Activist terrified that gov’t is trying to ‘eliminate’ her
Teesta Setalvad, a human rights activist who fought for justice for 2002 riot victims in the Indian state of Gujarat, has accused the government of trying to intimidate, and possibly eliminate, her.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India’s premier investigating agency, raided her home and offices last week. The CBI says that her organization has accepted 15,000,000 rupees ($235,000) without permission from the Ford Foundation.
Setalvad was charged with violating the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act. The CBI, opposing her petition for bail in court, said that she was a threat to national security. It has also accused her organization of indulging in activities that are a threat to the country’s domestic peace and communal harmony.