Memorandum submitted to the police commissioner, Ahmedabad

Anhad activists today staged a one and a half hour long Dharna in front of the Ahmedabad’s Commissioner of Police office from 6.30pm to 8.00pm. The following memorandum was submitted to the Police Commissioner.

The Police Commissioner

Ahmedabad

Sir,

This is to express our condemnation of the illegal detention of the volunteers of ANHAD by the Maninagar Police at the behest of local BJP goons led by Parag Naik who have been trying to disrupt ANHAD activities for last one week and to demand immediate action against Parag Naik and his associates. In the wee hours of 14 December these activists were surrounded by the BJP goons and threatened by them when they were inserting ANHAD leaflets in the newspapers. They were led by Parag Naik, the local BJP man who asked them to give all the copies of the leaflet to him to burn it. The local police detained the activists of ANHAD instead of arresting Naik for openly indulging in criminal act and impounded the campaign material and the vehicle.

Anhad activists were taken to the police station. The activists were let off only after over 12 hours of illegal detention.

Earlier, on 13th evening while distributing roses and interacting with people we were attacked by a group of BJP goons led by Parag Naik and his associates, near Khokhra Cirle, Mani Nagar.

They used highly abusive language and manhandled many of our volunteers. They dragged a woman activist to one side and threatened to tear her clothes. Caught her from the back of her neck and twisted her arm. They forcibly took away the memory card of the camera. A complaint was filed again with the Police Commissioner, yesterday night itself.

On 8th December 2007, same Parag Naik had misbehaved with Shabnam Hashmi, while we were preparing for our cultural programme at Dakshini chawk in Mani Nagar. A complaint was filed with you on 10 December, 2007 asking for a criminal case to be filed against Parag Naik as well as with the election commission.

It is highly deplorable that perfectly legal democratic activity is being disrupted by the BJP and the local police is acting as its assistant. It is a matter of great concern that despite repeated complaints the authorities have refused to move.

We think it is your duty as the custodian of law and order in the city to ensure that democratic activities in keeping with the law of land are not disrupted by criminals. We are dismayed by the inaction on your part which has only emboldened the goons.

We demand action against the miscreants of BJP and return of the seized campaign material.

Date: 14 December 2007

Signed by
 Apoorvanand
 Sanjay Sharma
 Shabnam Hashmi