Press Statement
23rd May 2015
23rd May 2015
A little over one year after the
abduction and arrest of Dr. GN Saibaba, poets, intellectuals,
artists, teachers, students, activists came together for a
Convention against Silencing Democracy & Criminalizing Dissent
at the Hindi Bhawan in New Delhi. This convention was organized in
solidarity with Dr. GN Saibaba, Assistant Professor of English at
Ram Lal Anand College, University of Delhi and a well-known human
rights activist. Dr. Saibaba, a person with 90% physical disability
hailing from an underprivileged background, has been in the
forefront of democratic movements across the subcontinent. Ever
since his arrest, Dr. Saibaba has been kept in torturous conditions
in the anda cell in Nagpur Central Jail. He has been denied the most
basic facilities crucial for his survival in jail. This convention
intended to highlight Dr. Saibaba’s condition in jail and the
treatment meted out to him as well as demands his immediate release.
Speakers included the chairperson of
the Committee for the Defence and Release of Dr. GN Saibaba, Prof. G
Haragopal felt that the hallmark of democracy is the preservation of
ideas and the burden of proof lies with the political parties. Thus,
he found that, “Dissent or unpopular idea may not be relevant now
but it is crucial for posterity”. Amit Bhattacharya, Professor of
History in Jadavpur University found that, “When attempts to
curtail sustain over such a long period, the laws are used for the
purpose of justifying these attempts.” A civil rights activist
from West Bengal, Sujato Bhadro, asserted, “The judicial system is
harbouring the practice of declaring criminal any thought
antithetical to the existing establishment.” Amit Bhaduri,
Professor Emeritus, JNU, emphasized that, “the ruling class
doesn’t think that certain ideas should surface. It is time for us
to recognize and say this openly as our silence gives legitimacy to
the kind of that rule that jails people like Dr. Saibaba.” KJ
Mukherjee, a professor from JNU, stressed the need to move beyond
our safe spaces and take this fight for our rights to the centers of
struggle. DUTA President, Nandita Narain said, “There is no
justification for his arrest and detention which is nothing short of
torture and physical and mental humiliation heaped on him.
Irrespective of his views, we need to salute his courage. It is the
value that needs to be fostered in all the young among us.” Prof.
N Raghuram of IP University underlined that, “in people like Dr.
Saibaba lies our freedom. That is the single most important reason
for fighting for him and for social change.”
Cultural activist and editor of
Vidrohi magazine, Sudhir Dhawale, who was acquitted and released
from jail soon after Dr. Saibaba was arrested, stated that, “When
the whole country lives in fear of being jailed for the freedom of
thought, we need to accept that fascism is knocking on our door.”
Political activist Kavita Krishnan felt that this fight to free
political prisoners everywhere is a fight we fight for ourselves.
Malem Ningthouja noted the connection between this notion of
democracy, laws, the claim of protecting national security and
development. He highlighted the irony of a state that claims to be a
democracy jailing its democratic voices. Prof. Jatinder Singh from
Panjabi University, Patiala underlined the significance of the
dissent and if it is seen as a flame, then he felt that it was a
flame that needed to be lit. Noted film maker Sanjay Kak felt this
is a moment for us to turn out reverses into an opportunity where
while pressing for Dr. Saibaba’s release we get through to more
people about the conditions he had been highlighting that led to his
arrest.
Rebecca Mammon John, Senior Advocate
of the Supreme Court stressed that, “the judiciary is complicit
and hand in glove with the ruling establishment in ensuring that the
basic rights of prisoners is denied when politically expedient.”
Arundhati Roy felt that Dr. Saibaba is in jail today because he was
too successful in exposing the state sponsored Operation Green Hunt.
She said, “When the best institutions that money can buy are
pitted against the people of this country, it is up to us to
understand how these forces operate and fight them.” She expressed
her solidarity with the large section of the Left and felt that this
was a time to unite on not just the release of Dr. Saibaba but also
the struggle against exploitation by corporations that landed him in
jail.
Many poets, cultural activists,
organisations, and teachers spoke at the convention including
journalist Panini Anand, Abhishek Srivastava, and Manisha Sethi of
JTSA, N Sachin from DU, Animesh from IFTU, Jeevan Chandra of RDF,
Madhu Chopra, Pankaj Tyagi and others. Those who attended the
convention unanimously voted in favour of the resolution attached
along with this statement.
——–
RESOLUTION dt. 23 May 2015, passed at
Hindi Bhavan
Dr G N Saibaba, Assistant Professor of
English at Ram Lal Anand College, University of Delhi, was on his
way home from the evaluation center in the University campus when
the Maharashtra Police intercepted his car and abducted him without
following any procedure laid down by the law of the land. Later it
was revealed that Dr Saibaba was charged under sections 13, 18, 20,
38 and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. Dr
Saibaba, a 90% disabled person hailing from an underprivileged
background, has been the forefront of democratic movements across
the subcontinent and has raised his voice loudly against the
oppression and the exploitation of the poorest of the poor by the
State machinery, which is hand in glove with the corporate world.
Ever since his arrest, Dr Saibaba has
been kept in the notorious “anda” cell in Nagpur Central Jail.
He has been denied the most basic facilities including medical help
needed for his survival. Even the Jail Superintendent of the Nagpur
Central Prison admits in a statement filed in the District Court at
Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, on May 11, 2015:
As the said prisoner is 90% physically
handicapped with heart disease, bone deformity, neurological
problems, kidney stone and gall bladder stone, he requires constant
expert evaluation and treatment.
Unless Dr Saibaba gets immediate
expert medical attention, his survival itself is in danger.
Imprisoning a 90% disabled person is itself illegal as it violates
the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Persons with
Disabilities Act, and UN Conventions. Denial of bail in this
condition is nothing but an attempt at extrajudicial murder.
In this context, on this day the 23rd
of May, 2015, we the people gathered here in the “Convention
against silencing democracy and criminalizing dissent” in the
Hindi Bhavan, New Delhi, unanimously resolve that we shall take our
struggle forward till Dr G N Saibaba is released. We appeal to all
the democratic organizations and individuals to join with us in our
struggle.
WE DEMAND THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF DR
G N SAIBABA
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