ਪੁਲੀਸ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਪੰਜ ਬਾਲ ਕਲਾਕਾਰ ਗ੍ਰਿਫ਼ਤਾਰ

The police arresting and interrogating three child artists of Natyam Group at Sri Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant Police Station, Bathinda on the Children's day 14th November 2010. Gurnoor's mother and other persons, who stood security to obtain the release on bail of these child artists are also seen in the picture.

Gurnoor Singh, the child artist of Natyam Group

Nawab Wazir Khan of Sirhind, bricked alive two children of Guru Gobind Singh

Now Akali-BJP Govt of Punjab arrests child-artists who spread teachings of Guru Gobind Singh through their plays.

Gurnoor, a 10 years old child artist of Natyam Group, was arrested and interrogated by the Police at Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant Police Station, Bathinda along with two other minor boys - Anmoldep Singh (Aged 16 years) and Stalinjit Singh (Aged 17 years) in an FIR registered at the instance of local Vishav Hindu Prishad leaders, under section 295 of the IPC for their role in the play ''Rabbji Thalley Aa Jao" (God Come on Earth). Their only fault is that at such a tender age, instead of whiling away their time watching Cricket & Cartoons on TV , they are spreading rationalism, scientific outlook and constructive social values and are arousing the people against religious bigotry, fundamentalism, communalism, degenerated culture, consumerism and religious intolerance.

All the five artists of the Natyam Group, including the three child artists were earlier granted interim pre-arrest bail by the court of Additional Sessions Judge, Bathinda.

Under the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Rules, 2007, no FIR can be registered against a child in non-serious cases having maximum punishment up to seven years imprisonment. Under Section 295 IPC the maximum punishment is only two years imprisonment. But even then the police arrested these children just to placate their political masters.

Representatives of many democratic organizations & justice-loving persons had formed a Committee for the defense of Natyam Group, terming the registration of FIR against it as an attack on freedom of expression, and has decided to launch a protest campaign against it. The Committee, under the leadership of Sh. Bagga Singh , President & State Committee Member, Association For Democratic Rights, met the Police authorities seeking cancellation of the FIR and had submitted the following memorandum:

"Subject: ILLEGAL & UNWARRANTED FIR U/S 295 IPC AGAINST DRAMATIST Sh. KIRTI KIRPAL, DIRECTOR NATYAM GROUP & MINOR CHILDREN OF HIS TEAM.

1. We have been utterly shocked that an FIR has been registered against noted dramatist Sh. Kirti Kirpal and his team of the Natyam Group, by the Thermal Police, under section 295 of the IPC, on totally baseless, illegal and unjustified grounds.

2. It has been falsely alleged in the FIR that Sh. Kirti Kirpal and his drama team has hurt the sentiments of Hindus by his play, "Rabb Ji Thaley Uttar Aao", whereas in fact there is nothing in this play which hurts the sentiment of any community.

3. The Natyam Group stages progressive plays in cooperation with the Rationalist Society Punjab, Punjab Lok Sabhyachar Manch, and various organizations of workers, peasants, agriculture laborers and democratic people. It is a non-profit organization, wedded to the spreading of progressive, democratic & scientific ideas and waging struggle against communal fanatics, obscurantists, and reactionary elements.

4. It will be pertinent to mention here that this play is from a book, written by Sh. K.J.Singh under the title " JADON CHAND ROTI LAGDA HAI," published many years ago. Its preface is written by noted Punjabi dramatist Prof Ajmer Singh Aulakh, who has been awarded a number of times by the highest national literary organizations. This book is being openly sold and stocked in Govt libraries and widely read. There has never been any complaint of any sort against this book up till now from any person.

5. The Natyam Group has staged this play at many places in Punjab and also at Faridabad in Haryana. At Faridabad, it was witnesses by a number of Hindu saints, who not only commended it, but also blessed the team on stage. In Punjab, the Natyam Group has staged it in DAV College Jalandhar, Dev Samaj College Ferozepur, KK Marwaha College Faridkot & Punjabi University Patiala, in the presence of Govt officials, including Police Officials, thinkers students and academicians, and there has never been any objection against it. Its central theme is 'God helps those, who help themselves'.

6. Another tragic aspect of this case is that the police has implicated three children namely Gurnoor Singh (aged 10 years), Anmoldeep Singh & Stalinjit Singh along with two youth Gurvinder Singh & Harjot Singh, in this case.

