By Rehan Ansari, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: Eminent jurists, politicians and activists have formed a committee against an alleged subversion of law and intimidation of victims, witnesses, lawyers and activists especially Teesta Setalvad by the Narendra Modi-led Gujarat government.
Former Additional Solicitor General of India Adv. B.A. Desai, the convener of the‘Committee for the Defence of Teesta Setalvad and Justice in Gujarat’, declared the formation of the committee on Monday in the Mumbai Press Club.
Headed by the former justice of the Supreme Court of India P.B.Sawant, and with former Chief Minister of Gujarat Suresh Mehta and Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer as the vice chairpersons, the committee will undertake appropriate actions and activities to see that neither Teesta Setalvad nor anybody else is victimized for working for the cause of justice.
L-R- Dr.Ram Puniyani, Ex-IIT Professor, Adv.B.A.Desai, Retd. Justice P.B.Sawant, Fromer Chief Minister of Gujarat, Suresh Mehta
The committee would also defend the human rights of vulnerable sections, and would include, but not limited to, monitoring cases slapped on people pertaining to this selective victimization of Teesta Setalvad and those fighting for the cause of justice in Gujarat.
Detailing about the attack on Teesta Setalvad, Adv. B.A. Desai explained, “The attack on Teesta Setalvad is three-pronged, aimed at threatening her personal liberty through arrest, a widespread disinformation and malicious campaign to affect the process of justice and distracting her from the demand of the struggle.”
Pandharwada Mass Grave Case where 27 persons were massacred and buried in 2005 and where Teesta has been falsely implicated and declared as absconding is the immediate concern of the committee.
Complaining about the misinformation about Narendra Modi and his development promotion, Former Chief Minister of Gujarat Suresh Mehta said, “Democracy is in danger when the facts are not put before the public.” Mr. Mehta raised many questions on the development propaganda of the Modi Government. He asked, “Why the Home minister of Gujarat Amit Shah was jailed? Why top bureaucrats and IPS officers are jailed?”
“In Gujarat, every Constitutional system is subverted” complained Suresh Mehta. To prove his point he reminded about Naval Kishor Sharma, former Governor of Gujarat who said that he was totally ignored by the Gujarat Government.
Former member of Jan Sangh, Mr. Suresh Mehta also added that MLAs’ right to question in the Assembly was seized by DSPs who have taken signature of MLAs on blank question papers. On the complaint of a congress MLA, the Speaker sent it to a Privileges committee. He also alleged that the Public Accounts Committee report on corruption in the ‘Sujlam Sukhlam’ scheme was not allowed to be presented in the Assembly.
Mr. Mehta concluded that whoever spoke and acted against Narendra Modi and its government, whether police officials or his political colleagues in the party or any bureaucrats, are falsely implicated in criminal cases or intimidated.
Justice P.B. Sawant, the Chairperson of the committee, said that they came together for justice and to save the Constitution and law of the land in Gujarat. Justice Sawant, who headed the People’s Tribunal reminded about its report of 2002 Gujarat pogrom. He came down heavily on the Gujarat government and said, “Rape of legal system is going on in Gujarat.” He also expressed his fear that this lawlessness will be emulated in other states as well.
In the capacity of the President of Press Council of India, Justice Sawant requested the media to pay attention to the violation of rule of law.
Romila Thapar, Dr. Ram Puniyani, Juzer Bandukwala, Irfan Engineer and Sukla Sen are the other members of the committee which is going to meet on 25th May, 2011 to decide the future course of action.