Forum against Suppression or Nirbandh Vyatireka Vedika on Saturday, anticipating a new government in the State, for which counting of votes is scheduled on Sunday, demanded that the new regime must commit itself to repealing the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA.
“The new government should make a resolution in the cabinet meeting, pass it in the Legislative Assembly and submit it to the Centre. UAPA should be repealed,” FaS convenor G. Haragopal and members from the civil society demanded.
The ‘new Telangana government’ must also withdraw the UAPA and illegal cases booked against social activists and leaders of various people’s organisations in the State, they demanded.
Mr. Haragopal, Laxman Gaddam, M. Raghavachary, K. Ravi Chandar of the Forum, joined by leaders from Communist Party of India (Marxist), former Central Information Commissioner Madabhushi Sridhar, retired bureaucrat Akunuri Murali, Telangana Jana Samithi’s Kodandaram and others, participated in a round table conference here at Sundaraiah Vignana Kendram on Saturday.
The leaders discussed the various ways the government applies UAPA and IPC provisions against people’s leaders. They condemned the November 18 arrest of ‘Bharat Bachao’ leaders Gade Inaiah, Banjarla Ramesh and Dr. MF Gopinath as accused number three, four and five by Yellareddypet police in Rajanna Sircilla district.
“This is a laughable case against them. They were booked under Telangana Public Security Act, UAPA. Linking any person to Maoists, under these Acts, has become a tradition. On one side, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao says we should be a mature democracy and intellectuals must deliberate on it, on the other he suppresses the very intellectuals using such regressive laws,” the speakers said.
Leaders from CPI (ML) New Democracy, Progressive Organisation of Women, Rythu Swarajya Vedika, Veekshanam, and others were present.
