Thank you for the update on Ajay. Just a couple of points:

First, I think nobody need be under any apprehension that Ajay has been arrested for working with me. I have not worked with Ajay and our filing the case has nothing to do with Ajay. If the government wanted to, they could get at me or any of the other petitioners directly, and indeed they already have been trying to do so, eg by fabricating photos of me with my arms around armed Naxalite women (though they were later forced to deny it after I sent the police a notice).

Second, Mahendra Dubey’s argument probably based on lack of detailed knowledge that I was doing research into adivasi life styles and Ajay came at my behest to Gachanpalli village or that he was hired by us is factually inaccurate. Ajay was there as part of PUCL with Binayak Sen, and I was an independent person accompanying the team. We had one local guide with us. PUCL had a press conference after the event, and I independently complained to the Election Commission about the rigging. I am attaching a copy of the letter here. I am also attaching a copy of the letter which was published by TOI on 28.4.04.

My research is separate from my human rights work with other groups, and when I do research, it is usually alone. I would not like my research to be jeopardised, on the grounds that I use it as a cover for human rights work or advocacy.

You are right to say that Ajay has been targeted because he was a PUCL activist. But the fact that his camera was taken away by sangham members should itself show that there is no link between Ajay or Pucl and the Maoists.

Its good for the widest number of people to join the campaign to free Ajay. My only concern is that any deviation from factual accuracy will backfire on his case.

Yours

Nandini

Nandini Sundar
Professor, Department of Sociology
Delhi School of Economics
University of Delhi, Delhi 110007
Co-Editor, Contributions to Indian Sociology
Ph: 9868076576, Fax: 27667858

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Letter to Times of India
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The Editor
Times of India

24 April 2004

Dear Sir,

This is with reference to your front page article (April 24) “Ballot power triumphs over bullet power”, which mentions a 50% turnout in Chhattisgarh. On 20th April, polling day, I accompanied a PUCL Chhattisgarh team to Dantewada district, where a poll boycott has been called by the CPI (ML) People’s War. We visited seven villages, in all of which, judging by local opinion, the boycott was fully successful. But it was never even put to the test, since polling booths did not exist in these areas, despite the use of helicopters to airdrop polling agents and the induction of paramilitary forces and the army. Local sources estimate that in actuality polling agents never reached approximately 25% of the notified booths.

Our tour covered three notified polling stations, Kolaiguda, Pentapad and Gachanpalli, in which there was no evidence of any polling booth or agents. The villagers said that no polling booths had been set up in the Vidhan Sabha elections either. We have video recorded evidence of this. Despite this, votes have been cast from these booths in both the elections: Kolaiguda (LS 63, VS 98), Pentapad (LS 23, VS 27), Gachanpalli (LS 126, VS 17). Last time the advantage went to the ruling Congress. This time, no doubt, it will help the BJP. Either way, it is a fraud on democracy.

While not supporting enforced poll boycotts, I feel people have a democratic right to vote or not to vote. Militarising regions in the name of electoral choice and then polling false votes is no way to promote democracy.

Yours sincerely

(Dr.) Nandini Sundar
Associate Professor
Jawaharlal Nehru University