Under the auspices of People’s Union for Civil Liberties and Movement for Secular Democracy, A number of people from Gujarat belonging to different human rights and people’s organisations on May 14 staged a candle light protest demanding the immediate release of Dr. Binayak Sen, an internationally renowned medical doctor and human rights activist incarcerated in Raipur jail in the state of Chhattisgarh since May 14, 2007. The gathering included activists, lawyers, trade unionists, cultural artists, poets and writers, academicians, students among whom were Girish Patel, Prakash Shah, Dwarikanath Rath, Gautam Thakar, Prof. Ghanshyam Shah, Dr. Sarup Dhruv, Dr. Mukul Sinha, Dr. Mallika Sarabhai, Charul Bharwada, Fr. Cedric Prakash, Ashim Roy, Sonal Mehta, Kabir Thakore, Harinesh Pandya, Dr. Hanif Lakdawala, Nandini Oza, Sheba George, Damini Shah, Persis Ginwala, Hiren Gandhi, Bharat Jhala and Manishi Jani.
The protesters felt that a human rights activist and humanist doctor is charged with offences against the state including treason under the IPC is a shameful mockery of India’s Constitution and human rights. The people questioned how and why a human rights activist was required to remain in jail without any bail either from the courts of Chhattisgarh or even from the Supreme Court. They felt that this fact speaks much about the working of different institutions under the Indian Constitution. People also felt that it is an irony that those who commit serious crimes against humanity and grossly violate the Constitution of India are in power while those with sensitivity and who fight for basic human rights of the poor and marginalized are in prison.
They demanded that the charges against Dr. Sen be immediately dropped, that he be provided immediate medical facilities as sought by him and that he be immediately released and those responsible for this miscarriage of justice apologise to “We, the people of India’ who have given to themselves this Constitution.
The gathering passed a resolution outlining the above demands and severely condemned the role of the Chhattisgarh government. This was followed by a song “Saathi dar mat jaana”, specially written for Dr. Binayak Sen and Lalit Mehta by Vinay and Charul of Loknaad and presented by cultural activists.
Later, in a letter to Mr. Raman Singh, Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, the human rights and social activists demanded immediate release of Dr. Binayak Sen and restoration of human rights in the State.
“It will be two years of life snatched from one of India’s finest public-spirited doctors, who has spent over three decades in the service of some of the poorest and neglected people in the country. He also raised his voice relentlessly against the war waged by the government of Chhattisgarh against the adivasis in Dantewara in the name of Salwa Judum. Dr. Sen is conferred with Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health and Human Rights. We fear that he is being victimized through a shameful miscarriage of justice under the guise of national security. In these two years Dr Sen has indeed become a universal symbol for the struggle for the restoration of democratic rights and civil liberties in the country. He has been called a prisoner of conscience by the Amnesty International.
“Amnesty International has called the charges against him ‘trumped up’ and it is clear to all observers that till date, the prosecution has failed to provide even a shred of credible evidence against him. Twenty-two Nobel Laureates signed an open letter to the Government of India requesting his immediate release and expressed ‘grave concern’ on the contravention of his fundamental human rights. We are further concerned at recent reports regarding his declining health. Dr. Binayak Sen has been suffering from chest pain and the delay in providing him medical care of his choice poses a grave threat to his life.
“There have been unprecedented surge of citizen activism both within and outside India calling for the release of Dr Sen and the end of undemocratic ways of the Chhattisgarh Government. Nobel laureates, medical professionals, academics, journalists, human rights and health activists, students, workers, rural folk – the sheer range of people who have got involved in this epic struggle to challenge the injustice done to Dr Sen. Keeping with this spirit of fighting to preserve our rights, liberty and freedom protests, vigils, public meetings and cultural events are taking place around the world on 14 May 2009 to mark the second anniversary of Dr Sen’s imprisonment,” the letter maintained.
PUCL along with several human rights and social movements have been also protesting against the Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act 2005 and the UAPA (amended) 2004, demanding for their repeal, and release of all those detained under these draconian laws violating the Constitution of India in letter and spirit. Some 178 people have been detained under these draconian laws in Chhattisgarh.