PUDR strongly condemns banning of Revolutionary Democratic Front (RDF), Andhra Pradesh Unit by Andhra Pradesh Government in the name of ‘Maoism’ under the draconian Andhra Pradesh Public Security Act, 1992. This is the latest instances amongst the series of repressive measures adopted to criminalize political opinion and legitimate activities of organizations and its members; to crush democratic voices and people’s movement in name of ‘fighting Maoism’.

RDF has been consistently opposing and campaigning against the ‘anti-naxal’ military operations, fake encounter killings, anti-people policies and militarization in the tribal regions of Central and Eastern areas. For campaigning against anti-people policy of government, Andhra Pradesh government termed the RDF, an organization which does not have a formal organizational structure nor has units across AP, a ‘frontal organization of Maoist’, a part of ‘Tactical United Front’, which carries out ‘unlawful activities’ in the state.

If state puts citizens behind bars or kills them in encounter for questioning its anti-people policy, for opposing its repressive regime, then it smacks of authoritarianism. Government should know that by branding oppositions as ‘Maoist’, banning democratic organizations and killing dissenters, it cannot suppress people’s voice, rather it will further deepen the subversion of constitutional democracy.

PUDR strongly condemns AP Government’s policy of suppression and repression of democratic voices rather than cleaning up its own acts and policies. Banning of RDF and other organizations is an act of direct assault on the democratic and civil rights movement. We oppose all the draconian laws which consistently used to stifle oppositions. We strongly condemn the act of banning and criminalizing RDF.

PUDR demands immediate revocation of banning all democratic organization and also immediate repeal of all the draconian laws.

Paramjeet Singh and Preeti Chauhan
(Secretaries)
pudr@pudr.org