[Reader-list] Petition against arrest of Ajay TG

[Anivar Aravind]

Please circulate Widely

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PETITION FOR RELEASE OF AJAY TG, INDEPENDENT FILM MAKER
http://www.binayaksen.net/2008/05/petition-for-release-of-ajay-tg-independent-film-maker/

We the undersigned strongly condemn the arrest of Ajay TG, independent
film maker, and social activist by the Chattisgarh police in Bhilai on 4
May 2008 and call for his immediate release.

Though no specific charges have been made known so far, the fact that he
is detained under the Chattisgarh State Public Security Act – a law
meant for containing 'terrorists'-  it is obvious that the allegations
are likely to be drastic.

We have strong grounds to believe that Ajay is being victimised for his
human rights work as an active member of the PUCL, against which the
Chattisgarh government is carrying out a systematic campaign of
vilification and victimisation. He is the second member of the PUCL to
be arrested so far, the first being Dr Binayak Sen, well known
humanitarian and General Secretary of PUCL's Chattisgarh unit on 14 May
2007.

Apart from being a human rights activist Ajay TG is a well-known
researcher and independent filmmaker. He has done research assistance
work for Professor Jonathan Parry, a world-renowned social
anthropologist at London School of Economics and Political Science and
also participated in numerous studies conducted by universities in the
United States.

As a filmmaker Ajay TG has worked on numerous projects as director,
cameraman, editor and is also an accomplished graphic artist. Some of
his films that have been screened at festivals abroad include 'Living
Memory', screened at 'A season of South Asian Documentaries and Films',
Cambridge, UK;  'Safar' screened at Sheffield International Film
Festival, Sheffield, UK and 'The Last Shelter' screened at Royal
Anthropological institute Film Festival, London, UK.

Since September 2005 Ajay has been voluntarily running Drksakshi
(www.drksakshi.org <http://www.drksakshi.org>), an organisation designed
to provide a dignified educational environment for young girls in an
urban slum in Bhilai. He is currently also State Convener for Campaign
Against Child Labour and Treasurer of the All India Youth Federation,
Chhattisgarh.

NAME                    OCCUPATION
Anand Patwardhan                Film Maker
K.P.Sasi                    Film Maker
Satya Sivaraman                Journalist
Sarat Chandran                Film Maker
P.Baburaj                    Film Maker
Anivar Aravind                  Software Hacker, Freelancer
Sunil Shanbag                                       Theatre Director
Nandini Ramnath                 Journalist
Amrit Gangar                                        Film critic
Meghnath                    Filmmaker
Paromita Vohra                Filmmaker
Vanaja C                    Journalist
Shankar Borua                Filmmaker
Balmurli Natrajan                        Anthropologist
Simantini Dhuru                Filmmaker
Shohini Ghosh                Filmmaker
Sudeep K S                    Filmmaker
Shriprakash                    Filmmaker
Saba Dewan                   Film maker
Rahul Roy                              Filmmaker
Ajitpal Singh                     Filmmaker
Sapna Shahani                 TV Producer
Giulia Battaglia                                      Researcher, MIDS,
Chennai
Amar Kanwar                    Filmmaker
Sanjiv Shah                                            Filmmaker
Lynne Henry                    Media practitioner/dance educator
Sanjay Shah                    Filmmaker
Aditya Seth                    Filmmaker
TN Uma Devi                    Filmmaker
Nirmala Nair                    Filmmaker
Utpal Borpujari                 Journalist,
Lawrence Liang                Alternative Law Forum
Anjali Monteiro,     Professor, Centre for Media and Cultural Studies,
TISS, Mumbai
K.P. Jayasankar,     Chair, Centre for Media and Cultural Studies, TISS,
Mumbai
Shikha Jhingan                 Filmmaker
Mrinnal Talukkdar                 Filmmaker