CASR strongly condemns the arrest of adivasi leader Sarju Tekam under UAPA and Arms Act, demands immediate withdrawal of the false cases against him and his unconditionally release.
Groundxero | April 3, 2024
Chhattisgarh police on Tuesday arrested tribal leader, Sarju Tekam, for being a ‘Naxalite sympathizer’ and booked him under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and Explosives Act after explosives, detonators, wires and Maoist literature were allegedly seized from his home in Bastar region.
Condemning the action, Bastar Jan Sangharsh Samanvay Samiti and Sarva Adivasi Samaj members accused police of planting a bag full of explosives inside Tekam’s house when they didn’t find anything incriminating in the search. They alleged that he has been framed and arrested for speaking against the state for usurping the lands of Adivasi people in the interest of crony capitalists.
Campaign Against State Repression has also condemned the arrest of Sarju Tekam. CASR said: Sarju Tekam has been fighting against fake encounter killings of Adivasis in the recent period, particularly after BJP came to power last year in Chhattisgarh. His attempts to mobilise Adivasi people against fake encounter killings is the main reason for this fabricated case.
CASR has demanded immediate withdrawal of the false cases against Sarju and his unconditionally release.
CASR Press Statement
CASR STRONGLY CONDEMNS THE ARREST OF ADIVASI LEADER SARJU TEKAM UNDER UAPA & ARMS ACT
Popular Adivasi leader of Chhattisgarh Sarju Tekam was arrested by security forces on Tuesday, 2nd April 2024 from his own house in Kalwar village of Manpur Mohalla District in Bastar region. Before arresting him, a huge number of security forces raided his house and conducted illegal seizures, violating all norms and laws, in the early hours of Tuesday.
Campaign Against State Repression condemns the arrest of Adivasi leader Sarju Tekam, which is yet another attempt to silence the voice of Adivasis. Later, we came to know that he was produced in a special NIA court in Bilaspur and falsely charged under sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Arms Act, alleging that the police seized Naxalite literature, banners and explosives. It is a clear case of fabrication by planting the said materials illegally in his house while stage-managing a supposed raid and search operation. He was also arrested in false cases in October last year.
Sarju Tekam is a well-known Adivasi leader who has been speaking against the violations of Adivasi rights and leading Adivasis in Chhattisgarh against the militarization and corporatization in the mineral rich area. He is the convener of Bastar Jan Sangharsh Samanvay Samiti (Coordination Committee for Bastar Prople’s Struggle) and Vice-President of Sarva Adivasi Samaj, a collective of all Adivasi organisations in Chhattisgarh.
Sarju Tekam has been fighting against fake encounter killings of Adivasis in the recent period, particularly after BJP came to power last year in Chhattisgarh. His attempts to mobilise Adivasi people against fake encounter killings is the main reason for this fabricated case.
We demand immediate withdrawal of the false case fabricated against Sarju Tekam and release him unconditionally. We appeal all democratic organisations to condemn Sarju Takam’s arrest.
Campaign Against State Repression
(AIRSO, AISA, AISF, APCR,BASF, BSM, Bhim Army, bsCEM, CEM, CRPP, CTF, DISSC, DSU, DTF, Forum Against Repression Telangana, Fraternity, IAPL, Innocence Network, Karnataka Janashakti, LAA,Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, Mazdoor Patrika, NAPM, Nishant Natya Manch, Nowruz, NTUI, People’s Watch, Rihai Manch, Samajwadi Janparishad, Smajwadi lok manch, Bahujan Samjavadi Mnach, SFI, United Against Hate, United Peace Alliance, WSS, Y4S)