People's Democracy

Intellectuals Deplore Anti-CJP Campaign

Several prominent intellectuals of Delhi and outside issued the following statement from New Delhi, on March 23, 2013, deploring the mischievous propaganda being carried out against a leading anti-communal crusader.

WE are disturbed by the continuing propaganda in a section of the media against the NGO, Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), and its sister organisation SABRANG. CJP and Sabrang, led by the indomitable Teesta Setelvad, have been in the forefront to seek justice for the victims of Gujarat 2002 riots since February 28, 2002. That the allegations, which are being repeatedly made by a handful of disgruntled elements, have been decisively refuted by the legally constituted Gulberg Cooperative Society vide its statement dated March 4 and March 13, has not deterred these elements, clearly shows their ulterior motive. We believe that the filing of police cases and propaganda in the media is a part of the plan to demoralise Teesta Setalvad since she is legally assisting Mrs Zakia Jafri in her case against Gujarat chief minister and others in this case which is due to be filed by April 15, 2013, and the present campaign against Ms Setalvad is to intimidate and implicate her in frivolous cases.

We express full solidarity with the CJP, Sabrang, Teesta Setalvad and her legal team in their continuing pursuit of justice for the victims of the 2002 Gujarat riots.

The signatories to the statement are Prabhat Patnaik ,  C P Chandrasekhar,  Madangopal Singh, Badri Raina, Ram Rahman, Vivan Sundaram, Irfan Habib, M K Raina, Indira Chandrasekhar, Madhu Prasad, Anil Bhatti and N K Sharma