John Miran Munda

HRD 

Jharkhand

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on November 15, 2021, regarding the fabricated charges against adivasi HRD Mr. John Miran Munda by the Jharkhand Police.

Mr. John Miran Munda is a labour leader and President of the Jharkhand General Kamgar Union and the Akhil Bhartiya Krantikari Adivasi Mahasabha.

ACC owns a cement factory and two limestone mines factories in the West Singhbhum district which has led to the displacement of tribals from Jhinkpani and Tonto blocks. The Jharkhand General Kamgar Union (JGKU) alleged that the company did not compensate land losers or provide them with jobs, routinely violated laws and legal provisions and engaged in illegal mining.

In 2020, media reports stated that limestone reserves in ACC existing mines in the district had been fast depleting, and the company was keen to acquire the lease for another mine. The JGKU and the Akhil Bhartiya Krantikari Adivasi Mahasabha (ABKAM) strongly opposed this move and wrote to various government authorities highlighting the issue. On August 4, 2021, Mr Munda wrote to the Jharkhand Governor on the official letter pad of the ABKAM, which was co-signed by the Pradhan of Kondwa Gram Panchayat and four other landowners

On August 2, 2021, West Singhbhum SP Mr Ajay Linda wrote to the District Magistrate (DM), Mr. Ananyan Mittal, stating that Mr. Munda was disturbing the peace in the area. The letter was received and signed by the Governor's office on August 6, 2021. Based on Mr. Linda's letter the DM issued a show-cause notice to Mr. Munda under Section 3 of the Jharkhand Crime Control Act, 2002 along with 29 cases against him on August 19, 2021. He appeared before the DM on August 27, 2021, and claimed that all cases against him were slapped against him for his political work against displacement and violation by ACC. 

Without giving him a copy of the complaints, DM issued an order externing, Mr. Munda, from the limits of Tonto and Jhinkpani Police Station areas for six months and asked him to mark his attendance in the Jaraikela police station every day which is located 130 km from his residence in Jhinkpani. 

We believe that Mr. Munda was denied the chance to defend himself which is against the principle of natural justice. He is being harassed and charged with fake cases and externment by the police and violation of the Declaration on HRD adopted in 1998 by the UN General Assembly was Clauses 2 and 3 of Article 12 of the declaration state.