India - Political prisoners start hunger strike today in Yeravda Central Jail

    Today, on 13th September, the martyrdom day of the great revolutionary Jatin Das, who sacrificed his life while on hunger strike for the political rights of the prisoners, 6 political prisoners in Yerwada jail have gone on a one day token hunger strike.

Initially Jatin Das worked in the Congress Seva Dal along side Subhash Chandra Bose. However, later he joined the revolutionary organization Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. He had mastered the craft of making bombs.

The Bombs which were thrown at the assembly hall by Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt, with a stand that an explosion was required to make the deaf hear, were prepared by Jatin Das. Thus say the history. The revolutionaries while in Jail went on a hunger strike demanding that revolutionary prisoners should be treated as political prisoners. Jatin Das, who too participated in the hunger strike exhibiting glorious determination, died on the 63rd day of the hunger strike on 13th sept 1929. He was only 25 at the time.

That 13th sept, the martyrdom day of Jatin Das be declared as “Political prisoners’ rights day”, draconian laws like ‘Unlawful Activities Prevention Act’ and Armed Forces special Power Act be abolished, capital punishment be abolished, and political prisoners be given humane treatment are the prime demands of the prisoners. Those on hunger strike include Adv Surendra Gadling, writer-editor Sudhir Dhawale, Mahesh Raut, Rona Wilson, being tried under the UAPA and Arun Bhelake and K Muralidhar, accused in other cases.

We must understand that when these prisoners are held for certain political ideas and action based on those ideas, they must be recognized as political prisoners. In the pre independence india the revolutionary political prisoners raised a similar demand before the british regime, but it was not fulfilled, and it remains unfulfilled even after 71 years of independence.

Books are as much essential for a thinking political prisoner as food for a human being. Hence, books of Law and a study of Judgements by High court in various cases are necessary for Adv Surendra Gadhling to satisfy his intellectual quest. The administration has obstructed the provision of these books despite clear orders from the session court.

Sudhir Dhawale, who is a writer and an editor, needs books on economics, sociology and Ambedkarite dalit movement in particular.

Mahesh Raut holds a post graduate degree from TATA institute of social science and is a researcher of tribal and forest laws, relevant policies and movements. He needs books about his subject of study.

Intellectual activity is necessary for the human brain to remain active. If the political prisoners are deprived of the reading material they need, it means they are being consciously harrassed.

The jail administration has intentionally been harrassing an intellectual like Surendra Gadling since last 3 months. The administration has shifted him as many as 5 times withing the jail so far, which is clearly a part of the harrassment.

The Jail administration has even refused to provide them the warm clothes. The administration has in clear terms denied provision of anything whatsoever on humane grounds. They are being harassed under the disguise of Law. A similar situation prevails among most political prisoners in other Jails as well.

*◆Demands: ◆*

*●1. Abolish UAPA/AFSPA and all other Draconian laws*

*●2. Abolish Death Penalty*

*●3. Declare and Observe today’s day (13 September) as ‘Political Prisoners Rights Day’.*

*●4. Give humane treatment to all the inmates irrespective of crime allegedly committed and irrespective of caste, class, gender, religion, etc.*