Is it justice or injustice? Contempt of court notice to Arundhati Roy, Saibaba’s bail rejected

Even a word “Freedom” seems to be alien in the present circumstances where the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has issued a notice of contempt of court notice to writer –activist Arundhati Roy for airing her views in Outlook Magazine demanding bail for Professor Saibaba for his alleged links with Maoists.

By Kiran Deep  

Why we have alien concept like freedom of speech and expression in the constitution and laws related to human rights. Even a word “Freedom” seems to be alien in the present circumstances where the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has issued a notice of contempt of court notice to writer –activist Arundhati Roy for airing her views in Outlook Magazine demanding bail for Professor Saibaba for his alleged links with Maoists. Why we preach justice for all when in actual practise things are entirely opposite in many cases. Courts in India are considered to be temple of justice because whenever we suffer injustice from the government and police, the only place we approach for justice is Judiciary. Courts must appreciate the activists and writers who are selflessly highlighting the plights of deprived people and working for some cause. If the human rights of activists are not protected and writers do not have rights to air their views against the wrong doing of system, then people will lost their complete faith in the system. Such cases require intervention of the Supreme Court.

This is high time when Supreme Court seriously help the writers, journalists and activists to get rid of draconian law such as contempt of court and defamation. The last week order of the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has jolted many badly after reading that Saibaba with 90 percent physical disability has to live in inhuman conditions as he belong to one particular ideology and that ideology does not match with the present regime. Freedom does not come by preaching, freedom has to be felt by Individuals across the country.

Why I am concerned about the case has reason.  I did a series of stories for The Tribune in 2009 and later also half an hour documentary for the day and Night News Channel on suspected Maoists who were arrested in Yamunanagar district by the Haryana police. It was shocking and unbelievable that the police had arrested many on filmy ground. In one such case a youth was arrested by the police for writing slogans asking to boycott the elections despite the fact he is illiterate. To much surprise the alleged leader of these suspected Maoists was MBBS gold medallist.

While highlighting the problem of Maoism is India I even wrote article in this blog on May 29, 2013 with headline Need of development, reformative approach and constructive dialogue to end Maoist problem in India. I feel like sharing it keeping in view the present case.

Need of development, reformative approach and constructive dialogue to end Maoist problem in India

by Kiran Deep

Development, reformative approach, constructive dialogues are the things which the state and central government should do to end the Maoists problem in India. The government should involve NGOs, people from religious organisation, experienced IAS officers, police, doctors, actors, and army officials, journalists to handle and solve the problem. It requires collective efforts to tackle the problem. The government should use police and army only to built confidence among the people and provide safety to them, not to kill them.  The killing of innocent people in Chhattisgarh by Maoists is an unfortunate incident and should not have happen.

 I feel that the state and central government before planning any policy and action against Adivasis must need to understand that who are the Maoists or Naxalites? Why they are fighting? Do they have genuine cause or anger against the system? Does they are the most neglected or ill treated people?  Does the leaders of these Maoists are functioning independent or playing in the hand of external forces? Does the advises of Chhattisgarh have any idea about what Naxalism is all about or they are just fighting to get basic amenities? The state and centre government use police and army to ensure that the deprived people feel must feel a part of the democratic system and not to terrorise them. As many cases it is surfaced that only leaders of these rebel are aware of philosophy or ideology of Maoism while all other innocents are just fighting for their rights to protect them. 

I have some experience to understand little about them while doing reporting which I am sharing. While I was working with The Tribune in 2009 I did a series on suspected Maoists in Haryana who were arrested by the police. I have attached five stories below and also I did half an hour documentary with Day and Night News Channel in 2011 and two links of the documentary also attached below.

I cannot stop myself sharing my feeling as there is a lot of talk and different solutions suggested by the experts, politicians and also by media. Even many go aggressively suggesting recommending immediate army action to root out the Maoists in India or to solve Maoists problem. But first and most vital question surface is who are the Maoists?  They are Indians.  And then with whom and why they are fighting…They are fighting for their rights as they have been deprived of even basic amenities…and many of them much exploited. Adivasi's are poor.....and they are not aware of but the naxalism or Maoism all about....So the protection of the people and to get them into main stream is the duty of the state and central government and also of all those who can help to solve the problem.

The government has to make environment so better that the the aggrieved people can participate in the democratic system. It is the duty of the state and central government to create job opportunity for them so that they can earn meal three times a day at least respectfully and live respectfully. And also provide them basic amenities such as drinking water facility, provide them education so that they can associate with other people. I feel it’s the responsibility of the governments ensure that  people must feel that they are also a part of democratic system where they have equal rights and also equal responsibilities. The government also has to ensure that the poor advasis should not be displaced unnecessary, they should not to be suppressed by powerful people and also , they should not face heinous crimes such as rapes and murders.    

I have fill faith in democratic system and hoping that aggrieved people will join the mainstream and it is the duty of all of us the citizen of India to help them come out of their sphere. We all should have to work united to end the problem of Maoism or Naxlism in the country.


These are links of the documentary which I did for Day and Night News on Suspected Maoists in Haryana in two parts in 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXCcEzbnbzQ

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAb9xqZZi30

These are links of the five stories which I did for The Tribune in 2009
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090701/haryana.htm#5
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090702/haryana.htm#5
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090703/haryana.htm#5
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090704/haryana.htm#5
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090705/haryana.htm#5

EOM

PM must intervene and lift ban on Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (APSC) of IIT–Madras

Freedom of Speech and Expression is our fundamental right

An Open letter to the Prime Minister

By Kiran Deep

Freedom is our soul nature. Freedom is what we all need. The colleges and Universities are the places where the students can feel freedom of speech and expression at extreme and this is our fundamental right. How can we expect dynamic, intellectual and honest leaders unless we give them freedom to express their views freely?

