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Parag Kumar Das

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Parag Kumar Das
Portrait of Parag Kumar Das
Born(1961-02-24)24 February 1961
Shillong
Died17 May 1996(1996-05-17) (aged 35)
Guwahati, Assam
Cause of deathKilled by SULFA
Other namesBuman
EducationMaster's Degree in Economics
Alma materCotton College,
St. Stephen's College,
Delhi School of Economics
Occupation(s)Journalist
Newspaper Editor
Human rights activist
Notable creditAmnesty International
SpousePurabi Das
Children2
Parents
  • Durgadhar Das (father)
  • Anupama Das (mother)

Parag Kumar Das (Assamese পৰাগ কুমাৰ দাস) was the former editor of Asomiya Pratidin,[1][2] a radical journalist, human right activist and one of the founders of human rights movement in Assam.[3]

Parag Kumar Das was also the founder leader of Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS).[4]

Prior to that Parag Kumar Das was the manager of Guwahati Stock Exchange.

Parag Kumar Das was assassinated by SULFA in 1996.[5][6]

Das had his education in St. Stephen's College and Delhi School of Economics, Delhi.

Early life

Parag Kumar Das was born in Shillong on 24 February 1961. He did his lower primary, primary and high schooling from Chenikuthi Boys School, M.C.M.E. School and Cotton Collegiate Government H.S. School respectively. In 1977, he got the 4th position in HSLC examination. He also got 4th position in the Pre-university examination from Cotton College in Science stream. Then he moved to Delhi for higher education. He took admission in St. Stephen's College for his graduation in Economics. After that he joined the Delhi School of Economics at the University of Delhi for a master's degree.

In 1984, he joined as a manager in Punjab National Bank. After that he was appointed as general manager in Unit Trust and Guwahati Stock Exchange. In 1995 he quit from his job and joined as an editor in the Assamese daily Asomiya Pratidin.

He married Purabi Das and they have two children.[7]

Journalism life

Parag Kumar Das started his journalism in Prantik and The Sentinel (an English daily published from Guwahati, Assam) in the late 80s. Later in, 1989, Das launched Boodhbar (English: Wednesday), an Assamese weekly. In 1994, he launched another Assamese magazine Agaan(English: Steps).[8]

Both Boodhbar and Agaan were stopped following his arrests. Finally, in 1995, he joined as the Executive Editor of Asomiya Pratidin, quitting his job from the Stock Exchange of Guwahati.[7]

Books

Parag Kumar Das' Books
Book English Assamese (Origin)
Rastradrohir Dinlipi Diary of a State Rebel ৰাষ্ট্ৰদ্ৰোহীৰ দিনলিপি
Swadhinataar Prostab Proposal for Independence স্বাধীনতাৰ প্ৰস্তাৱ
NISIDDHA KALAM ARU ANNYANYA Banned writings and others নিষিদ্ধ কলম আৰু অন্যান্য
Swadhin Axomor Arthaniti Swadhin Axomor Arthaniti স্বাধীন অসমৰ অৰ্থনীতি
Sanglat Fenla Call for Independence ছাংলট ফেনলা
Early Writings of Parag Kumar Das Early Writings of Parag Kumar Das[9] No

Assassination

In the afternoon of 17 May 1996,[10] while taking back his young son from school in Chandmari, Guwahati, Das was assassinated in broad daylight by four SULFA members - Mridul Phukan alias Samar Kakati, Diganta Baruah, Tapan Dutta alias Biswajit Saikia and Nayan Das alias Guli. His open murder created huge outrage in the entire state of Assam and the human rights circles of the country.

International Condemnation on Assassination

Several international human rights forums and journalist forums condemned the brutal killing of Parag Kumar Das. Amnesty International, on its note, stated, "...The killing of Parag Das highlights the suppression of human rights activity within Assam, where human rights violations and abuses have been committed with virtual impunity by both security forces and armed opposition groups."[11]

Human Rights Watch stated, "...death of Assamese activist Parag Das in May exposed the security forces, use of irregular militias to carry out abuses..".[12]

Trial & Judgement Controversy

In 2001, CBI filed its chargesheet in Kamrup District and Sessions Court against the four accused - all members of the surrendered group of ULFA. Before the CBI filed its chargesheet, Diganta Baruah and Tapan Dutta were killed in 1998 and 1999, and in 2003 Nayan Das was hacked to death by a furious mob in Dibrugarh. Promod Gogoi and Prabin Sarma, two other suspects were not charge-sheeted for lack of evidence against them. Mridul Phukan is the only surviving accused in the case. But after thirteen years, on 28 July 2009, Justice Dilip Kumar Mahanta, District and Sessions Judge, Kamrup, has acquitted the prime accused citing lack of solid evidence.[13]

