I hate Maoists sympathizers but I strongly support Dr. Binayak Sen who has been unfairly – grossly - sentenced to life imprisonment by the Chhattisgarh District court for alleged “sedition”.
Because, if we simply take a look at his life as a physician and as a human rights activist, then we get a clear portrait of him as being an intellectual man of impeccable integrity with life devoted to the welfare of underprivileged and poor people; his territory of work being rural-tribal Maoist infested areas of Chhattisgarh. Dr. Binayak Sen has been deeply involved with healthcare reforms however in his role as a human rights activist he has strongly criticized government’s atrocities and human rights abuses in the name of its fight against terror. Nevertheless, he has always been a strong proponent of peaceful means of protest and has always condemned Maoists’ violent ways.
Therefore, to think of Dr. Binayak Sen as a “seditionist” is preposterous.
Because, even by the “legal” and “dictionary” definitions of “sedition”, Dr. Binayak Sen has never made a speech or had his behaviour – subversive act - directed against the peace of a state or has committed an offence to undermine the authority of the State or has acted to incite public disorder or revolt. Thus, how can he be labeled as a seditionist and prosecuted under the “law” on baseless charges? (Archaic laws need to be amended immediately in
The State prosecutor’s version is curious enough: Dr. Sen had acted as a “courier” between the Maoists and its sympathizers and the State had “produced” the said letter as an evidence to substantiate its claims; the State claims to have found the letter in Dr. Sen’s belongings upon arrest. Of course, Dr. Sen vehemently denies these charges and accuses the State machinery of having “planted” the said letter on him. Frankly, I fully believe in Dr. Sen’s account.
We all know how government apparatus work in various areas in
If George W. Bush – ‘W’ could be for ‘war’ as his middle name – were an Indian President/Prime minister, he would have got the WMDs “planted” in Saddam Hussain’s backyard and would have “proved” to the world that the Iraqi president was indeed engaged in employing weapons of mass destruction and was therefore a massive threat to global security! …
Since Dr. Sen’s arrest in 2007 there has been enormous national and international outrage and outcry which have of course fell on deaf ears of the “motivated” judiciary and the “meek” Indian establishment. He has been kept in illegal confinement – solitary often – and now most unreasonably has been awarded life imprisonment for no crime committed.
Unfortunately we live in a country where seasoned scamsters – political heavyweights – having guzzled and gobbled billions - are roaming free in India - in spite of intense Media and public pressure - but the State is putting all its might behind “punishing” a human rights activist and a devoted doctor whose only ‘fault’ has been to have opposed oppressive methods of the government in its fight against terror.
Nevertheless, I am hopeful that enraged public and Media’s response will force the Indian judiciary and the government to act justly and release Dr. Binayak Sen from illegal incarceration. (Arnab, please debate Dr. Sen’s case on your News Hour.)
Dr. Binayak Sen, hope to see you out of prison soon. Happy belated Birthday J
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