IAPL extends support to Kanfade

The two-day third national conference of Indian Association of People's Lawyers (IAPL) at Vinoba Vichar Kendra concluded on Sunday with the general body passing a resolution supporting mercurial additional collector of Gadchiroli Rajendra Kanfade. The senior official had attracted the government's wrath for his outbursts during the recent visit of Union home minister P Chidambaram to Gadchiroli.

IAPL president PA Sebastian said that the outfit has decided to denounce the government decision to penalise Kanfade for making press statements mocking officials who aims to flush out Naxalism by deploying violent measures.

Sebastian also said that IAPL also demands the release of recently arrested 'socio-political activist' Sudhir Dhawale by the police. "Dhawale was an activist championing Dalit issues. His arrest was a miscarriage of justice," said Sebastian.

IAPL's core members also criticised the Raipur court's decision to convict Dr Binayak Sen, Narayan Sanyal and Piyush Guha. "We do not know about the cases against Sanyal, but there was no point in convicting Sen and Guha," said Sebastian.