society, the media, both print and the electronic, as well as political parties, including smaller left front allies as well as the opposition, seem to be thinking otherwise. A spontaneous series of protest meetings were organised across the town of Siliguri the day after the arrest. A call for a 12-hour bandh on 4 August 2005 was given by the Citizens’ Convention on 30 July. The Deputy Mayor of the town (a district committee member of CPI), district leaders of RSP, the district secretary of CPI (ML)- Liberation, along with several professors from the North Bengal University and representatives from various voluntary organisations and NGO’s were present at the convention and each one of them vehemently condemned the arrest of Debashis. Representatives of 40 mass organisations and several intellectuals of the university town took to the streets in support of the bandh call given by APDR- Siliguri branch, Siliguri Welfare Organisation (SWO) and a few other voluntary organisations. The bandh was a complete success despite opposition from the largest constituent of the left front. This was followed by several street corners in Siliguri on 6 and 7 August, a 72-hour sit-in-demonstration by 40 organisations near Siliguri court from 9 August, a cycle rally across the five districts of North Bengal from the 13^th, culminating to a protest meeting on 17 August, the day of his third bail plea. Representatives of voluntary welfare organisations, human rights and non-governmental organisations from Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Lataguri and Malbazaar along with several organisations from the Siliguri sub-division participated in these programmes. Writers, artists and cultural activists have also joined the ranks of the protesters. Mass signature campaigns have been organised to demand his unconditional release in Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar. The media has also showed their dissent to this gross violation of human rights and has given wide positive coverage to the popular movement. A widespread dissent at the false implication of Debashis by the state has developed across the districts of North Bengal.

The spontaneity and spread of the protest at the arrest of an individual surely points at the fact that the civil society is certain that this person has been falsely implicated and that he has the right to a political opinion as long as that does not threaten the democratic structure of the nation. There is no evidence that he has played any role actively or even otherwise in unsettling the democratic structure of the nation. He is an ordinary member of the civil society but one with a conscience strong enough to be part of struggles for rights of people, against policies of the government that excludes access of the masses to benefits that should be provided by the state as well as one who plays an active role in relief operations organised by the state institutions using his expertise as a trained mountaineer. He has been called in by the local as well as district authorities from time to time both as an individual as well as a member of Siliguri Welfare Organisation, of which he had been the unanimously elected secretary for three consecutive terms, to be part of relief operations in flood and landslide ravaged districts of North Bengal. He was a part of the team that volunteered at the Gaisal train tragedy. He was also one of the few volunteers who had kept vigil at the Siliguri hospital and North Bengal Medical College at the time of the mysterious killer viral fever (when even the doctors and nurses had escaped from the town in fear of getting affected) that killed around 40 people in Siliguri alone in 1999. This is a man who has risked his life several times to facilitate the state machinery in emergency situations. Why would he do so if he were so committed to “waging war” against this very state? If he is so dangerous a person that he cannot even be granted bail then why has the state in so many earlier occasions called upon him to help them in exigencies?

Let us unite and demand

· Immediate and unconditional release of Debashis Chakraborty

· An end to victimisation of social workers in the name of democracy

· Restoration of a democratic environment with due respect for human rights in the state of West Bengal

-------

Mr. Buddhadev Bhattacharya,

Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal,

Kolkata.

APPEAL FOR THE RELEASE OF SOCIAL ACTIVIST DEBASHIS CHAKRABORTY

Sir,

You might be aware that Sri. Debashis Chakraborty was arrested on 29 July 2005 from his office in Hakimpara, Siliguri u/s 121/121A/122/123/124A IPC against an FIR (139/04) of 18.05.04 filed by O.C., Matigara P.S., District Darjeeling.

Debashis has been an active social worker and has also taken part in various activities that have benefited the people of Siliguri in particular and North Bengal at large. Large sections of the civil society from all walks of life have joined in to seek release of Debashis. We feel that such arrests go against the basic democratic character of West Bengal.

Keeping Debashis’ past valuable contribution to the society in mind and the fact that he has a record of being a responsible member of the civil society we urge upon you to kindly take this case into consideration and seek for his immediate release from custody.

Thanking You,

………………….