By TCN News,
Illinois: The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has strongly condemned the campaign of persecution and harassment of human rights defender Teesta Setalvad, secretary of Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), Advocate Sohail Tirmizi and numerous other lawyers and human rights activists who have been in the forefront in the struggle to secure justice for the victims of the Gujarat riots of 2002.
Mr. Rais Khan, a former employee of CJP, on whose testimony Teesta Setalvad has been accused of having ordered the doctoring of a riot victim’s affidavit, was dismissed from the service of CJP for suspicious conduct as well as financial irregularities. The fact that a person with a dubious record and a clear conflict of interest with CJP has accused one of the most respected human rights defenders of the country, raises disturbing questions about the forces behind this vilification campaign, said IAMC in a statement.
“Ms. Teesta Setalvad’s fearless advocacy of the victims of human rights abuses, and her efforts to secure justice and dignity for the poor and dispossessed should be lauded. Instead, the forces that have fuelled hate and communal violence in the country are bent on stifling her voice,” said Shaheen Khateeb, president of IAMC. “We appeal to the Prime Minister of India, Shri Manmohan Singh to prevent this potential miscarriage of justice by ordering a CBI investigation into the roots of this malicious campaign. Justice will be served only when the Gujarat government is held accountable for its misdeeds during and after the genocide of 2002,” added Mr. Khateeb.