Sarvodaya leaders seek Gananath Patra’s unconditional release

BHUBANESWAR: Demanding unconditional release of Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha advisor Gananath Patra and withdrawal of ‘false and fabricated cases’ instituted against him by the police,  Utkal Khadi Mandal (UKM) president Baishnav Das and chief of Baji Rout Chhatrabas and Sarvodaya leader Krishna Mohanty on Sunday said they would organise all mass organisations under one bannewr and resort to State-wide agitation to exert pressure on the Government for his release if the Government did not meet their demend at the first instance.

Speaking to the media at the Lohia Academy here, Das described Patra as a man believing in non-violent methods of action and termed the police depicting him as a Maoist “most unfortunate”.

“Patra was a brilliant student and a good professor. Though he subscribed to Leftist ideology, he was a staunch believer in non-violence. He was working in democratic ways for the poor adivasi farmers whose lands were usurped by big farmers. If a man like him would be put behind the bars for selflessly serving the poor, we can firmly say the future of the poor in this country is bleak, he grieved, adding that the big farmers, the police and the local administration were partners in a joint conspiracy to nail him, falsely dubbing him a Maoist which he is not.

Das said they would very soon approach the Governor and the Chief Minister in writing, demanding Patra’s unconditional release and withdrawal of all cases against him. The next step would be be moving the State Human Rights Commission.

Patra who is currently lodged in the Koraput jail, is physically completely unwell and fighting with death and it would be inhuman not to release him honourably,

Das said.

Krishna Mohanty was all praise for Patra as a true patriot and said if fighting for the rights for the poor in democratic manners invites the wrath of the administration and the law enforcing agencies, it would be the most horrible thing in the biggest democracy of the world, where the Constitution backs the poor. The senior sarvodaya leader said Patra did not accept the conditional bail granted by the High Court as it was not honourable for him. She also demanded his immediate release and withdrawal of all cases which are totally fabricated.

Present among others at the media conference included former Information Commissioner Pro Radhamohan, Lok Shakti Abhiyan convener Prafulla Samantra, sarvodaya activists Sobhakar Swain and Prashant Mishra.