Release of Raj Awasthi
Initiative India
NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF PEOPLE'S MOVEMENTS
c/o Chemical Mazdoor Sabha, Haji Habib Bldg, Naigaon Cross Lane,
Dadar (East), Mumbai-400014 Ph.(022) 24150529, na...@riseup.net
Press Note | January 27, 2006
Ø A young, committed activist challenging unjust displacement due to
World Bank funded project arrested in Mumbai, still continues in Jail.
Ø False charges under maharashtra prevention of slumlords, bootleggers
Act against Raj Awasthi
Ø NAPM & eminent persons condemn the brutal repression by an unholy
nexus
Rajkumar Kishanlal Awasthi, one of the persons displaced by Mumbai
Urban Transport Project, and a young, committed activist who has been
raising issues of injustice in this World Bank funded project is under
arrest again. We condemn these utterly false charges against Raj,
implicating him first in a fake incidence of 'extortion' and now,
under the Maharashtra Prevention of Slumlords, Bootleggers, Drug
Offenders and Dangerous Persons Order, 1981, treating him like a
Slumlord or 'Zopadpatti Gunda'. All this is surely to harass and
repress Raj Awasthi, his colleagues and comrades and all the activists
who would raise any issue related to infrastructure and development
projects as well as the World Bank. Raj Awasti is on an indefinite
fast against the unjust arrest and the police is denying permission to
colleagues including his own brother to visit him in Jail.
Update
When contacted in Jail, It was found that Raj Awasti's fast was
forcefully ended just three days ago simultaneously informing him that
he would be heard by the advisory board under MPDA Act 1981. On
February 1st. His health continues to be very weak since he is only on
rice and cannot eat any spicy vegetable or other things except banana.
Mr. AWASTI IS STILL IN JAI.
Meanwhile NAPM has filed a writ petition challenging the illegal
detention with absolutely fake allegations. The case is to be heard on
January 31st, in which a special affidavit has been filed by Medha
Patkar, National coordinator of NAPM. The news report suggest that the
demands made by MUTP affected people before the MMRDA and the world
bank with active support of Raj Awasti and NAPM has however been
accepted by the world bank as with in the policy and not fulfilled by
MMRDA.
Those include paying the compensation for the loses due to
displacement and providing an alternative built area equivalent to the
area of the house/shop acquired. This shows that Raj Awasti and his
colleagues were not at fault and the MMRDA and other authorities were
indeed the violators of law. The latter in connivance with the
builders and politicians, therefore, seem to have taken an illegal
action of detaining Raj Awasti. Mr. Nawab malik the NCP MLA of Kurla
region has publicly threatened in a meeting held a few days ago all
those who would question development schemes would follow the fate of a
person (Raj Awasti) who is already in jail. It is also to be noted
that the one after the other poor locality is facing threats and
attacks by the builders and politicians men.
We condemn the arrest as State terrorism and demand the immediate
release of Awasthi who is sent to Thane (near Mumbai) Jail on a long
detention. We demand unjust cognizance to be taken by Congress Party
Leaders of this ghastly action by Mumbai's police, already losing its
credibility due to brutal lathi charge (beating) on the urban poor in
April 2005, rapes, torture and corruption. We demand action against all
those civilians and officials, as well as politicians, who are behind
this violation of human rights and civil liberty, after immediate
investigation by the NHRC, Human Rights Defender Organisations in
India, by Amnesty International, and all concerned.
We know what are the god qualities and contribution of Raj Awasthi,
which have perturbed the local leaders such as Mr Nawab Mallick, MLA
who are under corruption charges in a case by Anna Hazare already and
lost his Ministry for the same as well as builders, such as Diwan
builderts, who have an eye on the land and property around Mithi River,
next to link roads under MUTP. He also challenged the MD of Mumbai
Metropolitan regional Development Authority, for his alleged links with
the builders such as Hiranandani. Raj Awasthi is bright, educated with
no links with gundas but in a good company of activists of National
Alliance of People's Movements, including all of us. He possesses
knowledge of law, good English and had complained to the Independent
Investigation Panel under the World Bank against the continued
injustice to the infrastructure project affected families, poor
slum-dwellers, as well as shopkeepers. He had no response from the
MMRDA but the World Bank, it is known, has discontinued its funding
until rehabilitation is completed. Raj was mobilizing and supporting
the people on the banks of Mithi River facing inhuman eviction from
land and livelihoods, involved with all of us. Just recently, on
December 16th, Raj presented his views and made submission with
Architect Chandrashekhar and myself before the Committee reviewing
Mumbai flooding and its causes, chaired by Madhav Chitale at the
Mantralaya.
The arrest of Raj Awasthi, with false charges, faked data and
documents, is a gross violation of democratic and human rights and
amount to physical torture. It was on 14th October that he was arrested
from amidst a group of about 20 or more colleagues and co-residents who
were in a meeting to discuss their problems, while a false charge of
'red handed arrest while accepting money' was filed against him by
Kurla and Vakola Police Station. He was kept in police custody for not
less than 14 days without even the basic minimum, the bedsheets etc
provided, in an unclean, horrifying cell at Vakola, Mumbai and released
on bail. The investigation was just a tamasha (drama) and no justice
was accrued. Fresh and false charges have been filed against him again,
this time for a longer detention (6 months to one year) and hence he
has been deliberately charged under Maharashtra Prevention of
Slumlords, Bootleggers, Drug Offenders and Dangerous Persons Order,
1981.
To accuse Raj Awasthi of being a "violent type of dangerous criminal,
having taken to the life of criminal for the sake of easy money and to
show your upper hand in the localities of Nasibulla Compound, Kismat
Nagar, Vionha Bhave Nagar, LIG Colony, Kurla (West) ... You and your
like minded associates are moving about armed with weapons like knives
and do not hesitate to use those weapons while committing the offences
of extortion, robbery, assault and criminal intimidation. You and your
said associates have caused panic amongst the common people residing
and having access to the above areas. Your activities are, therefore,
prejudicial to the maintenance of public order in the above said
localities in Brihan Mumbai" is an act of the terrorist State that
has always been resorting to such fictitious allegations against
genuine activists. The Maharashtra Government must apologize since this
game by a nexus of builders-politicians is fully exposed. The World
Bank must immediately look into the tactic to suppress raising issues
by the Project Affected, as is witnessed in Narmada, the dams in the
North East and now, in the infrastructure sector.
Medha Patkar Simpreet Singh Siyaram Mauria Mumtaz bai
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