Senior Gandhian, two others detained in Gujarat as Modi began summit with tycoons at Mahatma Mandir

Indukumar Jani

By Our Representative
In shocking incident, three veteran civil rights activists – Gandhian and editor of the periodical “Naya Marg" Indukumar Jani, senior economist Rohit Shukla, and Gautam Thakar, general secretary of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) -- were detained for the whole day on January 11, when the high profile Vibrant Gujarat Investors' summit took off in Gujarat capital, Gandhinagar. The trio were mysteriously picked up from near the Passport Office, around the time when they had just begun to drive to Adalaj circle, on way to Gandhinagar, about 25 kilometres away.
“We were on our way to the farmers' protest meet, which was to take place at Adalaj circle”, Thaker told Counterview, adding, “Indukumar Jani was driving the car. He was pushed out, and was asked to sit in the back. The police took control of the car, and drove us to the Gaekwad Haveli, the police crime branch office, as if we were criminals. No formal reason was given, though informally the cops told us that we were the brains behind the protest, lest farmers – whose brains equaled that of buffaloes – wouldn't even think of protesting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
Picked up at around 9.00 am, and “let off” at 6.00 pm, interestingly, the three are known even among NGO circles as “most harmless individuals”. A statement by prominent citizens, informing media about the detention, said, their mobiles were confiscated, adding, the illegal detention without specifying any rhyme or reason was a clear indication of the type of authoritarian rule India will soon be witnessing. “They were detained despite the fact that we had no direct relation with the farmers' movement. We were proceeding to the spot only give moral support to the protest”, the statement said.
Among those who have signed the statement include former BJP chief minister Suresh Mehta, well-known human rights lawyer Girish Patel, senior critic and litterateur Prakash N Shah, human rights activist Rajni Dave, environmental expert Mahesh Pandya, Jesuit human rights activist Father Cedric Prakash, Dwarkanath Rath of Lok Andolan Gujarat, Jimmy Dabhi of Human Development and Research Centre, and Ahmedabad Women's Action Group's Sara Baldiwala.

Ex-Congress veteran and Gujarat Khedut Samaj leader Sanat Mehta taking
nap on lawn on being detained at Sector 27 dy SP's office in Gandhinagar

In a separate statement, farmers' leader Sagar Rabari of Gujarat Khedut Samaj, one of the three organisations which were behind the farmers' protest, said, “Iron-curtain of police presence all over Gujarat was an instance of a hell-shocked and petrified government.” He added, “During campaigning for the 2014 elections, those who shouted slogans like 'Subsidy in Mutton, why not for Cotton?', are today clamping down on the reasonable demands of the farmers.”
The statement said, “Preventive detention of the leaders of the Sanyukt Khedut Sangharsh Samiti (joint action committee of farmers) began yesterday and continued till 2 pm. Late night detentions and a literal cordon at all entry points in the city reveals a government that is terrified and scared. There is no doubt that the government has revealed its fascist tendencies in this undemocratic act of repressing the voice of farmers.”
It added, “While world leaders, corporate and MNC heads and industrialists were being entertained at taxpayers' money, the farmers who were going to come to Mahatma Mandir were detained in the early hours of the morning (2 am and 4 am) in Ahmedabad, Mehsana, Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Amreli, Sabarkantha, Arvalli, Bharuch, Narmada, andSurat districts. The police cordon was as if they were out to nab terrorists.”
The statement further said, “The police presence at Adalaj crossroads would make one think that Gandhinagar was attacked by foreign forces. On the one hand the government was spreading out a feast for its foreign guests, the toiling cotton and groundnut farmers’ demands for fair prices did not find one sympathetic ear in the government – state or central.”
“Government apathy and thick-skinned disregard of the toiling masses’ demand for remunerative and fair prices is an example of the government’s sell-out to international and national corporate houses. The well-worn ploy of pitching the police against the people has been understood by the people and when the time comes the government will be brought to account. As long as the demands are not addressed, the agitation will continue. The forthcoming programmes will be decided after a meeting and we will see to it that our demands are met", the statement concluded.

Comments

Anonymous said…

Undemocratic attitude by the police forces in Gujarat State heading to 1975-77 INTERNAL EMERGENCY?

January 14, 2015

Wave of disappearances sparks human rights fears for activists in Delhi

By Harsh Thakor* A philosophy student from Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University, and an activist associated with Nazariya magazine, Rudra, has been reported missing since the morning of July 19, 2025. This disappearance adds to a growing concern among human rights advocates regarding the escalating number of detentions and disappearances of activists in Delhi.

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.

‘Act of war on agriculture’: Aruna Rodrigues slams GM crop expansion and regulatory apathy

By Rosamma Thomas* Expressing appreciation to the Union Agriculture Minister for inviting suggestions from farmers and concerned citizens on the sharp decline in cotton crop productivity, Aruna Rodrigues—lead petitioner in the Supreme Court case ongoing since 2005 that seeks a moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops—wrote to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on July 14, 2025, stating that conflicts of interest have infiltrated India’s regulatory system like a spreading cancer, including within the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).

Overriding India's constitutional sovereignty? Citizens urge PM to reject WHO IHR amendments

By A Representative A group of concerned Indian citizens, including medical professionals and activists, has sent an urgent appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to reject proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) before the ratification deadline of July 19, 2025.

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

Sandra Gonzalez Sanabria: An inspiring life from Colombia’s Amazonian valley

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* In the village of Héctor Ramírez, known as Agua Bonita, in La Montañita, Caquetá, Colombia, a vision of peace and renewal is unfolding. In the pre-2016 period, this would have been nearly impossible for outsiders to visit, as it was the epicenter of violent resistance against state oppression. However, after the Peace Accord was signed between the Colombian government and former revolutionaries—marking the end of a 70-year insurgency that claimed over 400,000 lives until 2025, including civilians, rebel fighters, and security personnel—things began to change. Visiting Agua Bonita during the Global Land Forum in Bogotá revealed a village of hope and resilience. Former FARC revolutionaries have settled here and transformed the village into a center of peace and aspiration.

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

Activists allege abduction and torture by Delhi Police Special Cell in missing person probe

By A Representative A press statement released today by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) alleges that several student and social activists have been abducted, illegally detained, and subjected to torture by the Delhi Police Special Cell. The CASR claims these actions are linked to an investigation into the disappearance of Vallika Varshri, an editorial team member of 'Nazariya' magazine.

India’s zero-emission, eco-friendly energy strategies have a long way to go, despite impressive progress

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent report released by OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2025 has predicted that by the year 2050, crude oil would replace coal as India’s key energy source. Clearly, OPEC expects that India’s dependence on fossil fuels for energy will continue to remain high in one form or another.

Search This Blog