PRWC: Modi regime responsible for death of Indian academic and human rights defender
published by Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC).
GN Saibaba, a 57-year-old renowned academic and human rights defender in India, died of a heart attack on October 12. He passed away while being treated at the Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital.
Various sectors in India blame the reactionary government for Saibaba’s death. They say this is a stain on the government of ultra-nationalist leader Prime Minister Narendra Modi. International activist Vijay Prashad called Saibaba’s death an “institutional murder–killed by a state that falsely accused him, despite acquittals by one court after the other.”
Saibaba was released from prison seven months prior to his death, after a decade of imprisonment on fabricated charges. In prison, Saibaba, who had a disability due to polio, was deliberately denied proper medical attention. He was repeatedly denied bail, and when he was once released from prison, he was rearrested after a few months.
Saibaba was first arrested in May 2014, along with five others, on charges of violating the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. He was granted bail after a year, but was rearrested on suspicion of his alleged links to the Communist Party of India-Maoist.
The International League of Peoples’ Struggles (ILPS extended its highest tribute to Saibaba upon his passing.
“Saibaba, deeply influenced by Marxist-Leninist-Maoist ideology since his student days, was a lifelong advocate for a society free from exploitation and oppression,” according to the ILPS. “He stood resolutely against imperialism, exploitative neo-liberal developmentalism, repressive laws, and the State state-sponsored terrorism that perpetuated all these.”
Saibaba was one of the prominent intellectuals who criticized the Indian state’s Operation Green Hunt which was purportedly launched against the CPI-Maoist, but widely attacked the Adivasi people. Saibaba, and many others in India, knew that Operation Green Hunt was just a pretext to evict the Adivasi people from their communities and welcome foreign companies to plunder their ancestral lands’ natural resources.
Aside from his firm stance in support of the oppressed people in India, Saibaba was also known to many progressive international organizations. He was involved in the ILPS’ founding in 2001 and served on its International Coordinating Committee. He actively served in the league for a decade before being illegally arrested and placed in solitary confinement.
At the time of his arrest, Saibaba was teaching at Ram Lal Anand College, Delhi University. He had a PhD in English.
In October, he was convicted of “terrorism” charges, but the conviction was later overturned by a higher court. In March, the cases against Saibaba and his co-accused were finally dismissed.
The International League of Peoples’ Struggle, deeply shocked by the news of comrade Gokarakonda Naga Saibaba’s untimely passing on October 12, 2024, extends its heartfelt revolutionary salute in his honour.
Born in 1967 in Amalapuram, Andhra Pradesh, Saibaba, who was 90% disabled due to polio, passed away while receiving treatment at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad. After being freed from jail in 2024, his health had severely deteriorated due to prolonged torture, degrading treatment, and lack of proper medical care during his incarceration in Nagpur jail. He was held in the notorious Anda Cell under unsanitary conditions, which further contributed to his complicated health issues.
A Ph.D. holder in English, he served as an Assistant Professor at Ram Lal Anand College, Delhi University, for several years before being dismissed in 2021 on charges of involvement with outlawed activities. Arrested in May 2014 for alleged connections to banned Maoist organizations and terrorist conspiracies, he was released on bail in June 2015 due to medical reasons, but returned to jail in December of the same year. After being bailed out again in April 2016, he was subsequently re-incarcerated. In March 2017, he was sentenced to life imprisonment, but in March 2024, he was acquitted once more.
Saibaba, deeply influenced by Marxist-Leninist-Maoist ideology since his student days, was a lifelong advocate for a society free from exploitation and oppression. To advance these ideals, he actively worked with students, teachers, tribal communities, various nationalities, academics, and mass organizations. He stood resolutely against imperialism, exploitative neo-liberal developmentalism, repressive laws, and the State state-sponsored terrorism that perpetuated all these. His unwavering stance made him a target of persecution, leading to his imprisonment, where he endured severe torture, inhumane treatment, and degradation.
Saibaba, known for his commitment to internationalism, was connected with numerous progressive global organizations. He was involved in the founding of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle in 2001, served on its International Coordinating Committee, and remained actively engaged with the organization for nearly a decade. He was forced into solitary confinement in the Anda Cell to prevent him from communicating with and influencing other inmates, receiving physical support for his disabled body, and continuing his engagement in progressive writings. May the memory of life and work live long and inspire many.
Saibaba wrote:
When I refused to die
my chains were loosened
I came out
Into the vast meadows
Smiling at the leaves of grass
My smile caused intolerance in them
I was shackled again
Again, when I refused to die
tired of my life
my captors released me
I walked out into the lush green valleys
under the rising sun
smiling at the tossing blades of grass
Infuriated by my undying smile
They captured me again
I still stubbornly refuse to die
The sad thing is that
They don’t know how to make me die
Because I love so much
The sounds of growing grass
November 2017.
(Remembering October 1917)
Signed,
Len Cooper, ILPS Chairperson
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