AJMER: Even as the country is debating the merits and demerits of the Terrorist and Destructive ‘Activities Act (TADA), about 116 detainees under this Act who are Languishing in the Ajmer Special Jail, have approached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for justice.
These detainees have also deeded that if the Government docs accept their demands, they will go on a hunger strike.
Most of the detainees in this special jail are those were involved in Smuggling activities or those who aver involved in terrorism in Ganganagar district, bordering Punjab.
these detainees have sent a petition NHRC chief Ranganath Chief Justice on India M.M. Venkatchalliah and Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat about their miseries, In the petition addressed to NHRC chief, the detainees have alleged that they were arrested for political reasons and that false charges were framed against them, ‘The petition points out that many of the detainees lodged at Ajmer Jail are sick and old, some of them even over 70 years of age. They were being kept in the jails without any hope of quick settlement of their cases, it pointed out the detainees have asked Commission chief Ranganath Mishra to appreciate the plight of the detainees. The Sikh detainees, meanwhile, shave sent a ‘copy of their: memorandum to the chief granthi of Nanded Gurdwara, Gyani Pratap Singh.
They have also written to the Chief Justice of India, casting doubts about the credibility of the special court formed to deal with TADA cases.
They alleged that after cross-examination of those arrested, the court had neither released any detainees on bail nor charged them for their alleged involvement. The court has ordered interim bails for 315 days of personal securities of Rs 2 lakh, which only a few detainees could organize. Apart from this, the court also demanded a local security from Ajmer to stand guarantee, ‘The detainees have written that most of the detainees belong to places 700 to 1000 kilometers away from Ajmer and were, therefore, unable to find local surety. Such stipulations were against the norms of natural justice, the detainees felt. ‘The Sikh prisoners have mediated with the stale government through a Deputy Minister in the Bhairon Singh Shekhawat ministry, Gurjant Singh Brar.
The state government had promised that for all such cases dealing with terrorism would be reviewed in the light of normalization of the situation in Punjab, once in three months. But the Government had not taken any decision regarding the pending cases. The detainees have given September 25 as the day they have threatened to go on a hunger strike.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 23, 1994
