Human rights activist facing death threats for working with Dalit and Backward Community

Sample letter:

Dear ___________,

Re: Human rights activist facing death threats for working with the Dalits and backward community

I am deeply concerned with the situation faced by Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi, a humanrights activist working for the Dalits and the backward class in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. Dr Lenin and his colleagues have been subjected to death threats from the upper castes to stop working for the Dalit and backward classes.

Dr Lenin has been working in Belwa village, largely to provide education to children from the Dalit and backward class who have been denied this right by the upper castes. The state government has not provided schooling for this community despite their long-standing demand.

The Dalits and backward classes have also been denied the right to vote. Belwa village and its surrounding areas are known for booth capturing and election related fraud. During the February 2002 election, people from these communities were brutally assaulted when they went to vote. Belwa will hold another election on 17 August 2005. Mr Giri, Dr Lenin's associate has filed his nomination and is expected to be a strong contender due to his popularity amongst the backward community.

On August 5, Mr. Rama Sharay Singh called Dr Lenin on his mobile phone (No: 9415810955) and demanded that Mr. Giri withdraw his nomination. Around the same time, Mr.Giri also received death threats in the village where he was working. Once again, on August 7, Mr Singh called up Dr. Lenin and said that if the nomination was not withdrawn, Mr Giri and his family would be shot dead.

Dr. Lenin recorded the conversation, made copies of it and is now meeting the Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr. Brij Bushan and the District Magistrate, Mr. Gokaran tolodge his complaint. Dr. Lenin has also faxed a complaint to the Chief Minister of the state regarding the incident.

I thereby call for your urgent intervention. Please provide full protection to Dr. Lenin, Mr. S. N. Giri and their families and immediately conduct an impartial inquiry into the incident. The State Human Rights Commission should also conduct an independent inquiry intothe incident and make public its report and findings. The district administration should immediately consider the long pending request of the Dalit and backward community of Belwa to open a public school for the children. The National Commission for Scheduled Castes and backward community should also look into the incident, conduct an inquiry into the situation of Dalits and backward community in Uttar Pradesh and recommend effective measures to the State as well as the Central Government in order to put an endto the existing caste based oppression and discrimination. And finally, the State as well as National Election Commission should inquire into the incident and take appropriate action against those who are threatening Mr. S. N. Giri to withdraw his candidature.

Yours sincerely,
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