No more political prisoner should die in jail: Free India’s Political Prisoners!
Communist Party of the Philippines
Marco L. Valbuena, Information Officer
September 02, 2022
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) extends its hearfelt condolences to the Indian people and the Communist Party of India (Maoist) on the untimely demise of Comrade Pandu Naroti, an Adivasi who stood by the working class, peasants and all oppressed and exploited people of India. We extend our sympathies to his family and friends in Mureweda village, a poor Adivasi community in Gadchiroli district, Maharashtra.
Comrade Naroti died in prison last August 25, at the age of 33, after being denied his rights to proper medical treatment. We are saddened and angered over his the death in the fascist dungeons of the Indian government. We hold the Modi regime directly responsible for his murder by violating his rights while in prison.
Comrade Naroti was arrested in 2013 on accusations of violating India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act after being maliciously associated with the CPI (Maoist). Naroti was sentenced by the Modi regime in 2017 with life imprisonment, along with former Delhi University professor and Revolutionary Democratic Front leader G.N. Saibaba and several others.
His murder is not the first in the hands of the fascist Modi regime. A year ago, 82-year old Adivasi rights advocate Fr. Stan Swamy died of ill health in prison. More deaths can be expected as India’s activists, progressives and advocates continue to be locked up by the regime in jail on false charges.
We join the international call for the release of all political prisoners of the fascist Hindutva government. We express support to the planned Worldwide Action Week, which will be led by the ICSPWI (International Committee to Support the People’s War in India), from September 13 to 19 for the release of political prisoners and demanding a stop to drone attacks in India.
