Activist across the city came out in support of activists Teesta Setalvad and her husband, Javed Anand. The two have been given some reprieve from the supreme court after the Gujarat high court refused to grant them bail.
Activist across the city came out in support of activists Teesta Setalvad and her husband, Javed Anand. The two have been given some reprieve from the supreme court after the Gujarat high court refused to grant them bail.
In a press conference that was held at the Press Club on Tuesday, activists stated that the custodial interrogation was not required, and that the witch hunt against the two should stop. "The court has not seen the papers where proof that the money collected for the museum continues to remain untouched is provided," said Chayanika Shah, member of the Hum Azaadiyon ke Hak Main, a platform formed to support Teesta and Anand.
The conference was organised by the platform, and among other people who shared the dais, were noted documentary film-maker Anand Patwardhan, great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi Tushar Gandhi, activist Sandhya Gokhale and journalist Dilip D' Souza.
Gokhale said: "If at all money is misused, they should have also be pulling up the charity commissioner and income tax officials among others."
Activists present gave an account of the money the two had been receiving, and the honorarium they have been getting from it. They stated that the money the couple is being accused of mismanaging, actually continues to remain untouched.
Tushar stated: "All this is just a signal for the rest that they should shut up. It is time the fourth estate strongly stood up to such things."
Patwardhan stated that the 'witch-hunt' was on because the duo took up the fight of Gujarat riot victims and ensured conviction of the perpetrators. "In several cases where there have been convictions, it is because these two people were pursuing the cases. Now, the case of the Gulbarg Society massacre is likely to come up for hearing. The only reason this has been started is to harass them. There are far more serious charges like murder, and they are exempted from even attending the hearing," said Patwardhan.
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