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India: Set up fast track probe into the assassination of Govind Pansare - Letter to Chief Minister of Maharashtra | Benoy Viswam

20 February

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Binoy Viswam
Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha)

Date: 20th February, 2024

To,

Shri Eknath Shinde,
Chief Minister,
Government of Maharashtra

Respected Shri Eknath Shinde Ji,

I write this letter to register my profound disappointment with the manner in which the Maharashtra Government is probing one of the most heinous acts of political terrorism in the country. On February 20, 10 years back, Comrade Govind Pansare was shot at by cowardly armed assailants. Comrade Pansare was a senior leader of the CPI and was well renowned across Maharashtra for activism and intellect. His books on communalism and on the inclusive legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj are part of almost every household in Maharashtra. Apart from being a writer, Comrade Govind Pansare was a freedom fighter who stood for the people. His role in the Maharashtra movement, Goa Liberation Struggle, and activism for social harmony and rationalism remains unforgettable.

It’s a matter of shame that even after 10 years of his martyrdom, the culprits are scot-free and the police have completely failed in conducting a thorough investigation. Maharashtra is the land of great champions of social justice like Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Phule and Shahuji. Their legacy formed the crux of Comrade Pansare’s life and work. In that very land, fundamentalists can gun down a beloved leader of the people and roam freely is intolerable.

In this context, as a tribute to Comrade Pansare’s rich contributions to progressive values in Maharashtra and acknowledging the lapses in investigation in the last 10 years, I urge you to immediately constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe this heinous crime. A fast-track and fair probe into his assassination will restore people’s trust on the law-and-order situation in Maharashtra.

Yours Sincerely
Binoy Viswam
Leader of CPI Parliamentary Group & Secretary, National Council

Member, Committee on Public Undertakings
Member, Standing Committee on Labour, Textiles and Skill Development
Member, Consultative Committee on Environment, Forest and Climate Change