PETITION FOR RELEASE OF AJAY TG, INDEPENDENT FILM MAKER

We the undersigned strongly condemn the arrest of Ajay TG, independent film maker, and social activist by the Chattisgarh police in Bhilai on 4 May 2008 and call for his immediate release.

Though no specific charges have been made known so far, the fact that he is detained under the Chattisgarh State Public Security Act – a law meant for containing ‘terrorists’- it is obvious that the allegations are likely to be drastic.

We have strong grounds to believe that Ajay is being victimised for his human rights work as an active member of the PUCL, against which the Chattisgarh government is carrying out a systematic campaign of vilification and victimisation. He is the second member of the PUCL to be arrested so far, the first being Dr Binayak Sen, well known humanitarian and General Secretary of PUCL’s Chattisgarh unit on 14 May 2007.

Apart from being a human rights activist Ajay TG is a well-known researcher and independent filmmaker. He has done research assistance work for Professor Jonathan Parry, a world-renowned social anthropologist at London School of Economics and Political Science and also participated in numerous studies conducted by universities in the United States.

As a filmmaker Ajay TG has worked on numerous projects as director, cameraman, editor and is also an accomplished graphic artist. Some of his films that have been screened at festivals abroad include ‘Living Memory’, screened at ‘A season of South Asian Documentaries and Films’, Cambridge, UK; ‘Safar’ screened at Sheffield International Film Festival, Sheffield, UK and ‘The Last Shelter’ screened at Royal Anthropological institute Film Festival, London, UK.

Since September 2005 Ajay has been voluntarily running Drksakshi, an organisation designed to provide a dignified educational environment for young girls in an urban slum in Bhilai. He is currently also State Convener for Campaign Against Child Labour and Treasurer of the All India Youth Federation, Chhattisgarh.

  1. Anand Patwardhan Film Maker
  2. K.P.Sasi Film Maker
  3. Satya Sivaraman Journalist
  4. Sarat Chandran Film Maker
  5. P.Baburaj Film Maker
  6. Anivar Aravind Freelance Journalist, Free Software Developer
  7. Sunil Shanbag Theatre Director
  8. Nandini Ramnath Journalist
  9. Amrit Gangar Film critic
  10. Meghnath Filmmaker
  11. Paromita Vohra Filmmaker
  12. Vanaja C Journalist
  13. Shankar Borua Filmmaker
  14. Balmurli Natrajan Anthropologist
  15. Simantini Dhuru Filmmaker
  16. Shohini Ghosh Filmmaker
  17. Sudeep K S Filmmaker
  18. Shriprakash Filmmaker
  19. Saba Dewan Film maker
  20. Rahul Roy Filmmaker
  21. Ajitpal Singh Filmmaker
  22. Sapna Shahani TV Producer
  23. Giulia Battaglia Researcher, MIDS, Chennai
  24. Amar Kanwar Filmmaker
  25. Sanjiv Shah Filmmaker
  26. Lynne Henry Media practitioner/dance educator
  27. Sanjay Shah Filmmaker
  28. Aditya Seth Filmmaker
  29. TN Uma Devi Filmmaker
  30. Nirmala Nair Filmmaker
  31. Utpal Borpujari Journalist,
  32. Lawrence Liang Alternative Law Forum
  33. Anjali Monteiro, Professor, Centre for Media and Cultural Studies, TISS, Mumbai
  34. K.P. Jayasankar, Chair, Centre for Media and Cultural Studies, TISS, Mumbai
  35. Shikha Jhingan Filmmaker
  36. Mrinnal Talukkdar Filmmaker
Share It:
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Google
  • NewsVine
  • Slashdot
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati

Related posts

May 8, 2008 | Filed Under Protests, statements 

Comments

23 Responses to “PETITION FOR RELEASE OF AJAY TG, INDEPENDENT FILM MAKER”

  1. Devi on May 9th, 2008 9:47 am

    I think its a sad time for the largest democracy in the world when we have taken to criminalizing civil society at the behest of our corporate masters!

    The draconian measures being used against civil society protests is very reminiscent of what happened during colonial times. Possibly the only difference being that in those times we could console ourselves that it was a foreign colonial power which did this unto us, however we have no such consolation today…

    Let all of us not be complacent in our little worlds, this is going to bite us all..

  2. sonia jabbar on May 9th, 2008 11:33 am

    Ridiculous state of affairs in Chattisgarh. I really think we ought to plan a mass demonstration in Chattisgarh where a whole lot of doctors, filmmakers, academics, lawyers, writers and journalists court arrest.

  3. Ashok Agrwaal on May 9th, 2008 4:11 pm

    The State is a lawless entity, which uses law to coerce people and bend them to its will. Those in positions of power represent the “will” of the State but, in my view, are as much in the grips of its malevolence as its victims. That is why a mere change of rulers - as in an election - makes no difference.

