HYDERABAD: The convener of Forum Against Repression, Prof G Haragopal, said the TRS government was competing with the BJP-led Central government in upholding fascism by enforcing repression in the State, especially in the last three months, by arbitrarily arresting activists who played a vital role in the separate statehood movement.
Following the arrest of Prof Chintakindi Kasim (43), an associate professor in Telugu Department at Osmania University on Saturday, on charges of alleged links with the outlawed CPI (Maoist), the human rights activists under the umbrella organisation of Forum Against Repression held a press meet condemning the "arbitrary" arrest. Speaking to media persons, Prof Haragopal said as per the directions of the judiciary, even if someone has a political ideology and sympathised with Maoists, it would not be a crime.
Objecting to the arrest of an academician from a university campus, he said, “The State has been harassing people who are questioning the (government) policies with the wicked Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act only to deprive them of bail. Prof Kasim is an eminent scholar and has inspired lakhs of people with his speeches during the Telangana movement. He is an associate professor at OU, and it’s not that easy to raise to that stature coming from a humble background”.
He said there was no need to arrest a professor bypassing the due procedures. "Kasim would have gone to the police station if the police had served him prior notice. The entire process is only to create fear among people. In fact, fear and fascism are interrelated and the government is playing these cards to curb dissent," he added.
Alleging that the police implanted ‘incriminating material’ at Kasim’s house, Prof Gaddam Laxman, president of Civil Liberties Committee (CLC), said, “How can nearly 50 police personnel in plain clothes enter a professor’s house without showing a warrant?”