Dear All, Please convey my condolences to the family of Mehta. This is deeply shocking, but not unexpected. Just a couple of days back, an adivasi activist who had similarily fearlessly took on the local development mafia over NRGEA, Shri Hereka was murdered in South Orissa.
It is my request to this network that we should take up this issue with the Jharkhand government and force action. People like Mehtaji are the real heroes in todays age, who inspite of all the threats and intimidation, are selflessly working for the empowerment of people in Jharkhand. The level of threat they pose to the nexus of government officials and local mafia is clear by their efforts to eliminate such persons. It is people like Mr. Mehta, who through their work at the grassroots keep the hopes of people in the state and democracy alive, and stand between the society and violent anarchy. Please take up this issue of his murder and justice to him - it would be much better than squabbling over religion and difference. Prabirji and others - can you share more details on the situation, and we can help with this. Regards Nachiketa On Sun, May 18, 2008 at 9:03 AM, prabir chatterjee <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > MURDER OF LALIT MEHTA IN PALAMAU: > AIMLESS CRIME OR PLANNED INTIMIDATION? > > We are deeply disturbed by the recent murder of Lalit Kumar Mehta, member > of Vikas Sahyog Kendra (Palamau District), who was brutally killed on 14 May > 2008 as he was returning from Daltonganj to Chhattarpur on a motorcycle. > > The circumstances of this murder are disturbing. Lalit (aged 36), an active > member of the right to food campaign and Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, has been > working in this area for more than 15 years on issues related to the right > to food and the right to work. He was a very gentle person and his work was > widely appreciated. However he was also fearless in exposing corruption and > exploitation, and often came in the way of vested interests. > > At the time of this incident, Lalit was helping a team of volunteers from > Delhi and elsewhere to conduct a social audit of NREGA works in Chainpur and > Chhattarpur Blocks of Palamau District. Attempts had already been made to > dissuade the team from conducting this investigation, particularly in > Chainpur Block. Is it a coincidence that Lalit was murdered just one day > after the investigation began? > > If this murder was an act of intimidation, it did not succeed. Friends and > supporters from all over Jharkhand gathered at Vikas Sahyog Kendra on 17 > May. They unanimously resolved to continue the campaign against corruption > and exploitation in this area. > > A public hearing of NREGA will be held in Chhattarpur on 26 May. We appeal > to all those who stand in solidarity with Lalit and his work to participate > in this event. > > Our immediate demands: (1) CBI enquiry into this incident; (2) strict > action on all the complaints and irregularities emerging from this social > audit of NREGA. > > Balram (Right to Food Campaign), Jean Drèze (Allahabad University), Jawahar > (Vikas Sahyog Kendra), Meghnath (Akhra, Ranchi), Vinoy Ohdar (ActionAid) and > others including all members of Gram Swaraj Abhiyan. > > Local contact: 06566-290013 (Vikas Sahyog Kendra) > > >
