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With the Centre warning of action under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against civil society representatives speaking in favour of Naxals, social activist and writer Mahasweta Devi on Friday dared Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to arrest her.
"I invite Chidambaram to arrest and jail me for 10 years if the central government thinks I am a Maoist," the Magsaysay award winner told PTI in Kolkata.
The renowned writer who has spent most of her life projecting the plight of the tribals and promoting their rights said, "I condemned police atrocities against the Naxalites in the '70s and I am not scared that by supporting the right cause I will be labelled a Maoist."
Controversial Trinamool Congress MP Kabir Suman, whose statements supporting Maoists embarrassed party supremo Mamata said, "I have been advocating the cause of tribals all through. If I am branded a Maoist for it, I am helpless. But I am not a Maoist."
He said he would continue to compose songs to promote the cause of tribals.
"I have seen the indescribable sufferings of tribals and I am now speaking to uphold their rights, but I am against violence of any kind," he told a TV channel.
Suman said it was unfortunate that supporting the rights of tribals over forests would earn one the wrath of the government. "I will compose a song on tribal leader Lalmohan Tudu, the president of the People's Committee against Police Atrocities who died in an encounter with the joint forces near Lalgarh."
Association for Protection of Democratic Rights activist Sujato Bhadra told PTI, "We are totally against UAPA and will continue to protest state repression on armed opposition groups. We are still in favour of a dialogue with Maoists."
Demanding repeal of the UAPA he said, there should be space for protest, but the Home Ministry statement has denied it and it was aimed at creating fear among intellectuals. Bhadra said the issue would be taken up at the national level by the Coordination of Democratic Rights Organisation.