Human Rights activist Dr Binayak Sens nomination as a member of Planning Commissions steering committee on health is becoming flash point for controversy with Chief Minister Raman Singh and his Cabinet colleagues deciding to skip all meetings of the plan panel in the future. The government is officially communicating its position to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,who is also chairman of Planning Commission,that the state does not approve of the nomination of a person who has been convicted on sedition and other serious charges and is now out on bail pending his appeal in the High Court,states top official sources told The Indian Express. Ruling BJP sources said As a protest,political leadership has decided to skip all future meetings of the Planning Commission as long as Dr Sen continues as a member of the plan panels steering committee. While there will be no political representation in the meetings, government officials will however will attend Planning Commission meetings whenever necessary. State BJP unit and other party leaders were mounting pressure on Chief Minister Raman Singh to take a tough stand on the issue in tune with the sentiments of the people of the state,party sources said adding that all state party leaders have rallied in support of Raman Singh,who had questioned the rationale of appointment of a person-who has been convicted for sedition and other serious chargeson planning commissions important committee. Singh had maintained that Dr Sen has not been absolved of the charges but was only granted bail by the court pending his appeal against conviction in the state high court. Dr Sen was convicted by the trial court on December 24 last year for sedition and other charges including for his links with Naxalites and sentenced him for life imprisonment. While the state High Court rejected his bail plea,the Apex Court granted him bail,suspending the sentence by the trial court. His appeal against conviction is now pending in the High Court. Can the Chief Minister,Ministers or anyone from the states political leadership remain present at the meetings of a body which has nominated a convict as a member of its committee? Is it fair on the part any elected representative to share such a platform as long as such a person is representing one of its committees ?,asked tribal leader and state BJP president Ram Sewak Paikra. Alleging that the Congress led UPA government at the centre has deliberately created such a situation; Pakira said nomination of a person convicted by a court for sedition and other serious charges by the Planning Commission was in fact an insult on the people of Chhattisgarh. Asked about partys future course of action,Paikra told The Indian Express Congress is trying to play politics with the sentiments of the people. We cannot take it lying down. I plan to discuss with senior leaders and legislators to explore the possibility of bringing a resolution during the monsoon session of the assembly,urging the planning commission to drop Dr Binayak Sen from the steering committee on health. Another veteran tribal leader and Rajya Sabha member Nandkumar Sai went public demanding that the state government must file an appeal at a larger bench against the Supreme Court decision to grant bail to Dr Binayak Sen. The UPA government is glorifying a person convicted by a court. Sen has not been absolved of the charges but was only granted bail,he said at a press conference,lashing out at human rights activists and civil society groups for remaining silent when the Maoists carryout massacre and killed innocent tribal people.