At time when India is making its marks at international level due to advancement in Technology such as launch of Mangalyan on September 2014 by ISRO into Mars surface with amount less than even Hollywood movie budget and its success in its first attempt only and in other sectors. And also as the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been visiting different countries to get the investment and establish bilateral relation. The decision to ban Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (APSC) by the Indian Institute of Technology–Madras (IIT) management has damaged the reputation of the India and also hurt many people all over India.

The decision of de recognition of the Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (APSC) by the IIIT-Madras is completely unacceptable and beyond the normal understanding of people. The reason to ban APSC is seems to be completely political as the APSC was vocally criticise the Prime Minister Modi and the BJP policies. The role of Human Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani is also not appreciable as she has acted hurriedly on an anonymous complaint by not giving much thought about the student’s rights. The Minister should have played the positive role by interacting with the students of APSC or directing the management of IIT Madras to hold meeting with the students in this regard to clarify the issue.

The Issue of freedom of speech and expression is a matter of great concern with the rise in the incidents of violence against those who are taking chance to expose the wrong doings in the society across the world.  Perumal Murugan writer of one Part woman had to face a lot of harassment following his book, bloggers and cartoonists were killed,  Edward Snowden has to live in exile and is fighting for his safety after he leaked the documents. The founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, has to struggle a lot of  for his safety and security after several expose . To much aghast new whistle blower act in India too do not have much safety for whistle blowers.

 Only Freedom can make difference in the life of people and allow them to live the way they wanted to live and can express them freely.Now it’s high time that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi should intervene to end the dispute. As the banning of APSC has damaged the image of the central government not only among the students across the country but at International level too. The IITs are much respected institutes not only India but all around the World, If such thing can happen in IIT Madras then what can we expect from the management of the educational institutes situated in remote areas. Education means freedom but irony is that we are not giving freedom to students in Educational institutes only.

Jai Hind

EOM

Love, service for humanity and need of effective disaster management

By Kiran Deep

Nature is supreme. Whatever is destined to happen it will happen. Then can we do anything ? Can be wait and watch, or make efforts to make ourselves secure? Then big question is who is secure?  What is security?.  There is nothing like permanent life or safety or security in the Universe. Nature has many miracles and blessings. Each one of us has to play our role as per our consciousness. Some go by materialistic consciousness and some by spiritual consciousness. Investment in materialistic gains will yield materialistic gains only such as power and wealth and led to growth of materialistic consciousness only. The two elements of materialistic consciousness such as power and wealth are not permanent features and these will either led to happiness or sorrow.  But spiritual consciousness is permanent gain when there is oneness with nature. When individual is no more but a part of nature only without any identity and dedicate himself or herself for the service of humanity only. When any individual is doing selfless service is in a state of spiritual consciousness.

Despite so many scientific advancement and development, there are so many things which are still beyond our reach. We still do not have technology that can accurately predict the place of occurrence and time of earthquake in advance. The two earthquakes of magnitude of 7.9 and 7.3 Richter scales that had badly hit Nepal and led to death of over 6 thousand people and injured many thousands has forced all of us to think about our existence and security of life. Anything can happen anytime and with anyone. Can anyone predict the exact date and time of death, gain or loss of power and wealth? No one. But we can prepare disaster management plan in advance to tackle any natural disaster.

There is urgent need in India of effective disaster management plans as country has total 38 cities in the high risk seismic zones. Many parts of north India also situated in the seismically sensitive zone as Nepal. Nepal tragedy has taught us a lesson that there is great need of introspection for all of us to feel love for people and to do service for humanity. At the time of tragedy, Indian government is first one and majorly helped the people of Nepal besides other countries. Indian army extended all possible help, rescued and helped thousands of victims.  

Nepal’s tragedy is also wake up call for all of us to prepare effective disaster management plan by including different sections of the society so that at the time of crisis lives of people can be saved and losses of lives and property can be minimise. Besides the government machinery there is urgent need to involve NGOs, Religious organisations, individual groups and experts of different fields in the disaster management. As and when wherever many be natural disaster or any other tragedy, a team of disaster management can work effectively with the help of locals volunteers.

 It is unfortunate that despite the fact that huge amount in hundreds of crores is every year spent on disaster management planning in different parts of India. However when any natural calamity happened whether it is floods or earthquake, or any other tragedy, at many places disaster management did not work because. The reason it is not responsibility of government only, but it is responsibility of everyone to expend love and service for humanity at the time of crisis or natural calamity. There is need to inculcate such feeling among people.   

EOM

Now flowing like a river unconditionally

By Kiran Deep

While passing through the different areas of life here and there just like a wonderer. When continuous flow seems to be real truth. When dense forest all around, fresh breath of air, soulful birds chirping, musical sounds of leaves and winds have completely taken over my senses and neurons. When green colour seems to be dominating the space all around. When everything seems to be Sufi. When trees are dancing with soulful wind, leaves are in resonance with trees and its branches. Birds are also in complete tune in with nature and dancing and singing like never before. When I am loudly hearing my footsteps as leaves spread all over the ground too in tune in with my shoes. Roads are narrow and amazingly beautiful with colourful trees all along it. Ultimately it leads to beautiful mountains where I can see and feel myself without body and soul like never before. When I am not belong to anything and nothing belong to me. When feeling  as if I am alienate to some space where my neurons and senses are no more and freeze as if I am no more. When clouds are seems to be a part of you as if you are no more but you are clouds only. When river’s water seems to be flowing unconditionally reminding me of my true nature. When  trance music of flowing river’s water is like soulful friend like never before. When I am flowing, and flowing unconditionally like a river never before.

EOM