People's Democracy

DYFI Protests against FIR on Teesta Setalvad

Preethy Sekhar

A PROTEST meeting was organised by the Democratic Youth Federation of India’s Maharashtra state committee condemning the FIR filed against Teesta Setalwad in an Ahmedabad police station. DYFI all India president M B Rajesh, MP addressed the protest gathering held on January 10 at Dadar. Speaking on the occasion, he said that the FIR is the most vindictive act by the Modi government designed as a form of punishment for her fight for justice on behalf of Zakia Jafri and other victim families of the Gujarat violence of 2002.

The gathering was attended and addressed by many prominent Mumbaikars like the famous documentary film maker Anand Patwardhan, Dr. Ram Puniyani, Dr Irfan Engineer (CSSS), Fr Fraser Mascarenhas (principal, St Xavier's College, Mumbai), CPI(M) Mumbai district secretary Mahendra Singh, trade union leader Dr Vivek Monteiro, AIDWA state secretary Sonia Gill  and others.

Almost all the speakers reiterated that the FIR is a measure of contempt for minimum democratic norms by the Gujarat government. The gathering also raised the concern that the filing of FIR against Teesta Setalvad is also suspect as Zakia Jafri is in the process of filing an appeal against the ruling of the lower court in favour of the SIT's clean chit to Modi.

The speakers noted that through threats, warnings, false FIRs and concocted stories, the Modi government has time and again sought to suppress all efforts by Setalvad and others to bring out the truth behind the role of the chief minister in the violence of 2002.

The gathering asked the secular and democratic polity in Mumbai to stand up against such threats and criminals together. The unity displayed on January 10 in this gathering was unique in many respects.
The programme was presided over by DYFI Maharashtra state president Adv Bhagwan Bhojne. DYFI state secretary Preethy Sekhar welcomed the gathering and DYFI state committee member Moin Ansar placed the vote of thanks.