To All friends,

62 activists along with Medha Patkar, Com. P Chennaiah were illegally detained and arrested at Yojna Bhavan, Delhi.

The women activists were brutally assaulted, manhandled, molested by male police.

62 activists, more than half women, along with Medha Patkar were detained and arrested on 22^nd March 2007. Among the arrested was Com. P Chennaiah, the President of our Alliance and General Secretary of APPVU, Andhra Pradesh.

On World Water Day, a group of representatives of various communities and people's organisations participating in the Sangharsh /Action 2007 held at the Jantar Mantar in Delhi had gone to Yojna Bhavan (Planning Commission) to symbolically protest against the deprivation, water scarcity faced by a majority of people of rural and urban poor of this country.

When the protesters, a majority of whom are women were raising slogans peacefully, the Rapid Action Force along with the police forcibly arrested them. They were beaten up and physically abused, and women activists were manhandled by the male policemen, pulling and tearing their clothes and using filthy abusive language.

In this context, we appeal to you to strongly protest against this assault of women activists by the police and unlawful arrest of the protesters.

You are requested to immediately write, fax or email to the Prime Minister of India and the Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission.

Please respond urgently.

• Dr. Manmohan Singh, Honourable Prime Minister, Fax: 011-23019545 / 011-23016857 (O)
• Mr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, the Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission Fax: 011- 23096699 (O) / 011- 23011296

With warm solidarity,

Swapan Ganguly

(Organising Secretary)

National Alliance of Agricultural Workers' Unions