PRESS RELEASE
27 January 2009
Bhubaneswar
We condemn the way Sri Gananath Patra, advisor to Chasi Mulia Sangh, Narayanpatna has been picked up by the police on 27th January 2010 around 7pm from Bhubaneswar . He was invited to a meeting with some of the members of a national level joint fact finding committee preparing to visit Narayanpatna. After the meeting, while he was on his way, he was picked up by the plain clothes policemen from Vivekananda Marg.
It is pertinent to mention that Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh is not a banned organization and it has been fighting against the exploitation of adivasi for the last 10-15 years. Shri Patra has been active in various mass movements in Orissa for last 25 years and not involved in any unlawful activity. Besides, his name was not even mentioned in the wanted list of people circulated by police in the context of Narayanpatna struggle.
If he has been arrested by the police, no information regarding his arrest is available in the police control room, none of his near and dear one has been informed. This is outright violation of guidelines set by D.K. Basu judgment.
We demand the immediate release of Sri Gananath Patra.
Pramodini Pradhan, Convenor, P.U.C.L.-Bhubaneswar
Prof. Manoranjan Mohanty, Delhi
Dr. D. Manjit, Kashipur Solidarity Group, Delhi
Biswapriya Kanungo, Advocate & Human Rights Activist, Bhubaneswar
