Who is afraid of APDR? in Human Rights — by Nisha Biswas https://countercurrents.org/2021/10/who-is-afraid-of-apdr/ — 28/10/2021
In 1936, Jawaharlal Nehru felt the need of a non-political and broad based civil liberties organisation for the purpose of collecting and disseminating information and educating the masses that culminated into the founding of the Indian Civil Liberties Union (ICLU). Union units were formed at Bombay, Madras, Calcutta and Punjab with Rabindranath Tagore the first Honorary President and Sarojini Naidu the President of ICLU. Booklets, articles and pamphlets written by Rammanohar Lohia, M Venkatarangaiah, S Pratap Reddy were instrumental in popularising of the concept of civil liberties. With the beginning of electoral democracy in 1952 and formation of Congress governments the first stage of civil liberties movement come to a close.
The second chapter of the civil liberties movement began after 20 years. The idea to form a rights organisation in West Bengal seeded in 1968 amid the “orgy of slaughter and brutal repression” resulting in formation of APDR in 1972 followed by the formation of Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee (APCLC) in 1974 and Organisation for Protection of Democratic Rights (OPDR) in 1977. Jai Prakash Narayan launched the People’s Union for Civil Liberties and Democratic Rights (PUCLDR) in 1976 which later split into People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR). Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR) and Lokshahi Haq Sangathan too were formed in Bombay in 1977 and 1979 respectively. Formation of APDR in 1972, was a significant moment marking the resurgence of civil liberties movement.
It is APDR that survived two years ban and imprisonment of many of its stalwarts during emergency by Indira Gandhi between 1975 – 77. It is also APDR that paid a heavy price in 1974 when its publication, ভারতীয় গণতন্ত্রের স্বরুপ (translated in English as The True Face of Indian Democracy) was proscribed, its members were harassed and the printing press was raided.
Undeterred by several oppressions APDR, for the last 50 years, has persistently demanded accountability from the state through demonstrations, petitions, fact-finding reports and legal battles seeking punishment and compensation in the cases of torture, custodial deaths, custodial rape and other state excesses. APDR from its very beginning has focused on state repression and the issues of political prisoners. It has all through demanded recognition of the category and rights of political prisoners along with the demand of unconditional release of political prisoners.