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Kobad Ghandy goes on hunger strike
Political Prisoner Kobad Ghandy goes on hunger strike to protest harassment by Tihar authorities
Kobad Ghandy, who was arrested in Delhi in 2009 on charges of being a member of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), has been on hunger strike in Tihar Jail since Saturday to protest what he has described as harassment by the authorities.
Sixty eight-year-old Ghandy said that the jail authorities had transferred him three times between different wards of the jail over the past nine months in what he viewed as a bid to target his failing health. He says that he suffers from a heart problem, blood pressure, a slipped disc, arthritis and a kidney condition, among other illnesses.
He has been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Indian Penal Code for a variety of offences, including impersonation, cheating and forgery. He is facing trial in 20 other cases around the country.
Ghandy had been arrested from Bikaji Kama place in Delhi in September 2009. At the time of his arrest, he had been undergoing treatment for a kidney ailment. His lawyers alleged that he had been illegally detained and tortured for four days before he was officially shown as arrested.
In March, an additional sessions judge in Delhi had directed the jail superintendent to facilitate medical treatment for the ailing Ghandy.
This is the full text of Kobad Ghandy’s statement, released on June 1.
“I am 68 years and I have spent five and a half years in Tihar with the Delhi case nearing completion. Though routine (3 to 5 months) transfers of High Risk Ward prisoners have been going on for 4 years, I was subjected to this only from August ’14. This is the third time in 9 months. Earlier, jail transfers were done only as a form of punishment.
I have a heart problem, B.P., slip disc, arthritis, spondylitis, kidney, and numerous other health problems – all of which are increasing specifically after August ’14.
While transferring we have to carry our bags ourselves (some 10-15 kg) go through set of detailed searches of all items, made to hang around at the jail gates for 4-5 hours waiting for the transport, packed like sardines with baggage into a single van and taken to the new jail gate.
In the two more detailed searches, again to carry all items ourselves to the ward etc. One has to go through mulaaza (medical check) done for a new entrant. Then a scramble for cells, with the later arrivals getting the worst. Then at least 2-3 days goes in cleaning the filthy cell and arranging the baggage (no help given).
In the new jail all medical treatment gets interrupted, medical diet and other permissions have to be applied anew as also the bed and western toilet. This can take from a few days to months. Also, the Vodaphone facility has to be started anew. Barely has one settled in, and adjusted with the new lot of criminals (some of whom can be pretty nasty) when the next transfer comes and the whole process repeated.
The May 30th transfer [was] done in the midst of examination for a heart problem at the GB Pant Hospital.
Since the 2012 High Court order to Tihar to take better care of Senior Citizens (above 65), I have been applying to be put in the Senior Citizens’ ward, or given similar facilities in the High Risk ward – but to no avail. On the contrary, while at first they never transferred me, they resorted to this since Aug ’14, obviously as a method of harassment and to destroy my health.
As all the appeals, on both humanitarian and legal grounds have been ignored, I, as a last resort, have had to go on an indefinite hunger strike since the last transfer on May 30th.”
Kobad Ghandy
Tihar Jail 8/9
High Risk Ward (Ward 5)