Formation | 2004 |
---|---|
Type | Non-governmental organisation |
Headquarters | Mumbai |
Region served | India |
President | B.G. Deshmukh |
Website | www |
Movement against Intimidation, Threat and Revenge against Activists (MITRA) is a network of NGOs and activists based in Mumbai to protect people taking up public interest causes through Right to Information, grass root activism, or public-interest litigation (India) against intimidation from threat and attack from vested interests they may oppose in the course of their work. MITRA was founded in 2004 after an attack on activist Sumaira Abdulali by the politically led sand mafia at Kihim Beach, Alibag. MITRA was chaired by late Mr. B.G Deshmukh IAS, Retired Cabinet Secretary of India. [1] [2] [3]
After activist and Convenor of Awaaz Foundation Sumaira Abdulali was attacked by the son and employees of a local Alibag politician during a sand mining site visit, a public meeting was held in Mumbai and MITRA was formed under the Chairmanship of Mr. B.G. Deshmukh, IAS and retired Cabinet Secretary of India. A number of prominent NGOs and activists networked for the first time to provide a common platform to fight against vested interests and show solidarity in the face of violence. Activists under threat or those who were attacked were identified and joint NGO representations made at various levels including to the Government of Maharashtra the Police and the Bombay High Court. Recently, Attacks on RTI activists in India are escalating along with attacks on other public spirited citizens taking up grass root activism or public interest litigation. [4] [5] [6]
MITRA made a number of representations to the Commissioner of Police, the Home Minister of Maharashtra, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, the Home Minister of India, Prime Minister of India and Chairperson of the UPA Smt Sonia Gandhi. Attacks and murders of known activists, journalists and government and police officers acting in the public interest were brought to their attention and included a second attack on Sumaira Abdulali and journalist Viju B at Mahad, an attack on Citispace Convenor Nayana Kathpalia in Mumbai, an attack on AGNI Co ordinator Jamesh John in Mumbai, an attack on Citispace Trustee H S D’Lima in Mumbai, the murder of activist Shehla Masood in Bhopal, the murder of Right to Information activist Satish Shetty in Pune, the murder of journalist J Dey in Mumbai, the murder of anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar in Pune. [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]
In 2010, following an attack on Citispace Convenor Nayana Kathpalia who had filed public interest litigation in the Bombay High Court and the murder of RTI Activist Satish Shetty in Pune for exposing an active land mafia, the Bombay High Court took up suo motu public interest litigation to protect citizens working in the public interest. MITRA intervened in the petition and obtained an order for the legal status of ongoing cases of attack or murder of activists pending with the police to be placed before the Court. In most cases, no arrests had been made. The Court also ordered the police to compile a list of activists or citizens under threat and to take action to protect them. [13] [14] [15]
The Mumbai Police is the police department of the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is a part of Maharashtra Police and has the primary responsibilities of law enforcement and investigation within the limits of Mumbai. The force's motto is "Sadrakṣaṇāya Khalanigrahaṇāya".
Manohar Gaju Joshi is a prominent politician from the state of Maharashtra. He was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 1995 to 1999 and Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 2002 to 2004. He is one of the prominent leaders of the Shiv Sena. He is also second Indian to be elected to all of the four legislatures.
Samyukta Maharashtra Movement, commonly known as the Samiti, was an organisation in India that advocated for a separate Marathi-speaking state in Western India and Central India from 1956 to 1960.
Humayun Abdulali was an Indian ornithologist and biologist who was also a cousin of the "birdman of India", Salim Ali. Like other naturalists of his period, he took an initial interest in shikar (hunting). Unlike Sálim Ali, his main contributions were less field-oriented and based more on bird collections, particularly those at the Bombay Natural History Society where he worked for most of his life.
Anami Narayan Roy was the Director General of Police, Maharashtra, India and the former Police Commissioner of Mumbai.
The Right to Information (RTI) is an act of the Parliament of India which sets out the rules and procedures regarding citizens' right to information. It replaced the former Freedom of Information Act, 2002. Under the provisions of RTI Act, any citizen of India may request information from a "public authority" which is required to reply expeditiously or within thirty days. In case of matter involving a petitioner's life and liberty, the information has to be provided within 48 hours. The Act also requires every public authority to computerize their records for wide dissemination and to proactively publish certain categories of information so that the citizens need minimum recourse to request for information formally.
Narhar Vishnu Gadgil was an Indian freedom fighter and politician from Maharashtra, India. He was also a writer. He wrote in both Marathi and English. His son Vitthalrao Gadgil represented Congress later as minister and ideologue. His grandson Anant Gadgil also went on to become a politician.
Kolaba Fort located at Alibag beach is an old fortified maritime base in Alibag, Konkan, India. It is situated in the sea at a distance of 1–2 km from the shores of Alibag, 35 km south of Mumbai, in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, India. It is a popular tourist destination and a protected monument.
