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Intellectuals protest Mamata regime's 'irrationality'
Tuesday April 17, 2012 09:30:57 PM,
IANS
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New Delhi: More than
50 intellectuals have expressed "dismay over the spiralling
descent into irrationality" of the West Bengal government
following Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's directives to libraries
to subscribe to particular newspapers and the arrest of a Jadavpur
University professor for posting her caricatures on internet.
In a written statement, the signatories from the Safdar Hashmi
Memorial Trust (SAHMAT) said: "We believe the increasing illogical
behaviour of the administration is inspired from the very top, by
the impetuous and ill-considered statements and actions of the
chief minister on every matter that falls within her gaze: crimes
against women, the poor oversight of medical facilities or the
deteriorating in the quality of civic services."
Some of the protesters included Irfan Habib, Teesta Setalvad,
Mridula Mukherjee, Astad Deboo, Saeed Mirza and M.K. Raina.
"The West Bengal state government order issued late in March,
laying down in minute detail the newspapers public libraries could
subscribe to, was an unwarranted intrusion into the right of the
people to seek information from any source of their choosing,"
said the statement.
The signatories alleged that the circular issued by Banerjee left
out two most popular English language dailies and all English
newspapers.
The arrest of Jadavpur University professor Ambikesh Mahapatra
"after he was roughed up by the political cadre of the ruling
party - for circulating a subtle joke about Mamata Banerjee's
style of leadership, must rank among the gravest violations of
free speech by an elected government in recent times," said the
statement.
The signatories said "they were shocked at the continuing
incarceration of Partho Sarothi Ray, an internationally-renowned
biologist, for attending a peaceful protest against the eviction
of slum dwellers".
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