The Hindu : Sahmat memo to EC against early election in Gujarat

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Friday, Jul 26, 2002

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Sahmat memo to EC against early election in Gujarat

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JULY 25. The Election Commission today received a delegation from the anti-communalism group, Sahmat, which is opposed to the idea of an early election in Gujarat. The delegation submitted a memorandum to the EC which said that normality had not returned to Gujarat and that conditions for a registered voter to cast his ballot in a free and fearless manner did not exist.

The delegation alleged that the Gujarat Government was pressuring members of the minority community to return to their homes in its determination to show that normality has returned to the State. It said that there were over two dozen affidavits filed before the Gujarat High Court stating that blatantly aggressive methods, including threatening camp managers with detention under POTA, were used by district collectors to shut down camps.

Briefing the press after the meeting, the delegation members, including Sharmila Tagore and Prabhat Patnaik of the JNU, said they were given a patient hearing by the Commission which sought details on issues they had raised such as relief and rehabilitation, the status of criminal cases, and of refugees who had fled the State. The Commission asked the delegation to submit any documents pertaining to these issues.

Prof. Patnaik said documents as well as a legal assessment of the issue of the timing of elections after the dissolution of an Assembly would be submitted to the EC within a day or so. A survey report, State of Ruins, of the situation in violence-affected Godhra and Panchmahals district was presented to the EC. Ms. Tagore said that elections could not be a primary concern in a State still gripped by fear, where the principle of "might is right'' operated. She said that not just people from the minority community but secular-minded people too were afraid.

Another member of the delegation, Parthiv Shah, film-maker, said that people in the State were afraid to speak out, and this did not make for a good election environment. He also said that rehabilitation, not elections, was needed.

The other members of the delegation included Vivan Sundaram, artist, Gauhar Raza, scientist, and Zoya Hasan of the JNU.

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Sahmat memo to EC against early election in Gujarat