WHO ARE THEY?

THE RAIDS AGAINST THE ACTIVISTS WERE CARRIED OUT AS PART OF A PROBE INTO THE VIOLENCE BETWEEN DALITS AND THE UPPER CASTE PESHWAS AT KOREGAON- BHIMA VILLAGE ON DECEMBER 31 LAST YEAR. WHILE PREMISES OF 9 ACTIVISTS WERE RAIDED, 5 WERE ARRESTED.

ARUN FERREIRA

An activist based in Mumbai, Ferreira was claimed to be the leader of the propaganda and communications wing of the banned Communist Party of India ( Maoist) in 2007. He was acquitted of all charges in 2014. In his book, Colours of the Cage: A Prison Memoir, published the same year, Ferreira, recounted the details of his imprisonment of nearly five years.

VARAVARA RAO

Rao has been writing poetry since 1957. Founder member of Virasam ( Revolutionary Writers' Association), he was arrested in October 1973 under MISA. He was released and arrested on more than one occasions between 1975 and 1986 in different cases, including the 1986 Ramnagar conspiracy case in which he was acquitted in 2003 after 17 years. Rao was again arrested on 19 August 2005 under AP Public Security Act. The case was struck down under the Public Security Act on 31 March 2006.

FATHER STAN SWAMY

Human rights activist father Stan Swamy founded the Vistapan Virodhi Janvikash Andolan ( VVJA), a platform that advocates the rights of indigenous people including Adivasis and Dalits. Swamy was among the 20 people against whom a sedition case was filed in July this year, for posting statements against the Jharkhand government for inciting tension over the Pathalgadi movement.

GAUTAM NAVLAKHA

Navlakha has been associated with People's Union for Democratic Rights and is a Delhi- based journalist. He is also an editorial consultant of the Economic and Political Weekly. He, along with Sudha Bharadwaj, demanded repeal of the Unlawful Activities ( Prevention) Act, 1967. They said, the Act has been used by the government to curb extremist activities as opposed to unlawful activities.

VERNON GONZALVES

A blog run by his friends describe Gonzalves as a “leader of the Altar Boys”. A gold medallist from Mumbai University and a former lecturer, Gonzalves, security agencies allege, was and former secretary of Maharashtra State Rajya Committee of Naxalites. He was convicted under various sections of UAPA & Arms Act in ’ 07 by the court.