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Malegaon:
As many as 32 NGOs and Civil Rights groups have extended their support
to the Tehelka reporter who is facing criminal charges for her
report published in the latest issue of the fortnightly
magazine. Criticizing the police action against the journalist,
the NGOs have also demanded from the Karnataka Govt to drop all
charges against her.
"We strongly urge the Karnataka
Government to drop the charges against Shahina and create a
harmonious environment for both freedom of expression as well as
for the minorities", the NGOs said in a press statement released
December 5.
Tehelka reporter KK Shahina had
carried a report in the latest issue of Tehelka magazine about
2008 Bangalore blast. In her report, she has raised questions over the
police investigation and implication of People’s Democratic Party
(PDP) President Abdul Nasar Madani in the blast. Karnataka Police,
however, accused her of 'intimidating witnesses' and slapped two
cases against her under section 506 of IPC.
"The case is not against her as an
individual but it is a warning to the entire press community,
women and minorities. We strongly condemn the attitude of the
police to frame false charges on a reputed journalist in a
nationally reputed magazine", the NGOs said in the statement.
"We are aware that if the police can
go to that extent, what the status of ordinary members of the
minority community could be", they added.
Condemning the local newspapers that
reported the incident without verifying the facts, the NGOs said,
"We also condemn the tradition of some of the members of the press
to repeat the false information of the police, which has very deep
communal implications."
"We are shocked at the growing human
rights violations in the name of tackling terrorism. Above all,
the problems faced by Shahina is also a grave threat to freedom of
expression and the incidents also warn us about the fascistic
designs of the Sangh Parivar controlled Karnataka Government", the
NGOs said.
The NGOs who signed the statement
include:
All india Secular Forum, People's
Union for Civil Liberties, Keraleeyam Magazine, Thrissur
Padabhedam Magazine (Calicut), INSAF, Kerala Tourism Watch, South
Indian Cell for Human Rights Education & Monitoring - SICHREM
(Bangalore), ViBGYOR Film Collective (Thrissur), Common Concerns (Orissa),
Moving Republic (Bangalore), Visual Search (Bangalore), New
Socialist Alternative (Bangalore), Pedestrian Pictures, Kabani-
The Other Direction, Orissa Concerns.net, Karnataka Komu Souharda
Vedike Vettiver Collective (Chennai), Campaign for Justice and
Peace (Tamil Nadu), Saheli (Delhi), South Asia Citizens Web (sacw.net),
Centre for Harmony and Peace, Varanasi, Dalit Mukti Morcha
Chhattisgarh, Nava Janadhipthya Prasthanam (NDM), Rural Education
for Development Society (Tumkur), Booshakthi Vedike (Karnataka),
Dalit Panchayat Movement (Tumkur District), Delhi Forum, Programme
For Social Action, Asian Media Forum, Infochange Social Media
(Pune), National Coalition for Social Watch (Delhi), Context India
(Bangalore), Manasi Swasthya Sansthan (Indore), Center for Study
of Society and Secularism
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