Statement in Solidarity with Dr Partho Sarthi Ray

Image courtesy: Gauri Lankesh News

We have come to know that our dear friend and comrade Dr Partho Sarothi Ray, Associate Professor, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), has been summoned by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case. He has been asked to present himself before the investigators in Mumbai on 10 September at 11am.

Partho has been pro-actively involved with peaceful, democratic people’s movements, especially the struggles for the rights of poor and marginalised dalits and adivasis. He is an active member of Persecuted Prisoners’ Solidarity Committee as well as Joint Action Committee for Social Justice. His tireless work in defence of civil liberties and for the release of political prisoners is exemplary. Partho has been ever-present in marches, rallies, and other street programmes with his stirring but lucid speeches and an endearing smile.

At IISER, Partho has been carrying out extensive and useful research on molecular biology. His pioneering work on viruses has taken him to the lecture-halls in universities and scientific gatherings across the globe. He is a front-runner in the present battle against Covid-19 and his idea of community participation has been successfully implemented in Nadia district, inviting widespread interest. He was among the scientists consulted by the World Health Organization (WHO) to understand the character of the Coronavirus and formulate a policy to tackle the pandemic.

The harassment of Dr Ray by the NIA is yet another sinister attempt in the fascist regime’s witch-hunt at silencing the voices of dissent and protest. We, the undersigned, strongly condemn this brazen assault on democratic activities and demand immediate withdrawal of NIA’s menacing, threatening interrogation notice. We stand hand-in-hand with Dr Partho Sarothi Ray.

