Dear Harsh and others, Harsh - good to see you back on the communication circuit! Where are you?
What are our state authorities so fearful about? This stands out in contrast to our treatment and welcome - where a number of us were attending different symposia and seminars in Dhaka - Lalita Ramdas On Tue, Jan 25, 2011 at 6:30 AM, Harsh Kapoor <[email protected]> wrote: > sacw.net > 25 January 2011 > > Womens Studies Conference, The Latest Victim of India’s War on Terror > > Anti terror police file charges against Illina Sen the conference host > > The 13th IAWS National Conference on Women’s Studies underway in > Wardha, Maharashtra has come under attack from over zealous anti > terror security police in India. Professor Illina Sen, who is the > conference convener and also head of the Department of the Women’s > Studies at the Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University (MGAHV), > Wardha has seen a police case registered against her concerning > bureaucratic rules and procedures about police reporting of foreigners > participation in Conferences in India. The foreigners participating at > the conference have valid tourist visas. The Anti Terrorism Squad > (ATS) have slapped charges of violations of Foreigners Act, 1946 and > have arrested the owners, managers of two hotels where foreign > participants to the conference were staying. The events in Wardha do > not protend a healthy future for participation by foreigners attending > conferences in India. > Space for academic and cultural freedoms seem to be definitely > shrinking in India. Sometimes its the Hindutva thugs or their mirror > opposite from the Islamists circuit who strike fear and intimidate by > issuing fatwas and sometimes the official powers that be find ways to > curb and intimidate. Intimidation of conference organisers on gounds > of National security is utterly shocking. There is an urgent need to > register widespread protest against the heavy handed ways of the > security agencies. Posted below are news reports giving details so far > reported in the media. People should write letters of solidarity to > Indian Association of Women’s Studies at: > iaws.secretariat[at]gmail.com > > === > > Indian Express > > ATS slaps case against Sen’s wife for foreigners’ presence at meet > > by Vivek Deshpande > > Posted: Tue Jan 25 2011, 00:04 hrs Nagpur: > > The Nagpur Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Monday registered a case > against Ilina Sen, wife of Binayak Sen, for not informing the local > police about foreigners participating in a women’s convention convened > by her at Wardha’s Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University, > where she is a teacher. > > A few foreigners participating in the global convention had lodged > themselves in a local hotel. The ATS had, on Sunday, arrested the > owner, manager and an employee of Hotel Harisons for not informing the > police about their arrival. > > On Monday, they also arrested manager of Sant Kanwarram dormitory, > where a few other foreigners had lodged themselves, for a similar > offence. > > A senior ATS officer said, “The organisers of any such meets or > conclaves have to inform the police about the foreigners participating > in the meeting or the convention under Section 7 of the Foreigners > Act. Not doing so attracts provision of Section 14, under which we > have registered the offence. Ilina Sen was convenor of the meet.” > > The foreigners who had lodged themselves at these places, however, had > given their visa and passport to the hotel management. “So, the fault > lies with the management,” the officer said. > > He, however, said, “Some foreigners were part of the protests on the > premises of the Hindi University where participants led by Sen raised > slogans demanding scrapping of some Acts like Unlawful Activities > Prevention Act and for release of Binayak Sen and the recently > arrested Dalit activist Sudhir Dhawle. All this has been video > recorded. Foreigners can’t do this, that too on the premises of Indian > government’s institution.” > > Asked if action is also contemplated against the foreigners, the > officer said, “The local police should be doing it.” > > Asked how then foreign observers could be allowed to witness Binayak > Sen’s trial, the officer said, “It’s got official sanction of the > government and they are not here to raise slogans or protest.” > > Inspector General (Nagpur range) Prabhat Ranjan said, “Wardha police > have arrested some hotel personnel, but we will have to check whether > foreigners participated in protests and if yes, how we can move > against them if at all we can.” > > o o o > > Binayak Sen’s wife booked by ATS (Hindustan Times, 25 January 2011) > > o o o > > The Times of India > > Hotelier held for not reporting foreigners > > Soumittra S Bose, TNN, Jan 24, 2011, 12.44am IST > > NAGPUR: Local unit of State Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) slapped charges > of violations of Foreigners Act, 1946, against a hotel in Wardha city. > Offences against owner of a hotel and two others were registered at > Wardha City police station on Sunday. > > Several foreign nationals are under scanner for their participation in > a socio-political conference despite entering India on tourist visa. > The foreigners had come to Wardha allegedly to participate in ongoing > 13th Indian Association of Women Studies meet at Mahatma Gandhi > International Hindi University. Ilina Sen, wife of Chhattisgarh > physician Dr Binayak Sen, convicted by a Raipur court for sedition, > has been a moving force behind the conference. > > Sources said Elina too is under watch now for vigorously spearheading > the campaign to free Dr Sen and others like Sudhir Dhawale, recently > arrested for alleged Naxal link, using the podium of the conference to > organize support against the so-called Naxal sympathizers. > > ATS sleuths indicated that the University authorities may also be > liable for action given the strong rhetoric against government voiced > during the conference. The delegates, who had come for the conference, > also organized protests against the recent arrests of some alleged > Naxal sympathizers. Intelligence agencies had been keeping a close > watch on the developments. > > ATS sleuths, who were also present undercover, rounded up the key > personnel of a prominent Wardha hotel. Offences were registered > against owner Murliharan Kruplani, manager Moreshwar Puri and > receptionist Purushottam Bhoyar. Police have arrested Puri and Bhoyar. > > ATS sources said that the hotel should have informed the local police > or Foreigner Registration Officer at special branch after the arrival > of the foreign tourists. Two United Kingdom (UK) nationals were > staying at the hotel where ATS swooped down. > > It is learnt that the local police had been informed about the arrival > of foreigners by the security agencies but no action was initiated > against them. Apart from two UK nationals, there are other foreigners > present at different venues. ATS is gearing up for more action on last > day of the conference on Monday. > > FULL TEXT AT: > http://www.sacw.net/article1894.html > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "humanrights movement" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > . > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]<humanrights-movement%[email protected]> > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/humanrights-movement?hl=en. > > -- Ramu and Lalita Ramdas `Lara' - Ramu Farm Bhaimala Village P.O.Kamarle, Alibag 402201 Raigad Dist, Maharashtra, INDIA Phone: 0091-2141-248711 Fax: 0091-2141-248733 Cell: [L] 0 9422495315 Cell: [R] 0 9860170960 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "humanrights movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. 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