DEMANDS END TO "EMERGENCY" RULE
- ‘Resolutions demanding the end of "emergency" rule and release of all political prisoners held without trial were passed by the two-day Civil Liberties Convention held at the Sunderabai Hall in Bombay on June 12 and 13, Shri N.C.Chatterji, M.P., president of the All-India Civil Liberties Union, presided over the convention, More than 1,000 delegates. representing various parties participated.
Other resolutions passed at the convention included demands for amendments of clauses in the Indian Constitution which infringe on the fundamental rights of citizens, protest against the undemocratic act of the Kerala governor in dissolving the state legislature even before it had occasion to meet, opposition to the recurrent use of firearms by the police, insistence on judicial enquiry in firings and the ill-treatment of political prisoners, against infringements on trade-union rights, against curtailment of freedom of the press, etc. The convention demanded that the central government call for immediate general elections in Kerala,
The convention was inaugurated on June 12 by S.A.Dange, chairman of the right-wing Communist party. George Fernandes prominent trade=union leader of the Samyukta Socialist party ssp], welcomed the delegates as chairman of the preparatory committee. S.B.Kolpe, secretary of the preparatory committee, made a report
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explaining the objectives of the convention,
Prominent leaders who participated at the delegates session held on June 13 included George Fernandes (SSP), S.G.Patkar (rightwing Communist), Dr.A.R.Desai (a Marxist professor), Madan Phadnis (left-wing Communist), N.J.Karunakaran (Revolutionary Socialist party), and S.B.Kolpe (Trotskyist).
There was a heated debate on a resolution demanding the withdrawal of emergency rule with a minority of the delegates representing the Hindu Mahasabha opposing it. An alternate resolution justifying the emergency but criticising its “improper use" was rejected by the convention by an overwhelming majority of votes.
A Bombay Civil Liberties Union to be a part of All-India Civil Liberties Union was formed at the convention with George Fernandes as chairman, S.B.Kolpe and M.N.V.Nair as secretaries, and Prof. Aravindan Nair (left-wing Communist) as treasurer. A committee consisting of 25 members representing various political tendencies was also elected,
The convention concluded with an open session on June 13, Leaders of various political parties including S.M.Joshi, chairman of the All-India SSP, addressed the rally. The convention, first of its kind to be held in Bombay in twelve years, received a great deal of attention in the local press with some newspapers criticising it as a "left-communist=-sponsored show," Among the political parties that openly boycotted it were: . the Swatantra party, Praja Socialist party and the Jan Sangh. The initiative in organising the convention was taken by a Trotskyist group in collaboration with the local units of the left-wing Communists and the SSP.
FRENCH STUDENT HELD IN SPAIN
Christiane Etchalus, a 23-year-old French girl, has been held in the Pampelune prison for four and a half months. ‘SHé:.is charged with having collaborated with young Basque nationalists’ 6ppdsed tothe Franco regime, The police claim that a stick of dynamite was found in her automobile,
Miss Etchalus has stated that she knows nothing about the charges. She left her car in a Spanish garage for a number of days and did not search it when she took it out. The dynamite was discovered when she crossed the border into France. She was attending school at the University of Pampelune.
Besides Miss Etchalus,. three others have been charged in the case, ar
One of the gravest aspects is that it comes under military
jurisdiction. Infractions of this kind, characterized as "military rebellion, terrorism and banditry," carry specially severe penalties and the court of career officers is much harsher than the ordinary courts. The military court can in fact condemn the defendants without formally proving their guilt. Loy
It is also felt that in view of the present political mood: of the students in Spain, the military court may decide to make an example of the case in order to terrorize others.
The defense is seeking to have the case transferred to the ordinary courts where it is easier to insist on the normal observance of legal rules, particularly in establishing evidence,
The transfer is not likely to be won, however, without substantial expressions of solidarity and the filing of protests at Spanish embassies and consulates, oo. ,
EMINENT CANADIANS BACK VICTIMS OF