Signed

  1. Aamra ek Sachetan Prayas
  2. Aashita Dawer, Professor, OP Jindal Global University
  3. Abhijit Pathak, Chartered Accountant
  4. Abhijit Roy, Professor, Jadavpur University
  5. Achin Chakraborty, Professor, Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata
  6. Achin Vanaik, Professor (Retd), University of Delhi
  7. Adibashi Gaonta
  8. Adibashi Juan Mahal
  9. Adibashi Samanyaya Mancha
  10. Aditi Chowdhury, Citizen
  11. Aditi Roy Ghatak, Journalist
  12. Aditya Nigam, Professor, CSDS, Delhi
  13. Afaf Jameel, Schoolteacher
  14. AJC Bose, Professor, SRCC, University of Delhi
  15. Ajijul Haque, Writer
  16. Dr Alessandra Mezzadri, Dept of Development Studies, SOAS, University of London
  17. Alik Chakraborty, CPI (M-L) Red Star
  18. All India Central Council of Trade Union (AICCTU)
  19. All India Federation of Trade Unions (AIFTU – new)
  20. All India Kshet Mazdoor Kisan Sabha (AIKMKS)
  21. All India People’s Forum (AIPF)
  22. All India Peoples’ Science Network (AIPSN)
  23. All India Progressive Women’s Association (AIPWA)
  24. All India Revolutionary Students’ Organisation (AIRSO)
  25. All India Revolutionary Women’s Organisation (AIRWO)
  26. All India Sanjukta Kisan Sabha
  27. All India Students’ Association (AISA)
  28. All West Bengal Sales Representatives’ Union (AWBSRU)
  29. Aloke Mukherjee, CPI (M-L)
  30. Alpa Shah, Associate Professor, London School of Economics
  31. Amal Sanyal
  32. Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle, IIT Madras
  33. Ambedkar-Periyar-Phule Study Circle, IIT Bombay
  34. Ambikesh Mahapatra, Professor, Jadavpur University
  35. Amit Bhaduri, Professor (Retd), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
  36. Amit Kundu, Journalist
  37. Amit Roychowdhury, Prof. & Head, Dept of Aerospace Engineering & Applied Mechanics, Indian Institute of Engineering Science & Technology (IIEST), Shibpur
  38. Amitabha Chakraborty, Activist
  39. Amra Monbhashi
  40. Analabha Basu, National Institute of Biological Genomics
  41. Ananta Acharya, Editor, Chetana Lahar
  42. Aneek Patrika (Bengali Monthly)
  43. Anik Dutta, Filmmaker
  44. Aniket Chattopadhyay, Filmmaker
  45. Anindita Sarbadhikari, Filmmaker
  46. Anindya, Blogger
  47. Anindya Sengupta, Professor, Jadavpur University
  48. Anish Vanaik, Professor, OP Jindal Global University
  49. Anjali Monteiro, Filmmaker & Academic
  50. Anomita Sen, Citizen
  51. Anup Gampa, Asst Professor, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, California
  52. Anuroop Mallik, Folk Singer
  53. Anwesha Sengupta, Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata
  54. Arijit Mitra Smarak Committee
  55. Arundhati Dhuru, National Alliance of People’s Movements
  56. Arundhati Roy, Writer
  57. Arup Baisya, Writer, Silchar
  58. Arup Dasgupta
  59. Ashani Natyam
  60. Ashish Lahiri, Writer, Adjunct Professor, IISER
  61. Ashok Choudhary, All India Union of Forest Working People (AIUFWP)
  62. Asit Basu
  63. Justice Asok Kumar Ganguly (Retd), Supreme Court
  64. Asoke Prasun Chattopadhyay, Dept of Chemistry, Kalyani University
  65. Association for the Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR)
  66. Aurobindo Ghose, Lawyer, Human Rights Activist
  67. Avishek Konar, Professor, OP Jindal Global University
  68. Avishek Mukherjee
  69. Ayodhya Buru Bachao Andolan
  70. Azad Gano Morcha
  71. Badshah Moitra, Actor
  72. Baidyanath Sengupta, Editor, Samaj Bignan o Prakriti Parichay Patrika
  73. Bandi Mukti Committee
  74. Banglar Krishak Shakti
  75. Banikanta Mishra, Professor, Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneshwar
  76. Banojyotsna Lahiri, Senior Researcher, CES, New Delhi
  77. Bedabrata Pain, Scientist & Filmmaker
  78. Bharati Mutsuddi, Lawyer
  79. Bharatiya Adibashi Ekata Mancha
  80. Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, MP & Former Mayor, Kolkata Municipal Corporation
  81. Bimal Chakraborty
  82. Dr Binayak Sen
  83. Bodhisatya Ray, Radical Socialist
  84. Bolan Gangopadhyay, Journalist & Social Activist
  85. Central Convening Committee (CCC), No NRC Movement
  86. Chanchal Chakraborty
  87. Chandan Sen, Playwright
  88. Chandrashekhar Bhattacharya, Journalist
  89. Charoibeti
  90. Chiara Bertone, Associate Professor in Sociology, University of Eastern Piedmont, Italy
  91. Chittaroopa Palit, Narmada Bachao Andolan
  92. Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners (CRPP), West Bengal
  93. Confluence, IISER, Mohali
  94. CP Geevan, Former Senior Environmental Scientist, Independent Researcher
  95. Das Theke Das Hazaar
  96. DC Gohain, Jharkhand Krantikari Mazdoor Union
  97. Debashish Bhattacharya, Bharatiya Bigyan o Juktibadi Samiti
  98. Debdoot Ghosh
  99. Debdutta Paul
  100. Debmalya Nandy, NREGA Sangharsh Morcha
  101. Delhi Science Forum, Delhi
  102. Democratic Students’ Association, West Bengal
