Himanshu Kumar

Himanshu Kumar
Born
Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India
OccupationSocial Activist
FatherLakshmindraprakash Sharma

Himanshu Kumar is an Indian Gandhian activist, best known for his activism for the tribal communities of the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. He founded a non-profit organization named Vanvasi Chetna Ashram in Dantewada district (now Sukma district) of Chhattisgarh, which he ran from 1992 to 2009.[1]

Biography

Kumar was born in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh and both his parents were freedom fighters. He grew up in Gandhi Ashram, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. His father, Prakashbhai Sharma, worked closely with Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave.[2][3]

After visiting Dantewada in 1988 with activist Nirmala Deshpande and his father, he decided to move to Dantewada with his wife in 1992 and founded the Vanvasi Chetna Ashram along with her. The ashram worked to educate the tribals about their legal rights.[4] The ashram was demolished on 17 May 2009 by the police.[5][6]

Over the years, he extensively worked in the Bastar district with the government to raise awareness on malaria & literacy, and against the government over alleged human rights violations, especially during the Salwa Judum movement.[2]

Over the years, Kumar has filed over 519 petitions related to alleged fake encounters, rape, and loot by the Indian security forces.[7][8]

Chhattisgarh Tribals' Killing Case

In 2009, Kumar, along with 12 tribals,[9][10] filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL)[11] with the Supreme Court of India to investigate the alleged killing of 17 tribals from the Dantewada district (now Sukma district) by Chhattisgarh Police as a part of Operation Green Hunt in September and October 2009.[10][2] The petition sought an independent inquiry into the killings while also asking the court to direct the government to provide compensation to the kin of the deceased.[12]

On 14 July 2022, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition and imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on Kumar.[11] The court cited the FIRs and the chargesheets filed in the case and noted that the tribals were killed by Maoists.[13] Kumar refused to pay the fine[12][14] and said "I will not pay the fine as I have not done anything wrong."[1]

References

  1. ^ a b "Seeking justice for massacred tribals of Chhattisgarh, Activist Himanshu Kumar won't pay fine imposed by Supreme Court". The Hindu. PTI. 2022-07-19. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  2. ^ a b c "'I know I will go to jail, but paying the fine would mean I did a wrong': Dantewada activist". The Indian Express. 2022-07-16. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  3. ^ "Interview: When a Quest for Justice Was Treated Like a Crime". The Wire. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  4. ^ "Himanshu Kumar". Sambhaavnaa. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  5. ^ "Attack On Vanvasi Chetna Ashram In Chhattisgarh". countercurrents.org. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  6. ^ "Himanshu Kumar". THiNK. Retrieved 2022-10-15.
  7. ^ "'If Institutions Are Captured, We Are Not Independent': Observations from Tribunal on SC Judgments". The Wire. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  8. ^ Jeelani, Mehboob (2016-02-16). "Himanshu Kumar - a rights activist on the run". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  9. ^ "SC Fines Activist Rs 5 Lakh for 'False Charges' in Chhattisgarh Tribals' Killing Case". The Wire. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  10. ^ a b Sahay, Shalini (2022-07-22). "Gandhian and peace activist Himanshu Kumar refuses to pay fine imposed by Supreme Court". National Herald. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  11. ^ a b Scroll Staff. "SC dismisses plea seeking probe into alleged killing of 17 Adivasis by security forces in 2009". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  12. ^ a b "As SC Imposes Fine on Chhattisgarh Activist, Legal Experts Rue 'Vengeful Attitude'". The Wire. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  13. ^ Dhananjay Mahapatra (Jul 15, 2022). "SC nails activist Himanshu Kumar for implicating security forces in Dantewada tribal killings | India News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  14. ^ "Activist Says Won't Pay SC Fine for Seeking Justice for Adivasis, Civil Society Calls Order a 'Farce'". NewsClick. 2022-07-23. Retrieved 2022-10-14.