    My wholehearted support to this petition.

  4. asit on May 9th, 2008 4:48 pm

    istrongly condemn the arrest of ajay this is clear indication of growing fascism and shrinking democratic spaces we call upon all the democratic forces to demand the release of ajay

  5. James on May 9th, 2008 5:13 pm

    Release now

  6. Sreevidya Kalaramdam on May 9th, 2008 5:57 pm

    I endorse this statement
    Sreevidya Kalaramdam, Women’s Studies

  7. Ram Puniyani on May 9th, 2008 8:14 pm

    Endorse the petition

  8. Aditi Chandra on May 9th, 2008 10:04 pm

    I wholeheartedly endorse this petition.

  9. Dr. Hari Sharma on May 9th, 2008 11:03 pm

    I myself and SANSAD (South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy) strongly condemn the arrest of Mr. Ajay TG. Instead of unconditionally releasing Dr. Binayak Sen and dropping all framed up charges against him, the Chattisgarh government is ruthlessly escalating its attacks on the civil society, and on people’s democratic rights.

    It is time people all over India unite to mount the strongest people’s mobilization to oppose each and every case of individualized scapegoating by the state machinery and repossess the rapidly shrinking democratic space.

  10. Sanjeev Mahajan on May 9th, 2008 11:57 pm

    On Friday, May 13th, the International Day of Action
    to free Binayak Sen and other political prisoners,
    and to highlight the terror unleashed by government
    backed vigilante army, Salwa Judum, we are marching
    to the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, in concert
    with similar actions planned in other cities. We will gather at the consulate at 9:30 pm. For more
    details, please go to http://www.aidboston.org/FreeBinayakSen/actions.htm

  11. admin on May 10th, 2008 12:11 am

    Dear Sanjeev Mahajan,

    We Updated the news about San Francisco March in the website yesterday itself See this post . Please sent us updates on contact at binayaksen.net

  12. K.M.Venugopalan on May 10th, 2008 9:10 am

    The arrest of Ajay T.G is yet another attempt to intimidate all who would raise their voices for freedom, peace and justice.
    Let the sinister moves by the State to violently suppress peoples aspirations for dignified existence be exposed and challenged by lawful means.

  13. Jaya Shrivastava on May 10th, 2008 9:10 am

    This may just be the beginning of a totalitarian regime.One feels frustrated and angry at the same time. And yet the fact that we are able to raise our voices gives hope.Both the releases should be immediate and simultaneous.

  14. dipanjan rai chaudhuri on May 10th, 2008 9:52 am

    I endorse the petition.

  15. Devalina Sen on May 10th, 2008 10:13 am

    With all those hoodlums sitting in powerful places- the police catch the wrong guy!

  16. Rajeeve Chelanat on May 10th, 2008 10:33 am

    I endorse the petition and ask for an immediate release of Dr. Sen and all others who have been illegally detained by the government machinery, in all the states. I endorse my strong protest against the present practice of such detaining as nothing but absolute tyranny.

  17. PETITION FOR RELEASE OF AJAY TG, INDEPENDENT FILM MAKER on May 10th, 2008 10:18 pm

    [...] estherbintliff wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt [...]

  18. meher engineer on May 11th, 2008 4:53 pm

    This is about law and order. Freedom of expression fell to it when Taslima Nasreen was taken away from Kolkata. Freedom of movement fell to it yesterday, for me and ten of my oolleagues, when the State prevented us from going to to see the electoral process in Nandigram.

    So what is it? We can let its victims reply. The world over, people know about Binayak Sen. Prashant Rahi’s is a pan Indian name. Mithu Ghosh and Himadri Sen roy are as well known in West Bengal. But who has heard the names of the hundreds of poor indians imprisoned, in Krishnanagar jail, in the state’s Nadia district? I learned about their existence yesterday, from Choton Das who was in that jail for a brief period till the day before. They are in for not obeying the CPI (M). On entry, they are given the choice of one of two charges, attempt to rape or attempt to murder.

  19. Dr. Sara Pines on May 13th, 2008 6:04 pm

    I implore India to release this sainted humanitarian
    servant to the poor and oppressed Ajay TG, Independent film maker

  20. Freiheit für Ajay TG! « Entdinglichung on May 14th, 2008 6:14 pm

    [...] von Ajay TG findet mensch in einem Artikel auf der indischen Nachrichtenseite Sanhati in einem Aufruf indischer FilmemacherInnen sowie in zwei Stellungnahmen der PUCL (hier und [...]

  21. Maya Valecha on May 15th, 2008 1:04 pm

    Support to release Ajay

  22. jinee lokaneeta on May 18th, 2008 9:21 am

    Repeal the Chattisgarh anti-democratic law, release Ajay

  23. S. Anand on May 19th, 2008 11:02 am

    Releae Ajay immediately. Scrap the CPSA and other Acts that facilitate state terror.

Leave a Reply