In support of Dr. Binayak Sen

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 India for ensuring speedy trials and fair justice.)

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 India and how “easy” it is to frame charges against anybody – absolutely anyone, for that matter – without even a single piece of evidence as proof. We all have knowledge of numerous instances of evidences being “planted” against targeted persons with an ulterior motive to “punish”.

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

Hang Kalmadi ! And, Declare the Games Cancelled!

Mr. Prime Minister and Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, hang Suresh Kalmadi. And do not spare Sheila Dikshit, MS Gill, Jaipal Reddy and all those responsible for proper staging of the Commonwealth Games.

And, cancel the Games.

Mr. PM and Mrs. G, India has been shamed immensely and there is nothing left to salvage anymore. Before every Commonwealth country withdraws leaving India’s shameful unpreparedness to make Delhi’s life even more miserable, please pull the plug.

Mr. PM and Mrs. G, I wonder how on the earth could we manage an assortment of the worst kind of people to organize the Games. The embarrassment is so colossal that no amount of PR will ever get India’s prestige back. With its reputation in tatters and beyond repairs, India will never be able to stage a comeback on the global high table. The hosting of this sporting event has put India in a uniquely bizarre situation from where there is absolutely no escape. The whole world is laughing at us and is aghast and amused at our incredible ineptitude. After 7 years and 70,000 crore (US $ 2 bn) we could not even manage a simple event like the CWG! It is unbelievable and hugely humiliating.

Mr. PM and Mrs. G, both of you maintained your steely silence throughout even while the country’s coffers were being looted unashamedly by a bunch of utterly corrupt officials and politicians and let the country get humiliated and mutilated simultaneously. Not even for once did you own up your leadership responsibility which is highly disappointing.

Mr. PM and Mrs. G, if it was not for the Indian Media the nation would probably never have got the exact details of the mess that the CWG and the country are in today! The rot would have remained under the carpet and the country would have woken up to the devastating realities only when international delegations would have descended in the city and would have revolted against the shocking state of affairs surrounding the Games. India today is enormously indebted to the Media (I especially thank Times Now for starting the trail of Games exposes) for bringing the nauseating truth out of the closet with relentless coverage of the scam & sham that is CWG! And, not to forget Mani Shanker Aiyar!

Mr. PM and Mrs. G, the most appalling thing is that even today – after being subjected to insults of global proportions – no one is ready to own the accountability for the chaos and crises. The buck is unapologetically being passed around. But just remember that “the buck stops with you”. Therefore, take immediate action. Sack Kalmadi and Sheila and Gill and all involved with the Games. I am sure if a similar shameful episode (never-ending soap!) had happened in China, all involved would have been hanged in public!

And, cancel the Games.

If today from “Incredible India” we have become “Unlivable India”, you two are equally responsible, Mr. PM and Mrs. G.

To sum up my anguish and anger, I use Arnab Goswami’s analogy from today’s News Hour: It is like watching an accident in slow motion. … :(

Mr. Prime Minister, tell us how long are we supposed to suffer your Railways Minister?

If God gave me just one wish, I would pray India – my country; our country - gets rid of its entire bunch of politicians, forever.

Tonight I ask India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh: "Tell us, how long is our nation supposed to suffer your appointed railways minister? How many more train accidents and how many more lives lost – of aam aadmi, of course – will make the UPA’s grand coalition wake up?"

My question is also to Mamata Banerjee: "Tell us, Ms. Minister, till how long are you going to subject India to the torture of tolerating you as the Railways Minister – a Non-Resident one, of course?"

And, also to Media / Times Now / News Hour / Arnab Goswami in particular: "Keep up your relentless pressure on the GOI so that it ultimately “relents” and removes Mamata Banerjee and hands over the responsibilities of the railways ministry to a more mature and accountable member of the parliament."

A utopian wish? …

Arnab Goswami has a new fan - youngest, perhaps!

Below given is the detailed account of my “ordeal” in which the News Hour turned into an intensive session of “Question & Answer Hour” for me recently! I am sure, while going through the narration you too would be transported into ‘your’ time spent similarly somewhere, sometime. :)

“Who is he?” was my kid niece’s first question from her inexhaustible inquisitive brain’s armour.

“Arnab Goswami,” I replied without showing much interest as I was deeply engrossed in the ongoing debate.

“Ornot Goswami?” my just turned 5 years old niece couldn’t follow me properly.

“Not Ornot; Arnab, Arnab Goswami.”

“Ornot, Orshot, Arnab are rhyming-words!” she shouted with her kindergarten enthusiasm.

“What does he do?” quickly came the second query.

“You tell me what is he doing?”

“He is reading news; Oh, then he is the news reader!” she exclaimed at her own ‘knowledge’. “But why there are so many people in the news?” she was perplexed seeing numerous panelists’ faces on the Television screen.

“You like them?”

“No,” she was straightforward in her response.

“Not even Arnab?”

“No, I like Arnab Goswami; he is very good!” she sounded like a real admirer. “What is his “spelling”?

“You try.”

“O.R. – Or; K.n.o.b. – Knob; G.o. – Go; S.w.a. – Swa; M.e. – Me!” she was clearly delighted at her spelling-skill.

I corrected her, “A.r.n.a.b. – Arnab; G.o.s.w.a.m.i. – Goswami.”

“He has an interesting name! He is Orknob but writes Arnab!” she was amused in her own childlike way without actually understanding the pronunciation of a Bengali name.

“What is the meaning of Arnab?"

“Arnab means “Ocean” .

"Like Indian Ocean"?! ... "Yes."

"He is Indian Arnab!"

"And, Goswami means?"

"Goswami is his surname,” I was almost exhausted by then.

Her curiosity was still not satisfied and I had to bear her barrage of questions till the News Hour was over. And, as you must have guessed it right, I couldn’t watch it in real sense even for a moment.

“News Hour means?” … “One hour of News.” … “News Hour had started at 9o’clock and will finish at 10o’clock?” And, when the NH didn’t end at 10pm, I had to explain why the show was called News “Hour” and not News “One-&-Half Hours”! Naturally, she was laughing loudly all the time!

“Arnab has written “Breaking News” just like that but he is not taking any ‘break’,” she said matter-of-factly in her all-observant style reading the words at the bottom of the screen.

I really didn’t know how to make her understand the “Breaking News” phenomenon! Honestly, I didn’t even want to try.

“I will write Arnab’s name in my diary!” was her open proclamation of her newfound admiration for Arnab Goswami. The next day itself “Arnab Goswami” got included in her “list” of “luminaries” like Barack Obama, Shakira, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Michael Schumacher.

Yes, she has only “international” personalities in her “diary” and they are her favourites. Arnab Goswami is the only exception – written in his “correct spelling”, of course! :)

……………………..

P.S.: Chinki - my kid niece’s “daak-naam” - has now been permitted by her mother to stay awake beyond 9o’clock for a few minutes and watch the News Hour – whenever she is with me, of course, which is mostly on Friday nights. :)