In solidarity with Teesta Setalwad and CJP

March 22, 2012

 

We the undersigned condemn the sinister attempts to malign and hound activists engaged in ensuring justice for the victims of state sponsored violence against the minorities in Gujarat.  In what has now become a pattern, powerful vested interests close to the ruling party in Gujarat, have again attacked Teesta Setalvad and Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) on charges which are blatantly false and malicious. CJP has already clarified that no one associated with their society has either collected money nor acquired anyone’s land for the Gulberg memorial; the insistence by a section of the press to continue to publish partisan and fabricated reports can only be attributed to ulterior motives.

More than ten years after thousands were killed, maimed, raped and rendered homeless under the watch of a government, these motivated campaigns only point to the continuing impunity at the highest level. The timing of this vicious campaign is all the more significant, as it pre-empts the filing of a protest petition against Narendra Modi by Smt. Zakia Jafri.

We express our solidarity with CJP and appeal to all media houses not to be party to this witch-hunt.

Sd/-

Manisha Sethi, Ahmed Sohaib, Sanghamitra Misra, Adil Mehdi (JTSA)

Kavita Srivastav,Mahtab Alam and Ramdas Rao (PUCL), Anil Chaudhary, INSAF

Harsh Dobhal, HRLN, Madhuraesh Kumar, NAPM,  Kamayani Bali Mahabal, human rights activit, Mansi Sharma, Activist