Centre should make efforts for Binayak Sen's release: Vaiko

CHENNAI: MDMK founder Vaiko on Thursday demanded that the Centre should make efforts for the release of human rights activist Dr Binayak Sen, who was sentenced by a Raipur court to life imprisonment for sedition, "lest people should lose belief in democracy."

"While those convicted in the Bhopal gas tragedy were awarded just two years in prison, someone like Dr Sen who has been working for affected people has been awarded life term. This will make people lose their belief in democracy and law," he said in a statement here.

"The Centre should take steps to redress the injustice meted out to Sen and make efforts for his release," he said.

Rights activist Binayak Sen, naxal ideologue Narayan Sanyal and Kolkata businessman Piyush Guha were sentenced by a Raipur court to life imprisonment for "colluding with Maoists to establish a network to fight the state."