Youth Who Fought To Save Aarey Still Face Criminal Cases Despite Govt Promise To Withdraw Them

In October 2020, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had directed the state home department to immediately start the procedure to withdraw cases registered against protestors for opposing the felling of trees for a proposed metro car shed in Mumbai's Aarey forest.

Several tribals, youths, and activists who protested the cutting of trees were arrested by the police.

BCCL

But nearly 10 months later, 29 of those who have been booked by the police under various sections are still waiting for the cases against them closed.

This includes tribals from Aarey, students and working professionals whose lives have been affected due to the pending cases.

The charges on the 29 arrested for protesting against the tree cut in Aarey aren't withdrawn yet as promised by @CMOMaharashtra#saveaareyforest #aarey #aareyforestmumbai pic.twitter.com/Vd3uLhuRmu

¡ª Let India Breathe (@LetIndBreathe) June 14, 2021

Can't go abroad for studies

Swapnil Pawar is one of them. He was one of the young activists who had protested the midnight cutting of trees in Aarey in October 2019. He along with others was arrested and booked under several sections of IPC.

Today, the 23-year-old is struggling to get a passport issued due to pending cases.

Indiatimes

"There are five cases against me including for trespassing and others. Because of this when I applied for a passport to go abroad for studies, it was rejected," Pawar told Indiatimes.

"We have tried everything possible, we even reached out to Aaditya Thackeray for help. Everyone promised us they will help, but nothing has been put into action till now. The government has said four times in the past that the cases have been withdrawn, but when we approach the police, they say that they have not received any formal communication on this," he said.

Like Pawar, there are many more, young working professionals and students. Many fear that if their employers get to know about the case, it will affect their career.

Lost job opportunity

Meemansa Singh was a law student in Mumbai when she was arrested for her involvement in the protests that day. Since then Singh like others has been living the trauma of the events, so much so she now doesn't even have the confidence to become a lawyer.

"There were four charges against me - including obstructing a public servant from discharging duty, harassment of public servant, and unlawful assembly. We were arrested during my exams. We were released on a Sunday night and the next morning I had to attend my semester exam. It has affected me even professionally. Every time I go for a job interview, this is brought up. Recently I had applied for a job with a government department, where I had all the qualifications, but I was rejected only just because of the case," Singh told Indiatimes.

Singh also added that she has given up on the hopes of going abroad for higher studies as she fears her application and visa will be rejected citing the case.

BCCL

Tribal residents of Aarey

Pramila Bhoir, a tribal from Aarey was one of the five women arrested by the police on the night of October 4, 2019, for trying to stop the tree cutting. According to her husband Prakash Bhoir, Pramila has four cases pending against her.

"We used to take part in the human chains at Aarey every weekend. On that night when they started cutting the trees, a lot of us went there and many were detained but were released later. Pramila was one of the five women arrested that day. She was in jail for two days before she was granted bail," Prakash said.

BCCL

According to him, while the tribal and activists welcomed the government's decision to declare Aarey as a forest, justice was not done to the people who made it happen.

"The people who were arrested for protesting that day are the real heroes. They should be celebrated, but instead, they are left to fight cases. This is not right. While my wife is a housewife who lives in Aarey, there are others, students and activists whose lives have been affected due to the cases," he said.

BCCL

Bhoir also felt that such cases will prevent more youths from stating up to fight for the environment as they feel it will ruin their lives.

"Like in Aarey, we need more youths to lead the fight to save the environment and forests. But instead of acknowledging their fight, if they are troubles with criminal cases, who is going to take the risk?" he asked.