By Mohd. Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
Hyderabad: ‘Human rights activists should work together in cooperation, not in competition like different sects’, said well-known writer and human rights activist Arundhati Roy. She was speaking at a meeting organized by the Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners (CRPP) A.P. chapter on the occasion of the 80 death anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh.
Two locks opened in 1991 to divide depressed classes
She said, in 1991 two locks were opened in this country, one was the lock of Babri Masjid, and other was of the Indian markets. “The demolition of the Babri Masjid and the opening up of Indian markets were a deliberate attempt to weaken opposition to India becoming an ally of the US,” she said.
Arundhati Roy addressing the CRPP meeting in Hyderbad on 23rd March 2012
According to Mrs. Roy those two factors were used by different governments to divide the depressed classes and to isolate them. “Babri Masjid demolition was used to terrorize and demonize Indian Muslim community, whereas 1991 reforms were used against Tribals and to help corporate houses to exploit depressed classes,” she added.
She further said that the US relationship has never benefited any country in the world. She gave the example of turmoil, and civil war kind of situation in Pakistan which according to her is the result of US strategic partnership.
She warned India of same fate if it gets closer to US. “Indo-US relations were a ‘theatrical drama’ enacted to induce India to support the US with a view to isolate Iran on one hand and to help build a cold war situation in China. India had acceded to the US at every stage right from buying nuclear reactors to opening up foreign direct investment. The big investments right now were in the education sector wherein US universities wanted to set up franchises in India. That is why all universities in India were shifting to the semester system of examinations like in the US. It was also not a coincidence that spiritual leader Sri Sri Sri Ravi Shankar insisted that education should be privatized.”
Ending her speech she urged the audience to give up the narrow thinking of political prisoners, and widen its meaning which includes every person who is in jail in any false case, even if the case is so petty like pick pocketing.
State transforming common people into extremists
Many noted human rights activists also spoke in the meeting. Bhuja Tarakam, national president of CRPP said, it is the state which is transforming common people into criminals and extremists. “When a man sees his beloved getting killed by police or armed forces he is forced to copy them and take AK 47 to protect himself and his kin. All those political prisoners languishing in jails are the result of state repression” he said.
Ronna Willson, public relation secretary of CRPP said that government is creating a state of fear among the general public and keeping them on the verge of panic as a part of big conspiracy. “NIA, and the latest NCTC are all the part of a big plan of the ruling class to always frighten their subjects in order to rule them effectively.”
Civil society not opposing state repression on Muslims
National secretary of CRPP Lateef Mohd Khan came heavy on different human rights organizations and NGOs for not raising their voice against the oppression of state on Muslims. He said, “society is getting polarized on the basis of religion, as civil society activists are not playing their role properly or sometimes even themselves getting communal.”
Lateef Mohd. Khan, general secretary, CRPP, addressing the audience
He reiterated that majority portion of inmates in the prisons are Muslims, mainly victims of police bias, but no one raises their voice to support innocent Muslims. He gave the example of Mecca Masjid bomb blast where as many as 200 Muslim youths were picked up but no one from the civil society other than Muslim community came forward to raise their voice against state terror.
He said, Muslims have always been easy target of security agencies. He gave the example of recent arrest of journalist Mohammad Ahmed Kazmi. According to him, it is due to “there is hardly any one from other communities coming forward to fight against the repression of Muslims.” He urged the civil society to fight for the rights of political prisoners giving just if not equal attention to Muslims.
Others who spoke in the meeting were noted revolutionary writer and poet V.V. Rao, and noted journalist, editor of Namste Telanagna Allam Narayan.
On this occasion rich tributes were paid to Shaheed Bhahgat Singh and his comrades for sacrificing their life for a better nation. The committee demanded the government to recognize the rights of the political prisoners and release them unconditionally.