Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Friday banned 16 organizations, including the Revolutionary Writers Association, known as Virasam, claiming to be front-line bodies of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), and is pursuing ‘tactics’ that’ wage war on the state ‘”. The order was accepted by General Secretary Somesh Kumar with effect from 30 March this year.
According to the government order, the 16 banned organizations declared “illegal” are: Telangana Praja Front, Telangana Asanghatitha Karmika Samkhya, Telangana Vidyarthi Vedika, Democratic Students Organization, Telangana Vidyarthi Sangham, Adivasi Students Union, Committee for Release of Political Prisoners, Telang Samithi, Tudum Debba, Praja Kala Mandali, Telangana Democratic Front, Forum Against Hindu Fascism Offensive, Civil Liberties Committee, Amarula Bandhu Mitrula Sangham, Chaitanya Mahila Sangham and the Revolutionary Writers Association.
The ban on these organizations is likely to raise many questions. The state government claims in its order that activists from these ‘illegal’ organizations’ move into urban areas and adopt ‘urban guerrilla tactics’, which in itself is rather vague. In addition, the GO also says that members of the 16 groups “attract” others and recruit them through “inflammatory” statements, rallies and meetings, to “raise issues against the central and state governments”.
The JV also clearly states that the organizations are also banned because they are demanding the release of prof. GN Sai Baba, Rona Wilson and the author Vara Vara Rao (from Virasam), who are all currently in prison with regard to the Elgar Parishad. case, over allegations of conspiracy to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, it can be noted that a Washington Post investigation found that evidence was planted in Wilson’s laptop to falsely involve people in the case..
The JV also stated that all 16 organizations were involved in protests calling for the repeal of the new farm laws, the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). All three of the issues became the main hotspots for protests against the Central Government, which stood up for the way it handled the protests. It can be noted, however, that mere protest against laws is part of our fundamental rights guaranteed by our constitution.
According to the state government, all 16 banned organizations operate on behalf of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), whose members are called Naxalites. CPI-M cadres were spread across the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and other places. It is noticeable how these organizations, especially the Revolutionary Writers Organization, react, as the members are known among the general public as writers who speak out against the institution.
What the Supreme Court says about banned organizations:
However, the Supreme Court contends that mere membership of a prohibited organization is not sufficient to regard a person as a criminal. “In our opinion, section 3 (5) cannot be read literally, because it is in conflict with section 19 9 (freedom of speech) and 21 (freedom) of the Constitution.
It should be read in the light of our observations above. Thus, mere membership of a banned organization will not make a criminal unless he uses violence or incites people to violence or creates public disorder through violence or incitement to violence, ‘a bench of judges Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Mishra said in said a statement. ordered from 2011.
Source: The Siasat Daily