APCR demands stringent action against police officials for intimidating human rights activists

KUSHAL JEENA/SUNIL NEGI
New Delhi: While accusing the BJP ruled states of registering false and fabricated cases against human rights activists including Nadeem Khan, the Association of Protection of Civil Rights, here Tuesday demanded these governments to take stringent action against those police officers who have indulged in such unconstitutional and uncalled malpractice.

A galaxy of defenders of human rights groups who gathered at the Press Club of India lamented the governments at the centre and BJP ruled states in criminal acts like lynching of innocent people in the name of religion.

Addressing the impressive meeting / press conference senior human rights activist Farah Naqvi said :
You must have heard , seen the most respected advocate in a television interview cried saying what craziness us happening in Sambhal.

“Being citizen we have every right to organise an exhibition to highlight the lynching, bulldozing of houses, spreading disharmony in the name of religion is nothing but perversion of meaning. Are we creating a new identity crime by registering an FIR against Nadeem Khan,” said Naqvi.

She further said that targetted attack by the officers of the law, attack against Nadeem Khan, the basis of the FIR was that he organised and exhibition against hate crimes, people are being bulldozed, hate crimes are being committed. He documented those incidents related to hate crimes.

The facts about lynching, house being bulldozed, hate speeches, enmity between the groups, etc were documented, the APCR said.

The police have registered FIR against Nadeem Khan and PUCL. This is really about of recasting the basic act of democracy into something criminal. It sounds bizarre. It is delegitimising our rights.

We stand today with Nadeem and the APCR who have given life to justice against injustice, the speakers pointed out.

When homes are bulldozed we have to thank Nadeem Khan who go to the victims and take them to courts for justice.

APCR today is fighting in many courts against lynching , exploitation of the poor and hapless. Criminalisation of Nadeem means criminalisation of justice said the speaker representing APCR.

Charges against Nadeem are frivolous, fabricated and on fictitious grounds. We need to stop this Naqvi said.

Senior counsel of country’s apex court Prashant Bhushan said that lynching is going on everywhere, communal passions are being flared up, houses are being bulldozed, but instead of bringing the perpetrators to book no action is being taken against them but FIRs are being filed against those fighting against injustice like Nadeem Khan.

“Today Nadeem Khan is the biggest fighter of civil liberties but such activists are being victimised by the police. Instead of the hate crimes, violence and intimidation taking place in BJP ruled states the police of these states are registering cases against the activities of civil liberties,” Bhushan said.

The government should take stringent action against these guilty officers. Those who are highlighting the crimes of hate, lynching and bulldozing of houses they are being conspiratorially targetted, he said.

Now the time has come that these guilty police officers should be targetted and tried by the government for criminal activities, the gathering unanimously demanded.

PUCL leader Kavitha from Jaipur said that police was trying to arrest a civil liberty activist without warrant and illegal custody. This happened in Bangalore when the police reached the house of the brother of Nadeem Khan and harassed him.

This is clearly the violation of human rights of Nadeem Khan and the people of the country want immediate justice and criminal action against the police for the registration of arbitrary FIR, she said.

RJD law maker Manoj Jha while coming down heavily on police said that twenty police officers reach their office to arrest Nadeem Khan of minority community to suppress their voice of dissent. This is highly condemnable.

This is a very passionate subject. We need to support Nadeem Khan wholeheartedly come what may. The amount of intimidation going in may tomorrow stop justice seekers to go to the courts, Jha pointed out.

Don’t think that this story will end on Zuber or Nadeem. This ruling establishment will try hard to arrest you, victimise you, suppress you or put you in jail. The forthcoming days are very troublesome. People are being threatened, the RJD MP Jha said adding that judiciary was considered to be last hope but today in my opinion it is the lost hope.

“If lynching and hate speech is the case then Modiji and his entire cabinet should be in jail. We have solidarity with Nadeem and Zuber and every person who are the victim of lynching and hate speech, ” MP, Janata Dal Mr. Jha said.