Release Arrested Adivasi Leaders

We strongly condemn the arrest of Kiran Kalindi, Baijnath Naik, Azad Ansari & Wilson Guria from Nagrakata, Jalpaiguri on January 27, 2014. The four persons were peacefully campaigning for a bandh condemning the gruesome sexual torture and rape of the Adivasi girl at Labhpur, Birbhum.  

The police have arrested them with charges under Sections 353, 143,341,332,422,506 of IPC, and Section 25 of the Arms Act. 3 false cases were filed against them by the police – all for incidents on the 27^th itself. 

The arrested are trade-union leaders of the tea workers of North Bengal. The four persons from the Adivasi community were arrested from a peaceful demonstration in support of the bandh. Different Adivasi organisations have strongly reacted against the ghastly incident of Labhpur, Birbhum and had decided to voice their dissent through the bandh. Many others have also expressed their solidarity in support of the bandh. They feel that this incident is against the culture of the Adivasi society and are concerned that this incident is being used to condemn their culture as a whole. They have demanded a proper probe into the incident and action thereof.  

It is clearly evident from the arrests and the false charges levied upon the above four at Nagrakata that the police and the administration have acted vindictively to stifle the voices of protest and dissent in the society. 

The following organisations demand:

• Immediate release of Kiran Kalindi, Baijnath Naik, Azad Ansari & Wilson Guria.

• Withdrawal of all false charges against the above.

• A fair and proper probe into the Labhpur incident.

• A proper trial and the punishment of the accused in the Labhpur incident.

Tarun Sanyal (Shilpi Sanskritik Karmi, Buddhjeebi Mancha)

Sunanda Sanyal (Democratic Citizen’s Forum)

Amitdyuti Kumar (Working President, Association for Protection of Democratic Rights)

Dilip Chakrabarty (Saptaha)

Sujato Bhadra (Manabadhikar Sanghati)

Miratun Nahar(individual, ex-member West Bengal State Women’s Commission)

Meher Engineer (individual)

Swapan Ganguly (Ashanghatit Khetra Shramik Sangrami Manch)

Dipak Roy (Terai Dooars Progressive Plantation Workers Union)

Loes Hosapurthi (Progressive Tea Workers Union)

Arun Pal & Debjit Dutta (NAPM)

Anuradha Talwar (Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity)

Somanth Ghosh (Hosiery Workers Unity Centre)

Murad Hossain (Hawkers Sangram Committee)

Choton Das (Bandimukti Committee)

Ashish Sengupta (All West Bengal Sales Representative Union)

Rabin Soren (Birbhum Adivasi Gaonta)

Gautam Bandopadhyay (Nadi Ghati Morcha, Chattisgarh)

Madhuri (Jagrut Adivasi Dalit Sangathana, Madhya Pradesh)

Pritwish Bose (Shramajeebi Samanway Committee)

Sajal Biswas (Service Doctors Forum)

Dr Swapan Jana (Health Services Association – HSA)

Shiladitya Mondal (Liquor Shop Employees Union)

Bela Adak (Paschim Banga Swarojgari o Radhuni Union)

Sushovan Dhar (IndianOil Petronas Contractors Shramik Union)

Bodhisatwa Ray (Haldia Dock Complex Contractors Shramik Union)

Uttam Burman (Paschim Banga Sericulture Workers Union)

Suktara Khatun (Paschim Banga Chatra Yuba Sangrami Mancha)

Pratip Nag (Sundarban Banadhikar Sangram Committee)

Namita Gayen (Sramajibi Mahila Samity)

Kunal Deb (Uthnau)

Dr. Debal Deb (Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies)

Satish Kar (Paschim Banga Telecom Tower (USO) Union)