The National Investigation Agency simultaneously raided the premises of at least 25 human rights and civil liberties activists in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh late on Wednesday for alleged Maoist links.
According to the People’s Union for Civil Liberties, the raids continued till the early hours of Thursday and the sleuths seized phones, computers, laptops, books and papers from the activists.
Among those raided are said to be some of the most prominent activists in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, including Raghunath Verose, a Telangana High Court advocate who is associated with the Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee, Dappu Ramesh who is a member of the Jana Natya Mandali, V.S. Krishna of the Human Rights Forum, and Paani, Varalakshmi and Arun of the Revolutionary Writers’ Association, sources said.
NIA Raids Residences of Over 25 Rights Activists in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh
While NIA has claimed that the activists have ties with Maoists, members of civil society have alleged that this is a targeted witch-hunt.
Representative Image of NIA officers. Photo: PTI/Files
Rights8 hours ago
New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on March 31 simultaneously raided the houses of at least 25 prominent human rights, Dalit, women and Adivasi activists in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, alleging that they had connections with Maoists.
According to the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), the raids began in the afternoon and continued till the early hours of Thursday, April 1. Personnel seized phones, computers, laptops, books and papers from the activists.
Coimbatore: A 32-year-old man with a history of waylaying women and threatening them at knife-point was detained under the Goondas Act as per an order.
Coimbatore: With the railways yet to restart unreserved and local trains, thousands of people travelling to the city for work from Mettupalayam, Pollachi, Palakkad and Singanallur are forced to use their own vehicle or get into crowded buses, which make them more susceptible to catching Coronavirus.
“This has led to taking buses from Palakkad to Coimbatore, which cost eight to nine times more than the train,” said Madhavi, a GST department employee, who travels from Palakkad daily. “It costs Rs 5,000 a month, compared to the Rs 270 one-month pass.”
Sangavi from Pollachi, who has now begun taking bus to work, said it takes at least 10 minutes longer. “Though the bus is faster, it must take roundabouts due to the Athupalam flyover work and due to the election. It is also more tiring.”
With the release of films like Sairat
(2016) and Kaala (2018), Indian cinema is taking a step towards acknowledging stories from the margins. However, what does it mean in terms of representation and forging a path towards equality?
Films have been an important component in India’s nation-building process with nation-pride being a popular theme since the early 1900s. In her article, Indian Cinema and the Bahujan Spectatorship, Jyoti Nisha points out that from the 1930s to the 1950s, films played a crucial role in “developing the cultural identity of India as a nation” and the film industry was seen as a significant contributor to the swadeshi movement.