WITHDRAW CONTEMPT OF COURT CASE AGAINST PRASHANTBHUSAN

Bureau,Odishabarta

RESPECT TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION & DISSENT OF OPINION AS DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS

Bhubaneswar, Dt.19/08/20: Expressing Solidarity to eminent lawyer of Supreme Court and noted Human Right Activist PrashantBhusan, democratic & human rights activists today organised peaceful protests across the state including at Bhubaneswar, capital of Odisha. They demanded for withdrawal of 14th August order by Supreme Court against Mr Bhusan and stop any further proceedings against him .

They alleged that by trying to prosecute to Mr PrashantBhusanby three members’ bench for his twits regarding present as well as former Chief Justice of Supreme Court of India is nothing but an attack on freedom of expression and dissent voices.  When Supreme Court of India miserably failed to address the issues of state repression on peoples of Kashmir after abrogation of Article-370, to look the nationwide protest against Citizens Amendment Act-2019 and plights of thousands of migrant labourers in the period of Covid-19, but taking unpredictable promptness as so-motto case against PrashantBhusan is questionable, they pointed. The colonial act like contempt of court which is anti-people by nature has not been abolished yet after 73 years of independence, which is working as the weapon in the hands of rulers to suppress the dissent voices .Though the Supreme Court declared PrashantBhusan as guilty and go forward to punish him for so-called guilty, that will not increase the image of higher court, rather it will lose the belief of common masses.

Different democratic and human right organizations like All India People’s Fourm(AIPF), Jana Adhikar Manch, Campaign Against Fabricated Cases(CAFC),

We The People of India, Ganatantrik Adhikar Suraksha Sangathan(GASS),Indian Social Action Forum(INSAF), Basti SurakshaManch, CPI(M.L), Forward Blok, Lokshakti Abhiyan-Lohia Academy, other organisation and individuals as lawyers, intellectuals, social & political activists, trade union leaders were associated with that solidarity protest for PrashantBhusan. The activities were also held at Berhampur of South Odisha, Cuttack of Eastern-Coastal Odisha, Bhadrak & Balasore of North Odisha, Nayagarh and Baragarh-Sambalpur of Western Odisha as well as other parts of Odisha.