By TCN News,
New Delhi: ‘Peoples Movement Against UAPA’, a joint platform of several human rights activists, lawyers, community leaders and the representatives of civil society has decided to launch various programmes across the nation demanding repeal of the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The movement that was launched in January, 2014 chalked out a strategy for the re-launch of campaign in a meet held on Friday at the India International Center in the national capital.
During the meeting, it was decided that a team would meet the leaders of all political parties in Bihar, prior to the upcoming election, and would impress upon them the need for the repeal of UAPA, which has already put thousands of people in jails on false charges.
A delegation would also visit West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi to create the awareness among the politicians about the unconstitutional provisions in the act.
As part of the campaign, a booklet will be published in English and other languages, and conventions and rallies will be organized in various states with the cooperation of different organizations.
Kamal Faruqui, the General Convener of the movement, said at the meeting that more rigorous provisions are being introduced in the act which will make an innocuous financial help to somebody in jail, a crime under UAPA.
It is high time, he said, that the people should raise their voice against UAPA as they had done in the past against TADA and POTA.
Maulana Wali Rehmani, the chairman of the movement, who is also the Acting General Secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), stressed the need for united action against the act. Maulana Rehmani presided over the meeting.
Ravi Nair of South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre (SAHRDC), called for the deletion of the Sec.197 of the Cr.P.C, which, he said, gives unnecessary protection to the delinquent officers. He also added that the Intelligence Bureau should be put under the purview of the Parliament to monitor its activities and its expenditure should be reviewed by the CAG.
Jaskaren Singh of Shiromani Akalidal (Amritsar) observed that the ruling dispensation in the country is becoming more anti-minority and anti- poor.
Advocate Ashok Agarwal wanted deletion of harsh provisions in the UAPA and make it subject to periodic parliamentary review as it was in the case of previous terror laws.
While Meharunnisa Khan from Jaipur has suggested that there should be coordinated movement against putting innocent youths in jail for long time”.
Waman Meshram, The All India Backward And Minority Communities Employees Federation (BAMCEF) chairman drew attention of delegates towards the upper-caste domination of the Indian polity. He pointed that there were more than 131 Dalit MPs but they rarely protest or raise their voice against the atrocities heaped on Dalit communities across the country.
President of South Asia Minority Lawyers’ Association (SAMLA) and Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind lawyer Advocate Mehmood Pracha, who is handling cases of UAPA victims, underlined the need for the political participation of the people and their real representatives coming to the power to stop this kind of draconian laws.
Advocate Prashanth Bhushan said that a People’s Tribunal should be established in order to document the atrocities under UAPA and strengthening of the toothless Minority Commissions and Human Rights Commissions.
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Movement against UAPA launched