JAGRUT NAGRIK MANCH
c/o Nagriksatta; Juhu Heavens Apts., Garage: 1
Shri Mukhteshwar Devalaya Marg, near ISKCON
Juhu, MUMBAI 400 049.
Website: www.jagrutnagrik.com
Email: jnm.movement@gmail.com
Hon. Chief Minister, Maharashtra (Shri Ashok Chavan)
Mantralaya, Mumbai Tel. 022-23634950, 23633051
Hon. Home Minister, Maharashtra (Shri Jayant Patil)
Mantralaya, Mumbai Tel. 022-22025051, 23515889
Sub: Abuse of power by Statutory Bodies and Officers against Activists.
Ref:
My meeting at your Varsha Office along with other Activists and letter of 08th and
09th June submitted personally to you.
Respected Sirs:
Jagrut Nagrik Manch (JNM) is an independent common platform formed by 50+ support
groups, to chart a better political culture and make the city-state policies citizen-centric.
Incremental improvement in governance is beneficial to the Citizens, the Government
and also the Political Parties.
Activists act as the ‘partners with Govt.’, alert the Govt. to lapses which hurt the Citizens
and the Political Parties, act as a safety value to release the angst of the Citizens. Yet
there are some Officers in Govt. who, used as they are to inadequate and ineffective
response, act vindictively against the very citizens who wear the mantle of activism. This
is like ‘shooting the messenger and not resolving the problem he reports’.
The pressure of economic successes and increased expectation from the growing
population of the city is causing a breakdown in the services that good governance
should deliver to the citizens. To this is added the pressure from Activists and we have a
explosive situation where the Statutory Bodies and Officers behave badly without
remorse to the persistence of the Activists.
A token list of Activists – women and men, attacked in various ways: physical, bad
process, litigation and even imprisonment … is attached herewith.
We expect under your most able direction: participation-accountability-transparency will
guide the Officers to act within given time frame on all matters brought before them.
Those who continue to obstruct and behave negatively should not be offered protection
u/s 197 of the CRPC. The Supreme Court has ruled in: Writ Petn. (Criminal) No. 9 of
1994, Decided On: 25.04.1994, Appellants: Joginder Kumar Vs. Respondent: State of
U.P. and others … that arresting of citizens should not occur except in heinous cases.
We request you to direct your Officials to act with haste in bringing in better governance.
Sincerely,
Tue 30th June 2009.
Praful Vora
Volunteer & Convener, JNM
Mobile: 900 401 7654.
cc.: attached list of attacks.
Page 1 of 2.
Website: www.jagrutnagrik.com
Email: jnm.movement@gmail.com
List of Activists attacked by various means.
1. Trupti Patel, 70+ - Attacked by a vagrant from Murugan Chawls Santa Cruz, hit on
her head, when she tried to stop her from stealing the cast iron manhole on the road.
2. Aftab Siddique, 40+ and Anandini Thakoor, 75 - FIR filed on them instead of the
miscreants who defaced the ‘H’(W)Ward with illegal banners.
3. Aftab Siddique, 40+ - Effigy burnt at Chimbai beach Bandra West, as a reward for
her efforts, to remove large illegal structures on the beach.
4. Daphne Warapen, 50+ - Threatened by slum encroachers along St Elias School
Khar, for getting some structures demolished which were obstructing the school
entrance.
5. Atul Vora, 50+ - Kandivali (W) Hawkers entered his home to beat him up.
6. Aftab Siddique - Women hired from Navpada to assault her for her stand on
hawkers on Linking Rd.
7. Ten RTI Activists, 45 to 70+ yrs. - Arrested and jailed on trumped up charges, by the
State CIC for demanding complete RTI action.
8. Navin Pandya, 45+ - Thrown out of the Municipal Commissioner's office - His
offence - he asked one question too many in the Lokshahi Darbar held by the Municipal
Commissioner. Notice served on him in spite of the fact he left the MC's office when
ordered to.
9. Basanti Chakraborty, 50+ – attacked with sticks and dogs for exposing the scam in
re-development of MHADA property by private builder. Tenants were cheated and are
now on the road and no action against MHADA officials.
Page 2 of 2.