
Free Teesta Setalvad: Dozens of letters pour in every week Well-wishers including fellow activists, students and ordinary citizens are sending postcards
05, Aug 2022 | CJP Team
Even as journalist, educationist and human rights defender Teesta Setalvad remains incarcerated at the Sabarmati Jail in Ahmedabad, on trumped up charges, foisted upon her by a vindictive regime, there has been no dearth of support for her. Every day, dozens of postcards are being delivered to her.
The writers include her well-wishers, partner organisations from across the country and even school students who are part of CJP’s┬аKhoj тАУ a secular education program taught in middle-schools in different states.
Teesta Setalvad, an internationally renowned human rights defender, is being persecuted by a vindictive regime. As she remains in captivity, your words of support bear special meaning to her. You can send your postcards to:┬аTeesta Setalvad,┬аAhmedabad Madyasth┬аJail Vibag 2, Sabarmati Bai ward, Ahmedabad – 380027, Gujarat, or┬аemail them on┬а[email protected].

The post cards started coming in shortly after the human rights defender was incarcerated. However, their numbers increased shortly after the All India Union of Forest Working People (AIUFWP) which is a partner organization of CJP held a meeting with other Delhi-based rights groups. At this meeting, the participants condemned the incarceration and persecution of various activists and dissenters and resolved to start a postcard campaign in solidarity with Teesta Setalvad.
While some letters are written in English, many are in Hindi and other vernacular languages. For example, one Mahendra writes in Hindi, тАЬAll of us villagers are worried about your health in jail.тАЭ He goes on to say, тАЬIt is your sustained nationwide human rights campaign that has helped us get our rights.тАЭ He refers to how CJP had helped Forest Rights Defenders Sokalo Gond and Nivada Rana move Supreme Court in 2019 asserting community forest rights for forest dwellers and forest working people under the Forest Rights Act and opposing their eviction from their traditional habitats. тАЬYou helped the voice of marginalized people reach the highest court, you also used Constitutional means to help secure release of forest rights defenders. We pray for your release.тАЭ
тАЬI salute and support your struggle,тАЭ writes Seema Azad, who also sent a Hindi poem that roughly translates as, тАЬYou thought I was made of wax, but when exposed to heat, I turned into iron.тАЭ
тАЬWe are with you,тАЭ writes Mahtab Ahmed from Varanasi. тАЬTeesta Setalvad is a great social worker,тАЭ writes Saleema. Another Varanasi resident Azizur Rehman writes, тАЬYou are the voice of the poor and the workers. We support you fully and the country needs you.тАЭ
Raj Chauhan from Delhi writes, тАЬIn this time of your fight for justice, I stand in solidarity with you and CJP.тАЭ

Sanober, a class 8 student from Varanasi writes, тАЬWe are with you. We know you have done nothing wrong. We hope you are released soon.тАЭ
There are many like Sanober who have benefited from KHOJ, and are now writing to express their gratitude and support for тАЬTeesta maтАЩamтАЭ.
Anisha Parveen, another such class 8 student writes, тАЬI really like my KHOJ classes and am praying for you.тАЭ
Yusra Bibi writes, тАЬI wish you success in your humanitarian work, and appeal to the government to release you soon.тАЭ
Some of the letters and pictures may be viewed here:
Related:
Free Teesta Setalvad: Time to defend the Foot-soldier of the Constitution
Free Teesta Setalvad: Eminent Canadians, including Margaret Atwood, write to President, CJI
A testament to Teesta SetalvadтАЩs tenacity
Human Rights defenders stand with Teesta Setalvad
Indian intelligentsia bats for Teesta Setalvad
Free Teesta Setalvad: A week in the life of a brave human rights defender