THE All India People’s Forum condemned the false FIR slapped by the Dantewada police in Chhattisgarh against human rights activist Advocate Bela Bhatia, Soni Sori, Panchayat representatives and villagers and have demanded the FIR to be revoked immediately.
In a statement, AIPF said that the Chhattisgarh police has always been falsely entrapping adivasis and even killing them in fake encounters in the name of Naxalism. Under BJP rule innocent adivasis struggling to save their lands and forests from Adani’s mining have been killed in fake encounters. The Congress’ return to power has not change things on the ground. One such grievous incident occurred again on 13 September when 2 poor adivasis were killed and 2 others went missing at Gumiyapal in Kirandul Thana (Dantewada). When Bela Bhatia, Soni Sori, and adivasis led by the Sarpanch gheraoed the Thana protesting against the fake encounter and demanding that the 2 missing adivasis be produced, the Dantewada registered a false FIR against them on 16 September.
AIPF demanded that the Congress government in Chhattisgarh should stop walking in the footsteps of the previous BJP government and working in the interests of Adani. Accountability for the deaths of the adivasis in the fake encounter should be fixed and the responsible officials and police personnel should face murder charges. Simultaneously, the 2 missing adivasis should be returned safely. The false FIR against Bela Bhatia, Soni Sori, Panchayat representatives and villagers should be taken back.
