[Reader-list] attack on Anhad Activist by BHP/VHP

[Inder Salim]

Date – 20/ 04/2009

Anhad and Aman Samudaya activists were brutally beaten up today by
BJP/ VHP members at two different locations in Shastri Nagar,
Naranpura (Gandhi Nagar Constituency) while they were doing a door to
door campaign.


The activists were surrounded near Pallav 4 Rasta and in Arpit
Restaurant in Shastri Nagar abused, women activists were pushed around
. Sachin Pandya and Robin Soni were kicked, punched and beaten with
sticks.  Using extremely filthy language the hoodlums threatened the
activists never to enter that area again or face dire consequences.



All this happened around 1:00 pm. A man on black activa having BJP
sticker on it, came and asked them to stop campaigning in the area.
He made several calls and soon sachin and robin were surrounded by
around 20-25hoodlums, who started beating them . Arpit restaurant
where volunteers of Anhad & Aman Samuday were sitting to have lunch
were also surrounded by BJP activists came on bikes and car (some of
the nos. of cars and bikes are – GJ 1 FM 5547, GJ 1 DF 7347, GJ 1 EL
2080, GJ 1 6931, GJ 1 FM 2993). In the mean time a lady named Geeta
and a man named Gautam, both BJP activist came in the fore front
started abusing with fowl language. Rasheeda and Shivani Singh were
pshed around and manhandled by the BJP hoodlums. They also ruffed up
other activists.



The BJP goons took away all the campaign materail. One of the leaflet
is attached which was not allowed to be distributed.



We have complaint to the election commssion. We are in the process of
filing a complaint with the Police Commissioner.



Anhad demands an immediate arrest of the hoodlums who attacked the activists.



This has happened in the 'PM in waiting' Advani's  constituency. Is
this going to happen all over India if he becomes the PM?





 Source: The Hindu
(http://www.hinduonnet.com/2009/04/21/stories/2009042157260400.htm)
New Delhi
  

Anhad activists beaten up in Gujarat

Staff Reporter


They were campaigning in Gandhinagar asking people to vote


Alleged members of the VHP and the BJP wielding lathis surrounded
themThe victims could not even file FIR due to presence of the accused
at the police station



NEW DELHI: Over two-dozen activists of ANHAD, a trust that works
towards pluralism, secularism and democracy, were allegedly beaten up
at Gandhinagar in Gujarat on Monday during an election campaign.
The attack took place in the afternoon when the ANHAD activists were
campaigning in Naranpura in the Shastri Nagar area asking people to
use their Constitutional rights and exercise their franchise.
The campaign started in the morning and the activists formed three
separate groups to reach out effectively to the electorate. It was
around 1 p.m. when a large number of goons owing allegiance to the
Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bharatiya Janata Party wielding lathis
surrounded them. Our activists, including women, were abused and
pushed around. Two of them, Sachin Pandya and Robin Soni, were
allegedly kicked and punched all over,said ANHAD founding member
Shabnam Hashmi, at a press conference here.
The campaign aimed at awakening people towards their Constitutional
rights, including right to vote, and exploding the of vibrant Gujarat
was kicked-off on Sunday.
Ms. Hashmi said the attackers took away leaflets and other printed
material carried by the ANHAD activists and threatened them with dire
consequences if they reported the matter to the police. Though the
activists escaped with minor injuries, but it could have turned either
way. It has happened to our activists many times in the past six
months. Even lodging a First Information Report is dangerous in such
cases. We are now planning to approach the Election Commission in the
present case, Ms. Hashmi added.
Alleging that the BJP cadres even stopped them from filing a police
complaint, Sachin Pandya, said When we reached the Gatlodiya police
station in the evening, we found a dozen BJP cadres standing near it.
Not willing to take risk, we returned without filing a report. Now we
are planning to approach the Police Commissione.