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print versionAIFRTE Press Release
(16 June 2023)
AIFRTE is outraged to learn that the Telangana government has prepared an FIR, which it has kept in secret, charging the renowned senior academician Prof. G Haragopal, along with some 150 other intellectuals and civil liberties activists, with ’offences’ under the draconian UAPA law. This also include prominent persons such as Prof M Gangadhar (Treasurer, AIFRTE), K Ravi Chander (EC member, AIFRTE) and 6 other leaders of Democratic Teacher Front Telangana. All are very active in Right to Education movement.
We strongly condemn this underhand functioning particularly when dealing with a law that allows the state to declare, without any evidence, an individual to be a threat to the state irrespective of the person’s public record, conduct and status.
Prof. Haragopal is a highly respected public intellectual. The state itself has for many years now sought his help and participation as a leading interlocutor with militant groups as he is held in high esteem by all concerned for his integrity and significant understanding of democratic and civil liberties issues.
We demand unequivocally the withdrawal of such an FIR and also the withdrawal of the draconian UAPA which allows the state and its oppressive machinery to illegally charge innocent intellectuals and activists at will.
Prof Jagmohan Singh (Chairperson)
Dr V Parshad (Organising Secretary)
Dr Madhu Prasad (Spokesperson)
