Citizens' Initiatives for Communal Harmony (CICH) unequivocally condemns the attack on social activists Prajal Sakhardande and Aires Rodrigues. CICH has remarked that when committed activists, who are raising important social issues, are attacked in such dastardly fashion, it augurs badly for democracy and human rights.
The CICH notes that this incident has followed closely on the heels of the arrest of anti-mining activists after assaults on them at the instance of prominent political personalities. This build-up of violation of civil liberties towards a police state has been happening for some time now across political parties. No masked goons can operate (and that too in a Panjim restaurant!) without political patronage. The CICH has demanded that the police must act to bring the culprits speedily to book and to arrest them and to ensure thatt justice is done in the matter. The government must act to ensure the safety of citizens, and to protect the space for democratic dissent in our society, CICH has stated. CICH convenors Ramesh Gauns and Albertina Almeida have cautioned that unless we act unitedly to ensure democratic governance, we will soon have a Chhattisgarh-type situation where law and order does not prevail, and civil liberties are routinely trampled upon, as seen in the case of Dr Binayak Sen, who still languishes in jail under the garb of security laws. -- (M) 9326137682 "To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe." - Anatole France
