Forwarded by Bhaskar Prabhu Mahiti Adhikar Manch Ashok Shinde, latest victim in series of attacks on activists
Express News Service <http://promo.expressindia.com/adsnew2.8.1/www/delivery/ck.php?n=a7385531&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE> *Mumbai* The assault on RTI activist Ashok Kumar Shinde is the latest among the increasing attacks on activists in the state. Shinde was allegedly beaten by some unknown persons right outside the Public Works Department (PWD) building earlier this week. He had taken on the PWD with a string of RTIs and later a Public Interest Litigation alleging that the PWD officials had illegally made around Rs 25 crore in the name of repairs at the Bombay High Court premises. “It’s no coincidence that I get attacked outside the same department against which I have been campaigning for over a year now,” says Shinde, who is back home after hospitalisation This is a scary trend. RTI is the strongest tool in that most activists are using to unearth most scams. State should provide security to the activists with these increasing attacks,” adds Shinde who suffered multiple fractures in his limbs in the assault. A case has been registered with the Andheri police. “We are still investigating in the case. We haven’t been able to find the motive behind the attack,” said a senior official. But Shinde’s is not a lone case. At least, five more activists were attacked since January this year. In January, Satish Shetty, a prominent RTI activist who had exposed land scams, was killed in the outskirts of Pune; while a Mumbai-based social activist Nayana Kathpalia escaped a bid on her life. Immediately after Shetty’s death, a statewide campaign was launched demanding security to prominent activists. “The state had even shown keen interest in our grievance. But nothing has been done since then,” said Shinde. On May 22, RTI activist Datta Patil from Ichalkaranji in the Kolhapur district was found murdered. Patil had petitioned the local court in Kolhapur against horse-trading that took place during municipal council elections. He had also demanded an inquiry into the assets of two former police inspectors, and had lodged several complaints against construction by a prominent builder. Another activist Vitthal Gite, an education activist from Aurangabad, who had exposed irregularities in village schools was killed in a clash between two groups. The activist was seriously injured when the rival group attacked him, after he registered a complaint with the local police and tried to reportedly expose the irregularities through the media. On Wed, Jul 21, 2010 at 10:58 AM, Bhaskar Prabhu < [email protected]> wrote: > In Mumbai Mr. Ashok Kumar Shinde an RTI applicant was attacked by PWD > contrrators regarding 24.9 crs fraud expenditure done on court building. He > had alos done PIL. > More details latter. > Bhaskar > > On Tue, Jul 20, 2010 at 9:53 PM, Manoj Pai <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >> >> RTI Activist Mr Amit Jethwa from Gujarat was shot dead this evening. >> >> More later >> >> Manoj Pai >> >> >> > >