The acquittal of Mridul Phukan, the lone survivor of the accused in Parag Kumar Das killing, sparked criticism of judgement and investigation done by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, the then editor of Asomiya Pratidin, of which late Das was executive editor, said, "The judgment ( by the Kamrup Metro District and Sessions Court) has exposed the hollowness of our inquiry and law system".[14][15]

MASS reactions

According to human rights activists, the key witnesses were not interviewed, some were intimidated, related materials were tempered to ensure the acquittal of the accused and cover up the state machinery's role in the case.[16] Three of the accused were expired. The human rights activist, media, friends and family members of Das, all call it as a betrayal of the CBI and the Court. MASS leader Lachit Bordoloi, expressing his disappointment with the verdict, said that the MASS would approach higher courts and continue the fight for justice to the slain activist.[17]

Parag Kumar Das Memorial Trust

The Parag Kumar Das Memorial Trust was formed after his death by the family members and the well wishers. The trust has been organizing an annual debate competition at the state level since 1997. In 2021, the silver jubilee edition of the debate will be organized and from 2022 onward annual memorial lectures will replace the debate competition.

A documentary on Late Das sponsored by the trust was also released on 24 February 2018 on the occasion of his Birthday and is available in YouTube.[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ Al-Ahmed, Saikh Md Sabah (4 August 2009). "Parag Das murder verdict: bleeding Fourth Estate". The Assam Tribune. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
  2. ^ Woodhull, Nancy J; Snyder, Robert W (1998). Journalists in peril. New Brunswick, N.J., U.S.A.: Transaction Publishers. ISBN 978-1-351-51054-7. OCLC 1036271590.
  3. ^ Human Rights Watch (Organization) (1996). Human rights watch world report 1997: events of 1996. New York, NY: Human Rights Watch. pp. 161, 162. ISBN 978-1-56432-207-4. OCLC 1170613166.
  4. ^ Karatnycky, Adrian; Freedom House Survey Team (2017). Freedom in the world: the annual survey of political rights & civil liberties, 1996-1997. ISBN 978-1-351-29082-1. OCLC 1020319020.
  5. ^ Kashyap, Samudra Gupta (30 July 2009). "Assam editor's murder: CBI under scanner". The Indian Express. The Indian Express. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  6. ^ Ghosh, Srikanta (1997). Indian democracy derailed politics and politicians. New Delhi: APH Publ. Corp. p. 250. ISBN 978-81-7024-866-8. OCLC 237324663.
  7. ^ a b Thakuria, Nava (27 January 2019). "Paragda, We Are Still Deprived Of Justice". Archived from the original on 9 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  8. ^ Pandey, G. P (2013). Press in the North-East. pp. 42, 43. ISBN 978-81-230-1840-9. OCLC 855213745.
  9. ^ Baruah, Apurba Kumar; Yolmo, Nima Lamu, eds. (2014). Early Writings of Parag Kumar Das: Articles in English Dailies 1982-1985. DVS Publishers. ISBN 9788186307878.
  10. ^ "India: Assam: the killing of a human rights defender - Amnesty International". Amnesty International. 31 May 1996.
  11. ^ "India: Assam: the killing of a human rights defender". Amnesty International. 31 May 1996. Archived from the original on 9 November 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  12. ^ "ASIA". Human Rights Watch. Archived from the original on 29 June 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  13. ^ "VFF demands retrial of Parag Das killer". Voices For Freedom. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
  14. ^ Kashyap, Samudra Gupta (30 July 2009). "Assam editor's murder: CBI under scanner". The Indian Express. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  15. ^ "Parag murder accused freed - Court blames CBI for lack of evidence". The Telegraph (India). 28 July 2009. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  16. ^ Borborah, Sanjay (28 July 2009). "13 Years After: Waiting for Justice in the Parag Das Assassination Case". assam.org. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
  17. ^ "Parag Das murder suspect acquitted; Assam bandh on Thursday". newkerela.com. 28 July 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
  18. ^ "PARAG KUMAR DAS | TILL WE MEET AGAIN PARAG". YouTube. Archived from the original on 4 November 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  19. ^ "Books of Parag Kumar Das". Amazon (company). Retrieved 28 November 2021.
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