  103. Dhiman (Raina) Roy, Transgender Activist & Human Rights Defender
  104. Dhritisree, Theatre Activist
  105. Dhruva Narayan, Publisher
  106. Dibyendu Dey, Dept of Mathematics, Kalyani University
  107. Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPI (M-L) Liberation
  108. Doyeeta Majumder, Professor, Jadavpur University
  109. Ebong Bisongbad
  110. Prof. Felix Padel, Anthropologist & Writer
  111. Feminists in Resistance
  112. Forum Against Monopolistic Aggression (FAMA)
  113. Freny Manecksha, Independent Journalist
  114. Dr Fuad Halim, People’s Health Activist
  115. G Arunima, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
  116. Ganatantrik Sangrami Udyog
  117. Gautam Chakraborty
  118. Githa Hariharan, Writer
  119. Gopa Joshi, Associate Professor (Retd), University of Delhi
  120. Gorky Chakraborty, Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata
  121. Goutam Seal
  122. Harkumar Goswami, Guwahati
  123. Hosiery Workers’ Unity Centre
  124. Indian Federation of Trade Union (IFTU)
  125. Indira Ghose, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
  126. Indu Chandrasekhar, Publisher
  127. J Devika, Feminist Historian
  128. Jadavpur Commune
  129. Jagdeep Chhokar, Former Professor and Dean, IIM Ahmedabad
  130. Jai Bhim India Network
  131. Janakalyan o Santras Birodhi Gana Abhijan Mancha, Bagnan
  132. Janaswasthya Suraksha o Adhikar Mancha, Uluberia
  133. Jayashri Sarkar, Activist
  134. Jayati Ghosh, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
  135. Joint Action Committee for Social Justice
  136. Joint Platform of Academicians
  137. Joint Platform of Doctors, West Bengal Association of Health Service Doctors; Doctors for Democracy; Health Service Association; Shramajibi Swasthya Udyog; West Bengal Doctors’ Forum
  138. Jomi Jibika Bastutantro o Poribesh Raksha Committee
  139. Joyraj Bhattacharya, Theatre & Social Activist
  140. Kaldhwani (Little Magazine)
  141. Kamal Sur, No NRC Movement
  142. Kaushik Sen, Playwright & Actor
  143. Kavita Krishnan, AIPWA
  144. Keya Bhaumik Gupta, Activist
  145. KP Fabian, Ambassador (Retd)
  146. KP Jayasankar, Filmmaker & Academic
  147. Kranti Shilpi Sangha
  148. Krishna Bandyopadhyay, Activist in Women’s Movements
  149. Kumar Rana, Social Activist
  150. Kunal Chattopadhyay, Professor, Jadavpur University
  151. Kuntal Rudra
  152. Lalitha, Jana Chinthana Kendra
  153. Little Magazine Samannaya Mancha
  154. Madhuchhanda Karlekar, Social Activist
  155. Mahila Jagaron Samiti, Bagnan
  156. Manabesh Sarkar, Researcher
  157. Mandakranta Sen, Poet
  158. Manoj Bhattacharya, RSP
  159. Manzar Jameel, Social Activist
  160. Maroona Murmu, Associate Professor, Jadavpur University
  161. Masood Akhtar
  162. Dr Matilde Adduci, Dept of Development Studies, SOAS, University of London
  163. Mazdoor Kranti Parishad
  164. Megha Unwer, Professor, Purdue University, Italy
  165. Miratun Nahar, Writer
  166. Mitra Sengupta
  167. Moinak Biswas, Professor, Jadavpur University
  168. Moushumi Bhowmik, Singer & Music Researcher
  169. Nagarik Udyog
  170. Nandita Narain, Associate Professor and Former DUTA President, University of Delhi
  171. National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), West Bengal
  172. New Democratic Students’ Front
  173. New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI)
  174. Nikhil Banga Mahila Sangha
  175. Nilanjan Dutta, Writer, Filmmaker, Human Rights Activist
  176. Niranjana Shetty, Human Rights Activist
  177. Nisha Biswas, Activist
  178. Nitish Roy, Singer
  179. Nivedita Menon, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
  180. No NRC Movement
  181. Nupur Basu, Bachik Shilpi
  182. Pallab Kirtania, Singer & Composer
  183. Pamela Philipose, Journalist
  184. Papiya Adhikari, Actor
  185. Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, www. paranjoy.in
  186. Partha Chatterjee, Professor, Columbia University
  187. Partha S Banerjee, Writer & Retired Journalist
  188. Parthasarathi Mukhopadhyay, Dept of Library & Information Science, Kalyani University
  189. Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity
  190. Paschim Banga Ganasanskriti Parishad
  191. People’s Film Collective
  192. People’s Study Circle
  193. People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL)
  194. Persecuted Prisoners’ Solidarity Committee
  195. Prabhat Patnaik, Professor Emeritus, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
  196. Prabir Mukhopadhyay, Teacher (Retd), South Point School
  197. Pradip Chatterjee, Activist
  198. Prakriti Sebasram Sangha
  199. Prameela Premnath, Citizen
  200. Pramod Gupta, Social Activist
  201. Pranab Kanti Basu, Professor (Retd), Vishva-Bharati
  202. Prantajan
  203. Pratip Nag, Activist
  204. Probal Dasgupta, Professor (Retd), Indian Statistical Institute Kolkata
  205. Progressive Democratic Students’ Federation (PDSF)
  206. Progressive Plantation Workers’ Union