7. It would have been better if before registering the case, the police would have obtained the opinion from Punjab Sahitya Academy, or literature department of any university or from some eminent literary figures.

8. This FIR has been registered by the police at the instance of one Sukhpal Singh Sran, who claims himself to be a leader of Vishav Hindu Parishad, but has nothing to do with Hindu values and Hindu ethos.He has been trying to disrupt peace and harmony between various communities, by his illegal acts, taking the law in his own hands, just because he has close proximity with the BJP, a partner of ruling coalition in Punjab.

9. Last year on the Valentine Day, the said Sukhpal Singh Sra and his handful companions, attacked people in Rose Garden Bathinda. The incident was highlighted in the press and leading newspapers reported it with photographs. But the police did not take any action against Sukhpal Singh & his companions, citing lack of evidence as a reason even without making a DDR entry.

10. On 15^th August this year, Sukhpal Singh Sran and his companions, forcibly and illegally prevented the tableau (JHAKI) of Rationalist Society Punjab, from joining the I-Day celebration, beat up, assaulted and abused the persons on the tableu including ladies and members of the Rationalist Society, despite the fact that this tableu was duly approved by the Deputy Commissioner Bathinda & all other officers in a meeting held for the purpose. The police not only failed to take any action on the complaint made by the Rationalist Society in this regard, which is lying pending in your office since then, but facilitated and assisted Sukhpal Singh Sran and his companions in carrying out their notorious and intimidatory criminal activity, by taking the tableau and the persons in it to the Police Station.

11. Sukhpal Singh Sran and his companions have been causing unnecessary provocations and picking up violent quarrels with the people of minority communities such as Christians & Muslims.

12. We feel that the FIR registered against Sh. Kirti Kirpal and his Natyam Drama team is an attack on the freedom of expression, especially of the atheists, at the instance of communal fanatics. The Rationalist Society and Natyam Drama Team have an inalienable right guaranteed by the Constitution of India to strive for creating a scientific and rational temperament amongst the people.

We, therefore request you to kindly cancel the FIR registered against Sh. Kirti Kirpal and the members of his drama team, at Police Station Thermal Bathinda. An opinion can be obtained about the contents of the play, from Sahitya Academy, Natak Academy, Vice Chancellor Central University, Bathinda or other Gyanpeeth Award Winner writers of Punjab, if required."

ਪੁਲੀਸ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਪੰਜ ਬਾਲ ਕਲਾਕਾਰ ਗ੍ਰਿਫ਼ਤਾਰ

Posted On November - 15 - 2010 (Punjabi Tribune, Chandigarh)

