Release activists, Magsaysay awardee writes to CM Yogi

LUCKNOW: Magsaysay awardee Sandeep Pandey on Thursday urged chief minister Yogi Adityanath to withdraw cases against social activists sent to jail for taking part in the protests against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) across UP.

In an open letter to the chief minister, Pandey said, “It is the anarchist elements who are responsible for violence but action is being taken against people who, all along their lives, have adopted peaceful means of protests and have faith in the Constitution of the country.”

Insisting that the “vengeance” with which the state government was acting against protesting activists is condemnable, Pandey said more maturity and restraint was expected from the government-administration.

“If you (CM) will send social activists, who have faith in the Constitution, to jail because your police are unable to identify the anarchist elements, then peaceful means of expressing dissent against the government in a democracy will be eliminated and anarchist elements will easily be able to mislead the common people,” he said. He pointed out that in FIRs registered over violence during protests in Lucknow, most of the accused are Muslims. “If there will be a bias against Muslims in taking action, then how can they be expected to have confidence in the government administration?” Pandey asked.

Citing names, Pandey said, “Lawyer Mohammad Shoaib and retired IPS officer SR Darapuri have been arrested, people like me were under house arrest in Lucknow on December 19, the day on which maximum violence took place.” He said Congress spokesperson Sadaf Jafar was till the last moment before her arrest trying to pacify the youths who were indulging in violence of which there is proof.

Similarly, Deepak Mishra is a creative cultural activist and Dr Pawan Rao Ambedkar is a lecturer in Rae Bareli, he said.

He also cited names of certain activists known to him who were arrested in Varanasi, saying, “I can say with confidence that they can only be involved in peaceful protests”.

“A pertinent question which needs to be asked is when lakhs of people assembled at other places in the country without any untoward incident why did violence break out in UP?, ” said Pandey, while adding, “I will leave it to your wisdom. If you think it proper please reconsider your decision and withdraw the cases against above mentioned activists and release all innocent people.” said Pandey.

Pandey claimed he himself demonstrated peacefully against CAA-NRC outside Banaras Hindu University’s main gate on December 14 and outside his house in Lucknow under detention on December 19.

Pandey, on December 21, had sought an appointment from the CM but when he didn’t get a response we wrote an open letter.

› If you (CM) will send social activists to jail because your police are unable to identify the anarchist elements, then peaceful means of expressing dissent against the govt in a democracy will be eliminated... SANDEEP PANDEY, Magsaysay awardee