New Delhi: Over 90 organisations, 50 institutions and intellectuals Noam Chomsky, Jean Dreze, Sukhdeo Thorat, Vimal Thorat, Cornel West and Chirstophe Jaffrelot have written to UN secretary general Antonio Guterres asking him to intervene and withdraw the ‘fabricated charges’ against Anand Teltumbde. In total, the letter has over 150 signatories.The case against Teltumbde – who is accused along with ten other activists and lawyers of links with the Naxalites and involvement in the Bhima Koregaon violence – is “one of the severe most human rights violations” against freedom of speech and dissent, they said.They pointed out that Teltumbde was not even present at the Bhima Koregaon event on December 31, 2017 and criticised the Pune police for producing “fabricated letters”.Also Read: Who’s Afraid of Anand Teltumbde?“We therefore urge the United Nations to engage with the Government of India to immediately withdraw all charges against Dr. Teltumbde and oblige in serving justice and protecting democracy from the perils of tyranny. We appreciate an opportunity to meet yourself and your team in person at your earliest convenience and present our concerns,” the letter said.The full text has been reproduced below.§With deep anguish and mounting concern, we, a worldwide community that reveres democratic values and human rights, urge the United Nations to intervene with the Government of India as a last resort in the immediate withdrawal of the fabricated charges by the Pune police against Dr. Anand Teltumbde, Senior Professor and Chair, Big Data Analytics at the Goa Institute of Management. Dr. Teltumbde’s imminent arrest by the State is one of the severe most human rights violations against freedom of speech and dissent and will set a precedent for suppression of all progressive and intellectual thinkers by the fascist regime.Dr. Teltumbde is one of India’s leading contemporary public intellectuals and an internationally renowned scholar. He is the longest-standing columnist at the Economic and Political Weekly (one of India’s best-known internationally acclaimed social science journals), General Secretary of the Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR), and presidium member of the All India Forum for Right to Education (AIFRTE). Dr. Teltumbde is a prolific writer, with twenty-six books (in English and Marathi) and research articles on data analytics, cybernetics, caste-class and public policy issues. His most recent publications include Republic of Caste and the co-edited anthology The Radical in Ambedkar: Critical Reflections by Penguin Random House. His writings have been translated into several Indian languages.Mahesh Raut, Rona Wilson, Surendra Gadling, Shoma Sen and Sudhir Dhawale. Credit: PTI/Twitter/FacebookOver his long career, Dr. Teltumbde has consistently been on the side of social justice, democracy, and the Indian Constitution. His books and articles are taught in universities the world over. He has supported democratic struggles in the country against caste- and religion-based violence as a representative of very large numbers of ordinary people whose voices and hopes he bears. His writings –scholarly, technical, and popular– have been very central to India’s critical thinking. His lengthy resume demonstrates his far-reaching contributions to several fields of academic inquiry, as well as to bringing about progressive social change.Despite his professional success, which could have meant a luxurious and carefree retirement, Dr Teltumbde has instead contributed his intellect and experience back to our society via teaching, writing and contributing to democracy through people’s movements. Dr. Teltumbde has been invited by organizations/forums worldwide for his scholarship and he has always expressed his views on making India progressive, inclusive and harmonious.It is preposterous that Dr. Teltumbde is facing imminent arrest under the undemocratic Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) based on a fabricated case filed by the Pune police in India under which ten other eminent persons, including human rights activists, lawyers, and public intellectuals, are already under arrest. The case relates to the organizing of a peaceful meeting on 31st December, 2017 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Last Anglo-Maratha battle, which took place at Bhima-Koregaon, Maharashtra, India, where large numbers of Dalit soldiers were martyred. Justice P. B. Sawant, a retired judge of the Supreme Court, and Justice B. G. Kolse-Patil, an ex-judge of the Bombay High Court, were co-organizers of this event. In point of fact, Dr. Teltumbde was not even present at the event.Also Read: ‘Bizarre, Concocted Theories’: The Many Holes in the Case Against Anand TeltumbdeFollowing it, several fabricated letters addressed to a “Comrade Anand” were released by the Pune police as ‘evidence’ for the justification for his arrest. Each of the so-called charges by the Pune police has been refuted with documentary proof by Dr. Teltumbde. Notwithstanding this proof, the false charges have continued in a concerted campaign to intimidate and silence Dr. Teltumbde. As is very well known, under the UAPA, these fabrications are enough to detain Dr. Teltumbde.We therefore urge the United Nations to engage with the Government of India to immediately withdraw all charges against Dr. Teltumbde and oblige in serving justice and protecting democracy from the perils of tyranny. We appreciate an opportunity to meet yourself and your team in person at your earliest convenience and present our concerns.Organizations:1. Ambedkar International Mission, AIM USA2. Ambedkar International Mission, AIM, Canada3. Ambedkar International Mission, AIM, Australia4. Ambedkar International Mission, AIM, Oman5. Ambedkar International Mission, AIM, UAE6. Ambedkar International Mission, AIM, Qatar7. Ambedkar International Mission, AIM, Japan8. Ambedkar International Mission, AIM, Malaysia9. Ambedkar International Mission, AIM, Brunei10. Ambedkar International Mission, AIM, India11. Ambedkar Association of North America (AANA), USA12. Ambedkar International Center (AIC), USA13. Boston Study Group (BSG), USA14. Equality Labs, USA15. Ambedkarite Buddhist Association of Texas (ABAT), USA16. Guru Ravidas Sabha, New York, USA17. Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (APSC), USA18. Ambedkar King Study Circle (AKSC), USA19. India Civil Watch, USA20. India Civil Watch, Canada21. South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy (SANSAD), Vancouver, Canada22. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Association for Education (BAIAE), Japan23. Ambedkar Mission, Canada24. Ambedkar International Mission, London25. CasteWatch UK26. International Commission for Dalit Rights, USA27. Samyak Prabodhan Pratishthan, Bangalore, India28. South Asia Research and Resource Centre (CERAS), Montreal, Canada29. Punjabi Literary and Cultural Association, Winnipeg, Canada30. Democracy, Equality and Secularism in South Asia, Winnipeg, Canada31. Dr Ambedkar Buddhist Organization, Birmingham32. India Network of USA33. American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin34. Dr Ambedkar Mission Society Incorporated Australia35. Sri Guru Ravidass Sabha, Australia36. Sri Guru Ravidass Sabha, France37. CPI(M-L) Liberation38. Dalit Women’s Network for Solidarity39. Tamil Nadu Alternative Journalists and Writers Forum40. Students of Harvard University41. Kaamgaar Patrika, Mumbai42. Shiksha Satyagrah43. Dalit Intellectual Collective44. Kabilar Pari Friendship Study Circle, California45. Buddha Dhamma Association46. Siddhartha Foundation, Bangalore47. Ambedkar Mission Society, Bedford, UK48. SOAS India Society49. All India People’s Forum50. Punjab Buddhist Society51. All India Samata Saink Dal52. Dalits Media Watch53. VNIT Development and Public Policy Forum54. Arakshanvadi Abhiyanta Vicharmanch55. CPI(ML) Liberation Karnataka56. Navayana57. Manavatavadi Bahuudeshiya Sanstha, Maharashtra58. Episcopal Diocese of New York and DC59. Coalition for a Democratic India, USA60. Friends for Education International, USA61. Global Empower Network62. AISA63. Monitoring Committee on Attacks on Lawyers64. International Association of People’s Lawyers65. Progressive organisation for women66. Savitribai Ambedkar Study Circle67. Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla68. Students Uprising Movement for Social Welfare (SUMS) TN69. Ohol Art Studio70. Tamil Nadu Youth Party71. Sanghakaya Foundation72. Alliance for a Secular and Democratic South Asia73. South Asia Solidarity Group, UK74. Dalit Solidarity Forum, UK75. Babasaheb Ambedkar Study Circle76. Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus77. Progressive Students’ Forum, Mumbai78. Telangana Save Education Committee79. Anti Caste Discrimination Alliance, UK80. Federation of Ambedkarite and Buddhist Organisations, UK81. Students Uprising Movement for Social Welfare (TN)82. Manidhan Padhippagam, Tamil Nadu83. Ek Potlee Ret Ki84. New Internationalist85. IWA (GB)86. South Asia Multidiciplinary Academic Journal (SAMAJ)87. Anti Imperialist Movement (AIM), Tamilnadu88. The Feminist Collective89. Ambedkar Times90. Bahujan Agitational movement91. National Campaign to Save Bahujan movement92. Student-Youth Coordination Against Police Atrocity In KeralaStudent, staff and faculty of:93. City University of New York94. University of Massachusetts, Amherst95. William Paterson University of New Jersey, USA96. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA97. Harvard University98. University of Edinburgh99. Simon Fraser University100. University of Göttingen101. University of Oklahoma102. University of London103. King’s College London104. School of Oriental and African Studies105. Indian Institute of Management106. University of Massachusetts, Boston107. CERI-Sciences Po/CNRS108. Centre for Modern Indian Studies (CeMIS), Germany109. University of Cincinnati110. University of California Santa Cruz111. Bowdoin College112. Cornell University113. Columbia University114. University of Pennsylvania115. Ghent University116. York University117. American University118. IIT, Mumbai119. University of Delhi120. The University of Texas, Austin121. University of Michigan122. Williams College123. O.P. Jindal Global University124. Virginia Tech125. Worcester State126. Catholic University Leuven127. Institute of Asian and Transcultural Studies, Vilnius University128. Australian National University129. University of Southern California130. IIAS, Leiden131. University of Namibia132. Birkbeck, University of London133. London School of Economics134. University of Illinois at Chicago135. IIT Kharagpur136. IIT Bombay137. Jawaharlal Nehru University138. University of Hyderabad139. National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration140. Tata Institute of Social Sciences141. West Bengal State University142. Bharathidasan University, Tamilnadu, India143. The American University of Paris144. The Coalition for Defense of the Constitution and Democracy (CDCD)Individuals145. Noam Chomsky146. Cornel West147. Christophe Jaffrelot148. Jean Dreze149. Prof Sukhdeo Thorat150. Prof Vimal Thorat
