Ajit Sahi, the editor at charge of Tehelka, strongly slammed the statement of Kerala DGP that Dalit groups are connected with the Varkkala murder. Making irresponsible comments like this in the absence of enough evidences is very pathetic and uncalled for, he said while inaugurating a protest meet on “Dalit Haunting: Stop the State Terror” conducted by the Solidarity Youth Movement in Varkkala.
Ajit Sahi reiterated that the police did have any evidences, even after three months of the incident, to prove the role of Dalit groups in planning this murder. He said he had made his own efforts to find the realities behind the action of police against the Dalits. For the purpose, he visited Varkkala police station, but did not get anything, except the scene in the police station where police had made three persons naked for interrogation. It is an act against the Supreme Court orders, he said. He made a comment that in other countries, when an incident happens, the police lead the investigation based on the proofs and clues to catch the culprits. He lamented that in India the case is quite different, where the police arrest a few persons and then show them off as culprits.
Ajit Sahi requested the police to disclose the details about the actions police had taken so far in the Varkkala murder case. He questioned the police, if it was committed by Dalit groups, then what the police did to prevent incidents like this in the future. Ajit Sahi observed that centralisation of power into a few high handed people and their ultra-usage of it is a great threat to a democracy like India. He analysed that today all except those English speaking upper and middle class Hindus may be terrorists, and the media here is fully-equipped in reporting events biased.
Ajit Sahi concluded his speech urging people to come forward to fight for justice at a time where the media, state and middle class have declared war against individual freedom and human rights.
M Sajid, Gen.Secretary, Solidarity Youth Movement, Kerala, who presided over the function, said that Dalits in India are the best examples of discriminatory politics. Prejudices made against them by the mainstream political parties have transformed the Dalits fated to be hunted always. Political parties are always in fear against any kind of intellectual movements against this discrimination. Media, which led their own investigations in the Paul murder case just reported what the ‘police said’ in the Varkkala murder case, said M Sajid. The deep silence of Leftists and Fascists in the case should also be analysed, he added.
Prominent media activist B R P Bhasker, social activist C R Neelakandan, M B Manoj, State president of PUCL Adv. Chandrashekaran, Dalit union chairman Karakulam Sathyakumar, Vice President of Solidarity K A Shafeeque, SIO State committee member U Shaiju, District President of Jamaat-i-Islami A S Noorudheen also spoke in the function. T Muhammed Velam, State secretary of Solidarity delivered the welcome speech. District President of Solidarity J K Mujeebrahiman offered vote of thanks.
DALITS ATTEND PROTEST MEET
The protest meet conducted by the Solidarity Youth Movement against the police terror in the Dalit colonies in Varkkala attracted large attention with the participation of hundreds of Dalits, who turned up from seven Dalit colonies in Varkkala. Dalits attended the function, brushing aside strong protests and resists from various corners. In the evening on the same day, Shiv Sena activists took a march in Varkkala against the meet and set afire the effigy of BRP Bhasker and destroyed the flags of Solidarity Youth Movement.
Sandhya from Cherunniyoor, a witness of police terror, shared her experience in the function. She said that police trampled down an aged woman, forced a pregnant woman into the jeep and later dropped her at a distant place; they even smashed and killed pet animals. She lamented that Dalits are feeling isolated as they even could not send children to school as the teachers are viewing them as suspects. She requested for a probe into the events with a central agency.
Prominent media activist BRP Bhasker said that he is ready to come anytime to Varkkala to fight for the sake of Dalits. He also criticised CPI(M) saying it could not learn things without taking a long time. They took 40 long years to rectify many of their old mistakes. If they take that much time to learn things, we must have to intervene to rectify them.
C R Neelakandan, famous social activist said that Dalits are presented as criminals when they unite for their ‘once-rejected’ basic rights.
A fair and complete probe should be carried out on the attacks on Dalits in Varkkala in Thiruvananthapuram, demanded Solidarity Youth Movement. All groups of people should come forward to fight against the plot to eliminate a people charging them with terrorism, urged KA Shafeek, state vice-president of Solidarity. The Solidarity accused that a Dalit-hunt was going on in Varkkala. The police and goons are making life difficult in the colonies. The police have given the goons permission to enter any house and conduct search. The attack that took place was carried out in retaliation against the peaceful march of the people opposing the police-goon nexus. Media should not believe what the police say in order to hide these facts. The media should be ready to reveal bare facts, Shafeek said.
He added that the Varkkala incidents should be investigated by an agency that can conduct a fair probe. The leaders of the organisation visited the people admitted to hospitals after being injured in the attacks.
GOVT SHOULD DECLARE A POLICY
State President of the Solidarity Youth Movement, P Mujeeb Rahman urged the Governments to put forward a constant policy on transportation and rehabilitation of those people who are to be brutally expelled of their homes in the name of National Highway development. He was delivering the inaugural speech of a call-for-agitation programme in Edakkad Bazar, conducted by Kannur District Committee under the movement’s state-wide campaign on “Develop the National Highway, Sell Not”. The campaign aimed to fight for the sake of people who will lose their homes and properties, if the proposed National Highway development plan is implemented.
Mr. Mujeeb Rahman strongly slammed the Government on its move to take over the land for the development of National Highway, without attending to the special geographical and social conditions of Kerala. He reiterated that Solidarity Youth Movement is not against the development of any kind, but reminded the authority its plea for a humanistic approach in development. Several studies and surveys from Indian Roads Congress and Surface Transportation Board and others have clearly exposed the fact that 30 metres is enough to convert the existing NHs into four-lane. But, the Government, which plans to acquire 45 metres, he said, is keeping the interests of real estate goons.
Today, the Government, which takes no heed in materialising the High-Range and Coastal highways is only dreaming of a North-South Express Highway. Mr. Mujeeb Rahman hoped that there will be strong popular agitations to fight the authorities trying to acquire unnecessary land. He expressed confidence that even housewives all across the State should come out to run away the officials appearing to take surveys with their grooms.