Activists seek white paper on terror

More than 300 human rights activists and academicians signed a petition on Saturday demanding a white paper from the government on its investigation of the role of Hindutva organisations in terror activities around the country.

More than 300 human rights activists and academicians signed a petition on Saturday demanding a white paper from the government on its investigation of the role of Hindutva organisations in terror activities around the country.

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The petition was signed at a national convention, ‘Tracing Sangh Terror Trail’, organised in Mumbai at the Islam Gymkhana at Marine Drive by the human rights organisation Act Now for Harmony and Democracy (Anhad). Anhad will send the signatures to Union home minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday, along with the list of demands.

“The government is showing no urgency or seriousness in its investigation of the Sangh terror network, and we are questioning its policies on the issue,” said Shabnam Hashmi, founder of Anhad, which convened the meet in collaboration with 34 non-profit social and human rights organisations.

The list of demands in the petition include a white paper (report on government policies) on the investigation of Hindu extremist terror activities, a re-investigation of all terror cases of the past 10 years and the banning of outfits such as Abhinav Bharat, Sanatan Sanstha and the Hindu Jan Jagruti Samiti.

In January, Anhad sent a similar petition to the home minister along with a group of Delhi-based NGOs. Two months ago, it also released a victim testimony-based report on discrimination against minorities by the police while investigating cases of terror activities.