Rights groups fronting for Maoists, says IB

Indian intelligence agencies have suggested that the Union government take steps to limit activities of leading human rights organisations.

In their advice to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the agencies have alleged that some rights organisations are “actively helping spread the Maoist ideology.”

Sources in MHA told Deccan Herald that the intelligence agencies are of the opinion that charges can be framed against “rights organisations” for “aiding and abetting a criminal conspiracy.” The sources, however, refused to name the organisations.

The agencies have submitted to the ministry names of individuals and five or six individuals and rights organisations, who, in their view, are closely associated with the Maoists. The rights groups were “practically functioning as front organisations” of Maoists, sources claimed. 

According sources, the Intelligence Bureau reported to the ministry that the activities had increased in the past few years. Their spurt has been at the all-India level and not been only limited to rights’ issues during the period, the IB is reported to have said.

The activities of rights groups raising issues of illegal detentions, custodial tortures and death, and fake encounters have extended their reach to those areas which help spread Maoists ideology, intelligence agencies preparing a fresh dossier on the issue said.

According to sources, rights organisations have been under scanner for quite some time now. The IB has prepared a database of individuals and organisations. The database has been submitted to the Home Ministry.

The IB data base has some known names, which, according to the intelligence agency, not only helped “the ideological spread to spread but also functioning as the points persons for Maoists”. This allegation is similar to that been made against noted rights activist Binayak Sen in Chhattisgarh.

The agency has also claimed that some “credible” rights organisations have been infiltrated by Maoists’ sympathisers and being driven towards a different goal.

The intelligence agencies are also investigating “funding pattern” of some NGOs that are actively taking up rights issues.