NAGARIK MANCHA, SANHATI On 17th August 2010, social activist and our General Secretary, Naba Dutta, had been arrested from West Medinipur. Owing to unprecedented public outcry against the arrest, he was granted bail next day, but not before serious, and totally fabricated, criminal charges were brought against him.
Why and how did this happen? Let us look at the context of this incident:
Mr. Naba Dutta along with three companions; Ms. Progna Paromita Dutta Roy Chowdhury, Mr. Gautam Ghosh and Mr. Dipankar Mazumdar all associated with Nagarik Mancha, a civil society organization mainly focused on environmental and labor issues, went to a pre-announced and well-publicised dharna front of the Block Development Officer’s office at Narayangarh block of West Midnapur. The programme was organized by Lodha Shabar Vumij Kalyan Smiti.