Narendra Achyut Dabholkar was an Indian physician, social activist, rationalist and author from Maharashtra, India. In 1989 he founded and became president of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti. Triggered by his assassination on 20 August 2013, the pending Anti-Superstition and Black Magic Ordinance was promulgated in the state of Maharashtra, four days later. In 2014, he was posthumously awarded the Padma Shri for social work.
The 2008 attacks on Uttar Pradeshi and Bihari migrants in Maharashtra began on 3 February 2008 after violent clashes between workers of two political parties—Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Samajwadi Party (SP)—at Dadar in Mumbai, capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. The clashes took place when workers of MNS, a splinter faction formed out of the Shiv Sena, tried to attack workers of SP, the regional party based in Uttar Pradesh, who were proceeding to attend a rally organised by the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA). Defending his party's stand, MNS chief Raj Thackeray explained that the attack was a reaction to the "provocative and unnecessary show of strength" and "uncontrolled political and cultural dadagiri (bullying) of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar migrants and their leaders".
The Kapur Commission was a commission of inquiry by the Government of India, into the murder conspiracy of Mahatma Gandhi.
Satish Shetty, popularly known as "Satish", was an Indian social activist, noted for exposing many land scams in Maharashtra. He had used the Right to Information Act to expose irregularities in Government offices in the last five years. He was killed on 13 January 2010, by unknown attackers in Talegaon.
Amit Jethwa was an Indian environmentalist and social worker, active in the Gir Forest area near Junagadh, Gujarat. He had filed several court cases against illegal mining in the protected area, naming Dinu Solanki as one of the respondents. On 20 July 2010 he was shot dead by two assailants on a motorbike. In Sept 2012, the Gujarat High Court, severely criticized investigations by the Gujarat police who had "given a clean chit" to Solanki, despite arresting his nephew; the court ordered the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) to take up the case. In November 2013, CBI arrested Dinu Solanki in connection with having ordered the murder. On 11 July 2019, Dinu Solanki and his nephew Shiva Solanki were convicted of the murder.
Awaaz Foundation is a charitable trust and non-governmental organisation in Mumbai, India which builds awareness, carries out advocacy, and is involved in educational projects to protect the environment and prevent environmental pollution. It has impacted many important decisions by the government and influenced policy making in important environmental matters in India. The beneficiaries of the Foundation are the citizens of India at large.
Many Right to Information Act (RTI) activists, including policemen, have been harassed and even murdered for seeking information to "promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority" in India. Many face assaults on a regular basis. People seeking information from their gram panchayat and the local administration also face social ostracism. A few activists who sought information under RTI related to MNREGA scams, were killed. Many threats and attacks go unreported by the media.
Jeetendra Ghadge is an Indian activist based in Girgaon, Mumbai. Instrumental in exposing a police-politician nexus and working towards implementing police reforms. A full-time whistleblower Ghadge has also uncovered poor performance in controlling corruption by Anti-Corruption Bureau, Mumbai. As a RTI activist his work on uncovering alleged corruption in dam construction has led, according to the Times of India, to harassment of Ghadge.
Anjali Anish Damania is an Indian anti-corruption activist and politician. She was the convener of Maharashtra state unit of Aam Admi Party (AAP). During 2011–12, she exposed corruption in the Kondhane dam project through RTI queries. She came into the limelight in 2012, after she accused the Bharatiya Janata Party President Nitin Gadkari of having a business partnership with the Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar. She unsuccessfully contested 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Nagpur, as an AAP candidate against Gadkari. However, in March 2015, she quit the AAP amid allegations of horse trading against national convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. She has filed several PIL's against powerful politicians like Chhagan Bhujbal and Eknath Khadse. On 2 June 2016 she went on an indefinite hunger strike demanding the resignation of Eknath Khadse, which resulted in Khadse's resignation from the position of Maharashtra state Revenue Minister.
Sumaira Abdulali, born 22 May 1961 is an environmentalist from Mumbai, India, founder of the NGO Awaaz Foundation and convenor of the Movement against Intimidation, Threat and Revenge against Activists (MITRA). She was co-chairman of the Conservation Subcommittee and honorary secretary of Asia's oldest and largest environmental NGO, the Bombay Natural History Society, and was a Governing Council Member between 2008 and 2021.
Sandeep Kothari,, an Indian freelancer investigative crime journalist for the NaiDunia, was murdered in the Balaghat District, Madhya Pradesh, India. He was murdered as a result of exposing illegal mining and land grabbing.
The Tyabji family, also known as Tyabji-Hydari,Tyabji-Fyzee, and Tyabji-Futehally family, consists of Mullah Tyab Ali and his descendants. The Tyabji family has gained fame for its exhaustive involvement in India's independence movement with individuals being prominent politicians, diplomats, academics, scientists, activists, and athletes. Other members gained prominence for their roles in India's Navy and Air Force and contribution to Indian film and fine art. Individuals within the Tyabji family belong to the Indian royal families of the Nizam of Hyderabad, the Nawab of Bengal, Raja of Wanaparthy, and the Nawab of Janjira. "The Tagores and the Tyabjis are the rarities for India and they are her friends" - Mahatma Gandhi.
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