Above from Report submitted by the Special Rapporteur on the situation
of human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya Addendum Summary of cases
transmitted to Governments and replies received
Urgent appeal 1211.
On 23 May 2008, the Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal to the Government concerning Mr Lenin Raghuvanshi, Convener of the People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) in Varanasi, State of Uttar Pradesh. Mr Lenin Raghuvanshi has focused his work on the right to food and on victims of death due to starvation and he is also a member of the District Vigilance Committee on Bonded Labour.
1212. Mr Lenin Raghuvanshi was previously the subject of a letter of
allegation sent by the former Special Representative of the Secretary-General
on the situation of human rights defenders on 14 February 2008, as well as of a
joint urgent appeal sent by the former Special Representative, together with
the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination
and xenophobia and related intolerance and the Special Rapporteur on the
promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, on
16 August 2005, and of a joint urgent appeal sent by the former Special
Representative, together with the Special Rapporteur on the right to food on 13
December 2007. The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights
defenders regrets that no reply to date to any of the three communications has
been received and as such, would greatly appreciate a response from Your
Excellency’s Government as soon as possible.
1213. According to
information received, on 26 April 2008, Mr Lenin Raghuvanshi began to receive
abusive and threatening phone calls, which warned him to end the PVCHR’s work
in the district of Varanasi. On 18 May, he received a phone call, thought to be
from a powerful member of a criminal group in Uttar Pradesh, which threatened
that if the PVCHR did not stop working for the Musahar community, a Dalit group
subject to caste-based discrimination, men hired by upper caste feudal lords
would raze Musahar ghettos and villages in Varanasi. The caller also questioned
Mr Lenin Raghuvanshi about the funding of the PVCHR, in what is believed to be
a warning to the PVCHR to pay protection money to local mafias.
1214. Concern was expressed that the threats and intimidation directed
against Mr Lenin Raghuvanshi may be directly linked to his work and that of the
PVCHR in defense of human rights, in particular the rights of Dalit communities
in the State of Uttar Pradesh. In view of these
threats, serious concern was expressed for the physical and psychological
integrity of Mr Lenin Raghuvanshi and the members of the PVCHR.
Response from the Government 1215.
In a letter dated 28 January 2009, the Government responded to the
urgent appeal of 23 May 2008. The allegations contained in the communication
were examined by the Government, which informed that a complaint was lodged in
Thana Cant, Varanasi, following which a chargesheet was sent to the court on 21
July 2008 against accused Bulbul Singh alias Uday Narayan Singh. In the
meantime, necessary instructions were issued to the local police station to
provide adequate security to Dr Lenin.
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