Raipur Satyagraha 7th Week Marching
Update: April 27th, 2009
The Campaign for the release of Dr. Binayak Sen gained momentum today as 92 persons gathered from various parts of the country and different people’s groups courted arrest here in Raipur. As a part of the continuing satyagraha, the arrest came following a rally that began from “Boodha Talab”. The satyagrahis raised slogans and sang revolutionary songs, holding placards and banners as they marched towards Subhash Stadium. The slogans and songs continued there, even as the police carried out their legal procedures. The Magistrate soon announced the release of all Satyagrahis.
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The Satyagrahis included members from Medico Friend Circle, like Manisha Gupte and Priya from Pune, Sarojini, Vandana Prasad, Indira Chakravarthy, Beenu, Anjali, Aastha, Susheela and Preeti from Delhi, Dr. Narendra Gupta from Rajasthan, Renu Khanna and S. Srinivasan from Baroda, Ravi Duggal, Satjot Kaur and Lubna from Nagpur, Manish from Assam and Lakshmi and Jeny from Chennai. Mr. Ashok Khandelwal from Delhi was also present.
A large number of people from Raigarh district also joined the Satyagraha. They shared about their ongoing protest against Jindal Steel, who in the attempt to set up new steel plants is displacing villages in the area in collusion with the State. They narrated instances of lathi charges and other violent means used by the police to suppress the protests. Slogans were raised agaist Jindal Steel and a spontaneous resolution was passed against them.
Towards the end, Lakhan Sahu, from the Release Binayak Sen Campaign Committee, and Kalyan Patel urged the gathering to keep up the campaign till such time as Dr. Binayak Sen is released. There was also a strong demand for the revocation of the Chattisgarh Special Public Security Act (CSPSA) and the dissolution of Salwa Judum.
Today at his court hearing, Dr. Binayak Sen, was brought to the court premises at around 11 am, but was made to sit in the bus in the scorching heat for one and a half hours. The witness, a Police Inspector arrived only by 12.45 pm. He made three minute deposition about carrying a hard drive and CD to the laboratory in Hyderabad for analysis. With this statement, the case was adjourned until next month. But before the judge could close for the day, Narayan Sanyal, intervened and informed the judge about the inadequate medical attention being given to them and the callous attitude of the jail staff. He pleaded that a strong recommendation be made, for facilitating their proper treatment, which is not marred by State intervention.
Lakhan
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