‘People’s March’ magazine banned by Ekm district administration

KOZHIKODE: People’s March magazine, which is suspected to be the unofficial mouthpiece of the CPI (Maoist), has been banned by Ernakulam district administration.

The notice announcing the ban of the magazine was pasted on the door of the house of P.Govindan Kutty, the editor of the magazine, at Thripunithura on February 14.

Govindan Kutty has been in jail after he was picked up by the police on December 19, on sedition charges. He was released on bail the other day.

He came to know about the ban only on Thursday when he went to his house at Tripunithura.

Ernakulam District Collector banned ‘People’s March’ following a report given by the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Thrikkakara) in this regard.

The district administration found that the magazine contained seditious material.

The Additional District Magistrate has written to the Registrar of Newspapers, India, requesting for an all-India ban on the magazine.

The Centre banned the website of ‘People’s March’ on May, 2006, as part of the drive against pro-Maoist websites and blogs. Since then, ‘People’s March’ has been uploaded into peoplemarch. googlepages.com.

Police initiated action against Govindan Kutty after the arrest of CPI (Maoist) central committee member Malla Raja Reddy on December 17. Govindan Kutty was on an hunger strike till he was released on bail.

‘People’s March’ was published from Kolkata and New Delhi before it was shifted to Kochi. The magazine is printed, published and owned by Govindan Kutty.

After his release on bail, Govindan Kutty has said that he will continue publishing the magazine till it is banned.

The magazine has published extensive reports on the Maoist movements in various part of the country.

One article on the last issue was on the developmental activities carried out by the Maoists in the Dandakaranya region.

Protests:

Meanwhile, human rights activists and writers have condemned the ban on the magazine.

Poet and activist from Andhra Pradesh Varavara Rao told this website’s newspaper over phone that there cannot be a blanket ban on a magazine.

Deputy general secretary of the Revolutionary Democratic Front (RDF)G.N.Sai Baba said that the ban was an undemocratic and fascist act.

“If the government finds things which are against its policies it should go for a debate rather than banning a magazine.”

Porattam general convener M.N.Ravunny urged all mediapesons to come forward and condemn the attack on the freedom of the press