ਨਿੱਜੀ ਪੱਤਰ ਪ੍ਰੇਰਕ
ਬਠਿੰਡਾ, 14 ਨਵੰਬਰ

ਥਾਣਾ ਥਰਮਲ ਦੀ ਪੁਲੀਸ ਨੇ ਅੱਜ ‘ਬਾਲ ਦਿਵਸ’ ਮੌਕੇ ਪੰਜ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਗ੍ਰਿਫਤਾਰ ਕੀਤਾ। ਬਾਅਦ ਵਿੱਚ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਰਿਹਾਅ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਗਿਆ। ਜਦੋਂ ਅੱਜ ‘ਬਾਲ ਦਿਵਸ’ ਦੇ ਸਮਾਗਮ ਕੀਤੇ ਜਾ ਰਹੇ ਸਨ, ਉਸ ਦੌਰਾਨ ਪੰਜ ਬੱਚੇ ਥਾਣਾ ਥਰਮਲ ਦੀ ਪੁਲੀਸ ਕੋਲ ਸਫਾਈ ਦੇ ਰਹੇ ਸਨ। ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਦਾ ਏਨਾ ਕਸੂਰ ਹੀ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ‘ਰੱਬ ਜੀ ਥੱਲੇ ਆਓ’ ਨਾਟਕ ਖੇਡ ਕੇ ਸੱਚੀ-ਸੁੱਚੀ ਕਿਰਤ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਸੁਨੇਹਾ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਸੀ।
ਕੁਝ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੇ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਦੀ ਨਾਟਕ ਮੰਡਲੀ ’ਤੇ ਕੇਸ ਦਰਜ ਕਰਾ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਸੀ। ਕੇਸ ਦਰਜ ਕਰਾਉਣ ਵਾਲਿਆਂ ਨੇ ਦੋਸ਼ ਲਾਇਆ ਕਿ ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਖੇਡੇ ਨਾਟਕ ਨੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਧਾਰਮਿਕ ਭਾਵਨਾਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸੱਟ ਮਾਰੀ ਹੈ। ਥਾਣਾ ਥਰਮਲ ਦੀ ਪੁਲੀਸ ਦਾ ਤਫਤੀਸ਼ੀ ਅਫਸਰ ਕਸ਼ਮੀਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਤੋਂ ਪਾਤਰ ‘ਰੱਬ’ ਦੇ ਕੱਪੜੇ ਮੰਗ ਰਿਹਾ ਸੀ ਜਦੋਂ ਕਿ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ ਕਿ ਉਹ ਤਾਂ ਕਿਰਾਏ ’ਤੇ ਕੱਪੜੇ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਆਉਂਦੇ ਹਨ।
ਤਫਤੀਸ਼ੀ ਅਫਸਰ ਨੇ ਵਾਰੋ-ਵਾਰੀ ਸਾਰੇ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਤੋਂ ਕੱਪੜੇ ਮੰਗੇ। ਕੁਝ ਪਾਤਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਪਾਏ ਕੱਪੜੇ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਨੇ ਪੁਲੀਸ ਦੇ ਹਵਾਲੇ ਵੀ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤੇ। ਜ਼ਿਲ੍ਹਾ ਅਦਾਲਤ ਦੇ ਹੁਕਮਾਂ ’ਤੇ ਇਹ ਬੱਚੇ ਅੱਜ ਥਾਣਾ ਥਰਮਲ ’ਚ ਜਾਂਚ ਲਈ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਹੋਏ।
ਤਫਤੀਸ਼ੀ ਅਫਸਰ ਨੇ ਦਸ ਸਾਲ ਦੇ ਬੱਚੇ ਗੁਰਨੂਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਜਿਸ ’ਤੇ ਧਾਰਾ 295 ਤਹਿਤ ਕੇਸ ਦਰਜ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਸੀ, ਤੋਂ ਨਾਟਕ ਦੇ ਪਾਤਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਕੱਪੜਿਆਂ ਬਾਰੇ ਪੁੱਛਗਿੱਛ ਕੀਤੀ। ਗਰਨੂਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਨਾਟਕ ਮੰਡਲੀ ਦਾ ਬਾਲ ਕਲਾਕਾਰ ਹੈ। ਨਾਟਕ ਮੰਡਲੀ ਦੇ ਗੁਰਨੂਰ ਤੋਂ ਇਲਾਵਾ ਅਨਮੋਲਦੀਪ (16) ਪਿੰਡ ਡੋਡ, ਸਟਾਲਿਨਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ (17) ਵਾਸੀ ਡੋਡ, ਗੁਰਬਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਅਤੇ ਹਰਜੋਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਵਾਸੀ ਫਰੀਦਕੋਟ ਤਫਤੀਸ਼ ’ਚ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਹੋਏ। ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਤੇ ਨਾਟਕ ਦੇ ਡਾਇਰੈਕਟਰ ਕੀਰਤੀ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ’ਤੇ ਪੁਲੀਸ ਨੇ ਧਾਰਾ 295,34 ਤਹਿਤ ਲੰਘੀ 28 ਸਤੰਬਰ ਨੂੰ ਕੇਸ ਦਰਜ ਕਰ ਲਿਆ ਸੀ। ਇਸ ਟੀਮ ਵੱਲੋਂ 25 ਸਤੰਬਰ ਨੂੰ ਬਠਿੰਡਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਨਾਟਕ ਖੇਡਿਆ ਗਿਆ ਸੀ। ਆਖਰੀ ਸੁਣਵਾਈ 16 ਨਵੰਬਰ ਨੂੰ ਹੋਣੀ ਹੈ।

