BeyondHeadlines News Desk
New Delhi: Two policemen came knocking at the office of noted rights activist Shabnam Hashmi-led Act Now for Harmony and Democracy (ANHAD) from Shahpur police station around 2 p.m. yesterday, a press statement issued by ANHAD said.
The state coordinator of ANHAD, Manisha Trivedi, was present in the office at that time.
They intimidated her by saying that ANHAD was involved in anti-state activities here. “Does your landlord know that you are running an office here, which is anti-state and government,” the sleuth asked.
They jotted down Manisha’s home address, telephone number and names of everyone who works at the ANHAD office, with the names of their parents and addresses.
The release said: “They further said you are supporting Sanjeev Bhatt who is against Modi.”
ANHAD formed in 2003 in response to the Gujarat carnage of 2002 and the blatant killing of over 2000 Muslims, raping of hundreds of women and dislocating over 150,000 families in the wake of the state sponsored carnage has been working in Gujarat for the past eight years.
It has fought for the rights of the internally displaced, for 2002 victims, it was in the forefront of getting POTA repealed and getting the 2002 victims compensation package from the central government.
ANHAD has stood up for the human rights violations of every section of the people including women, Dalits, adivasis and Minorities in Gujarat. It has also extensively intervened with the youth and have organised hundreds of programmes covering every single district of Gujarat to spread the message of peace, communal harmony, to safeguard the Indian Constitution which has been under attack in Gujarat, has fought for the freedom of expression in Gujarat.
ANHAD has constantly celebrated cultural pluralism and composite culture and have organised huge programmes in Gujarat.
ANHAD has posed several questions to the state government:
1. Have you declared an independent country where the Indian constitution doesn’t apply?
2. If the Indian constitution allows freedom of speech, protest , descent then how come it is not allowed in Gujarat.
“The Gujarat Government is constantly targeting upright officers and any officer who dare to stand against the state is intimidated, anyone, any organisation coming in defence of such officers is intimidated,” said the release.
She has demanded “amicus curie and the Supreme Court to take note of the fact that any form of dissent is crushed in Gujarat.”
Condemned the incident, Hashmi said: “This intimidation by the state police and wish to inform the state of Gujarat to lay its hands off from civil society groups who are working for justice and equality of every citizen.”
ANHAD is also fighting against the Forbesganj Police Firing case.
