Move to stop Teesta Setalvad going to US, Canada to lecture on human rights, as Gujarat police books top activist

By A Representative
In what is being interpreted as an effort to prevent well-known social activist Teesta Setalvad from going abroad to deliver lectures on human rights issues, she and her husband, Javed Anand, have been booked for what the Ahmedabad crime branch has called “fraudulently” securing Central government funds worth Rs 1.4 crore for her NGO Sabrang Trust between 2010 and 2013.
One of India’s topnotch human rights defenders who has fought and won several 2002 Gujarat communal riots cases, just as in previous cases against them, in the latest attempt, too, the original complainant is a former employee of another NGO she heads, Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), Rais Khan Pathan.
Calling the attempt to book her as “nothing short of a coercive method to prevent Setalvad from going on a long planned trip for human rights lectures abroad”, an official statement by CJP says, she has been invited to Canada by Sikhs of Indian origin to commemorate the 100 years of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
The statement, sent as an email alert, says, she was chosen because “Setalvad's great grandfather, Chimanlal Setalvad, was part of the committee that cross-examined and interrogated General Dyer after the massacre.”
After visiting Canada, Setalvad is scheduled to deliver lectures at Harvard and several other cities of the United States.
Booked under various IPC sections, including misappropriation of property and criminal breach of trust, the accusation includes the NGO seeking to "mix religion with politics and spreading disharmony through the curricular material prepared for the erstwhile UPA government.”
Giving details of the project, Khoj (innovation), for which she had sought government funds, CJP says, it dates back to 1994, when Setalvad and Anand started a programme for school children which was christened as ‘Khoj: Education for a Plural India’.
A project of Sabrang, Khoj evolved educational modules which were implemented in both privately run and civic corporation-run schools in Mumbai and elsewhere in Maharashtra over the years. The project involved the crucial area of education policy, especially democratization of the social studies and history syllabus and text-books.
Part of the team constituted by Parliament in 2004, Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE), during her decade-long association with CABE – which involved preparing textbooks in government schools not using the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) syllabus, including those run by religious and social organizations – Setalvad came to know of a grant by the Ministry of Human Resource Development under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan.
“On behalf of Sabrang, Setalvad submitted the proposal for grant from the Ministry of Human Resource Development to then Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Human Resource Development on March 8, 2010”, the statement says, adding, after approval of the proposal, the NGO was disbursed Rs 58,72,500, Rs 26,66,570 and Rs 54,20,848 in fiscal years 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 respectively.
“The project benefited 192 schools through direct teaching and teacher training programmes. Ten libraries were set up across Maharashtra and most of the books for the libraries were procured from Government publishing houses”, the statement adds.
This apart, says the statement, “Seven short films were made and one book was conceptualized and published as curriculum for 5th standard students. Through this curriculum, which was a child centric pedagogy, India’s constitutional values and pluralism were imparted to around 6000 students across Maharashtra.”

Bombay HC order not to arrest Setalvad

Meanwhile, in a setback to Gujarat police, the Bombay High Court has ordered that Setalvad and Anand should not be arrested till May 2 in case in the criminal case lodged against them by it. A bench of Justice Revati Mohite-Dere gave the two interim protection from arrest on their plea for “transit anticipatory bail”, filed on Wednesday. While allowing their plea, the bench asked them to appear before the probe agency on Friday for recording their statements and later, as and when required.

Comments

Uma said…

It is so obviously a case of a disgruntled "employee" taking it out on her knowing full well that the state government will take his word against hers.

I have worked with her briefly and know what a wonderful person she is.

April 06, 2018

Unknown said…

You are in same line, any one else those don’t have any relationship with her, come forward

April 13, 2018

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).

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.

Gender violence defies stringent laws: The need for robust social capital

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra* The tragic death of Miss Soumyashree Bisi, a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan College, Balasore, who reportedly self-immolated due to harassment, shocked the conscience of Odisha. Even before the public could process this horrifying event, another harrowing case emerged—a 15-year-old girl from Balanga, Puri, was allegedly set ablaze by miscreants. These incidents are not isolated; they highlight a disturbing pattern of rising gender-based violence across the state and the country.

Search This Blog