  207. Progressive Students’ Union (PSU)
  208. Progressive Youth League (PYL)
  209. Pulak Chanda, Professor (Retd), Shyamsundar College
  210. Purba Rudra, Citizen
  211. Purbasha Auddy, Jadavpur University
  212. Purbayan Chakraborty, Student, Karnataka State Law University
  213. Purulia Bauri Samaj Kalyan Samiti
  214. Rabin Chakraborty (Retd), Calcutta University
  215. Rajashri Dasgupta, Social Activist
  216. Ramesh Dixit, President, Samvidhan Bachao Desh Bachao Abhiyan, Uttar Pradesh
  217. Ranjan Palit, Filmmaker
  218. Ranjana Padhi, WSS
  219. Ranjit Sur, Human Rights Activist
  220. Ratan Khasnabis, Former Professor, Calcutta University
  221. Ravi Pallur, Political Activist
  222. Refraction (Magazine)
  223. Revolutionary Cultural Forum
  224. Revolutionary Youth and Students’ Federation
  225. Revolutionary Youth Federation of India (RYFI)
  226. Revolutionary Youth Front (RYF)
  227. Richa Singh, SKMS, NAPM UP
  228. Right to Food & Work Campaign, West Bengal
  229. Rimi B Chatterjee, Professor, Jadavpur University
  230. Ritam Bhaumik, INRIA, Paris
  231. Ritam Palit, Student Activist
  232. Rohan Banerji
  233. Romar Correa, Professor, University of Mumbai
  234. Rongili Biswas, Writer & Musician. Associate Professor, WBES
  235. Ronny Sen, Photographer-Filmmaker
  236. Sabyasachi Chakraborty, Actor
  237. Sabyasachi Chatterjee
  238. Sabyasachi Chattopadhyay, Dept of History, Kalyani University
  239. Sabyasachi Deb, Poet
  240. Sachetana
  241. Sahoman
  242. Sailendra Nath Bhattacharya, ECL Colliery Sramik Union
  243. Sajni Mukherjee, Professor, Jadavpur University
  244. Salil Biswas, Principal (Retd), South City College
  245. Samantak Das, Professor, Jadavpur University
  246. Samar Bagchi, Science, Education, Environment & Social Activist
  247. Samir Aich, Painter
  248. Sampradayikota o Fascibad Birodhi Ganatantrik Mancha
  249. Sandeep Pandey, Socialist Party (India)
  250. Sanjay Basak, Journalist
  251. Sanjay Kak, Filmmaker
  252. Sanjeeb Mukherjee, Calcutta University
  253. Saswata Ghosh, Professor, Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata
  254. Saswati Ghosh, Academic & Activist
  255. Satarupa Sanyal, Filmmaker
  256. Satya Sagar, Journalist
  257. Dr SC Byne, Gana Adhikar Mancha, Durgapur
  258. Shakti Pada Badyakar, SC-ST-OBC & Minority Employees’ Federation, Durgapur
  259. Dr Sarmistha Dutta Gupta, Independent Researcher
  260. Shamim Ahmed, Writer
  261. Shuddhabrata Sengupta, Delhi
  262. Shukla Bhowmick
  263. Sipra Mukherjee, Professor, Jadavpur University
  264. Sitansusekhar, Na Hanya Te
  265. Solidarity Against NRC, Murshidabad
  266. Soma Marik, Associate Professor, RKSM Vivekananda Vidya Bhavan
  267. Sonali Dutta Roy, Faculty, Ambedkar University, Delhi
  268. Soumitra Bhose, Citizen
  269. Soumitra Dastidar, Filmmaker
  270. Dr Soumya Sahin, Asst Professor, National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS)
  271. Souvik Mukhopadhyay
  272. Sramajibi Mahila Samiti
  273. Srikanta Mohanty, CPI (M-L), Odisha
  274. Students for Change
  275. Subhash Deb, CPI (M-L) PCC
  276. Subhasis Bandyopadhyay, Associate Professor, IIEST, Shibpur
  277. Subhendu Maiti, Singer
  278. Sugata Ray
  279. Sukanta Chaudhuri, Professor Emeritus, Jadavpur University
  280. Sukumar Muralidharan, Journalist and Journalism Instructor
  281. Sumit Bhaduri, Scientist (Chemist)
  282. Sumit Sarkar, Historian
  283. Sumit, Filmmaker, Writer
  284. Sunandan Chakraborty
  285. Supriya Chaudhuri, Professor Emeritus, Jadavpur University
  286. Sushanta Mukherjee, Activist
  287. Sushil Khanna, Professor (Retd), Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIMC)
  288. Sushovan Dhar, Trade Union Activist
  289. Susmit Bose, Singer-Composer, Activist
  290. Suvrat Raju, International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Bengaluru
  291. Swaraj Abhiyan
  292. Swastha Siksha Nirman
  293. Tanika Sarkar, Historian, Professor (Retd), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
  294. Tanima Saha, Dept of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Kalyani University
  295. Tapas Kumar Bandyopadhyay, Professor, Dept of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Kalyani University
  296. Tarakdas Basu, Dept of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Kalyani University
  297. Tarun Bhartiya, Imagemaker & Union Activist, Shillong
  298. Tobu Banglar Mukh
  299. Trade Union Centre of India (TUCI)
  300. Tuhin Maparu
  301. Umar Awais, United Forum for National Integrity (Rajabazar Shireen Bagh)
  302. United Trade Union Congress (UTUC)
  303. Utpal Basu, Dept of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Kalyani University
  304. Vandana Misra, Civil Liberties Activist
  305. Vanessa Chisti, OP Jindal Global University
  306. Women Against Sexual Violence & State Repression (WSS)
  307. Yuva Bharat, West Bengal