Gujarat's social activists have condemned the arrest of Sudha Bharadwaj and other human rights activists, lawyers and writers, saying, BJP rulers across India should "stop conspiring against those fighting against suppression of tribals, Dalits and minorities." Those arrested include Chhattisgarh's senior human Rights activist, trade unionist and High Court advocate Sudha Bharadwaj, Gautam Navlakha, Father Stan Swamy, Arun Perreira, Varanan Gonzalves, Dalit rights activist Varvara Rao, and others.
"Bharadwaj has been fighting for the rights of the workers after she joined the organization founded by martyr Shankar Guha Niyogi in Chhattisgarh 30 years ago. She appears as advocate in the Chhattisgarh High Court and other courts to fight for the rights of the deprived sections", the statement, issued by Mujahid Nafees of Insaf on behalf of tens of Gujarat activists and scholars, said.
"The National Human Rights Commission recently sought her assistance in an investigation into cases of fake encounter and illegal detention of adivasis in Chhattisgarh, and she came forward help the Central body with her professional integrity and courage. Is this is her fault?", the statement asks, underlining, the way the government has acted shows "threats and challenges created by the forces of totalitarianism, fascism and globalization."
Those who have signed the statement include Meena Jadhav, Dhanji Parmar, Jayanti Mankadia, Rafi Malik, Neeta Mahadev, Mudita Vidrohi, Shahenaz Ansari, Jameela Khan, Masoom Ali Shaikh, Snehal Shah, Abdul Wahab Ansari, Suleman Khanji, Jayanti Panchal, Waqar Kaji, Pragya Joshi, Preeti Ojha, Swati Joshi, Neha Shah, Nimi Chauhan, Pallavi Rajpal, Azeem Gharach, Shakeel Sheikh, Sushila Prajapati, Danish Qureshi, Arvind Khuman, and Dhawal Chopra.
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