ਇਹ ਬੱਚੇ ਘਬਰਾਏ ਹੋਏ ਸਨ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਕਹਿਣਾ ਸੀ ਕਿ ਪਹਿਲੀ ਦਫਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ‘ਬਾਲ ਦਿਵਸ’ ਮੌਕੇ ਕੋਈ ਨਾਟਕ ਨਹੀਂ ਖੇਡਿਆ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ। ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਦੇ ਕੇਸ ਦੀ ਪੈਰਵੀ ਕਰ ਰਹੇ ਐਡਵੋਕੇਟ ਐਨ.ਕੇ.ਜੀਤ ਦਾ ਕਹਿਣਾ ਸੀ ਕਿ ਜੁਵੇਨਾਇਲ ਜਸਟਿਸ ਐਕਟ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕੇਸਾਂ ’ਚ ਸੱਤ ਸਾਲ ਤੋਂ ਘੱਟ ਦੀ ਸਜ਼ਾ ਹੈ, ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕੇਸਾਂ ’ਚ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ’ਤੇ ਐਫ.ਆਈ.ਆਰ ਹੀ ਦਰਜ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੋ ਸਕਦੀ ਅਤੇ ਨਾ ਹੀ ਪੁਲੀਸ ਗ੍ਰਿਫਤਾਰ ਕਰ ਸਕਦੀ ਹੈ।

ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਕਹਿਣਾ ਸੀ ਕਿ ਪੁਲੀਸ ਨੇ ਕਿਸੇ ਐਕਟ ਦੀ ਕੋਈ ਪ੍ਰਵਾਹ ਨਹੀਂ ਕੀਤੀ ਹੈ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਕਹਿਣਾ ਸੀ ਕਿ ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਨਾਟਕ ਖੇਡਿਆ ਗਿਆ ਸੀ

Courtesy: Punjabi Tribune Nov 15,2010

If Obama were an Indian Politician

Courtesy: Infotaiment@www.keralite.net

Bloody Face Of US Imperialism

Photo: Courtesy Feed Blitz

The most dangerous terrorist, whose hands are soaked with the blood of millions of Iraqi and Afghan people, is shedding crocodile tears at Taj Hotel, Bombay. Head of a Govt., which killed millions of children in Iraq through economic sanctions, is bemusing the Indian Children with dance. It is all a facade to intensify the exploitation of Indian people and its natural resources. Deals worth billions of dollars are to be signed to protect the super profits of American big business and their Indian partners. That is the central theme of his Indian visit.

What is happening in Obama's America? Here is an excerpt from an article:

Socialism? The Rich Are Winning The US Class War:
Facts Show Rich Getting Richer, Everyone Else Poorer

By Bill Quigley 25 October, 2010 Coun.otercurrentsrg

The truth is that for the several decades the rich in the US have been getting richer and the poor and middle class have been getting poorer. Look at the facts then make up your own mind.

Poor Getting Poorer: Facts

The official US poverty numbers show we now have the highest number of poor people in 51 years. The official US poverty rate is 14.3 percent or 43.6 million people in poverty. One in five children in the US is poor; one in ten senior citizens is poor. Source: US Census Bureau.

One of every six workers, 26.8 million people, is unemployed or underemployed. This “real” unemployment rate is over 17%. There are 14.8 million people designated as “officially” unemployed by the government, a rate of 9.6 percent. Unemployment is worse for African American workers of whom 16.1 percent are unemployed. Another 9.5 million people who are working only part-time while they are seeking full-time work but have had their hours cut back or are so far only able to find work part-time are not counted in the official unemployment numbers. Also, an additional 2.5 million are reported unemployed but not counted because they are classified as discouraged workers in part because they have been out of work for more than 12 months. Source: US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics October 2010 report.

The median household income for whites in the US is $51,861; for Asians it is $65,469; for African Americans it is $32,584; for Latinos it is $38,039. Source: US Census Bureau.

Fifty million people in the US lack health insurance. Source: US Census Bureau.

Women in the US have a greater lifetime risk of dying from pregnancy-related conditions than women in 40 other countries. African American US women are nearly 4 times more likely to die of pregnancy-related complications than white women. Source: Amnesty International Maternal Health Care Crisis in the USA.

About 3.5 million people, about one-third of which are children, are homeless at some point in the year in the US. Source: National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty.

Outside Atlanta, 33,000 people showed up to seek applications for low cost subsidized housing in August 2010. When Detroit offered emergency utility and housing assistance to help people facing evictions, more than 50,000 people showed up for the 3,000 vouchers. Source: News reports.

There are 49 million people in the US who live in households which eat only because they receive food stamps, visit food pantries or soup kitchens for help. Sixteen million are so poor they have skipped meals or foregone food at some point in the last year. This is the highest level since statistics have been kept. Source: US Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.

Middle Class Going Backward: Facts

One or two generations ago it was possible for a middle class family to live on one income. Now it takes two incomes to try to enjoy the same quality of life. Wages have not kept up with inflation; adjusted for inflation they have lost ground over the past ten years. The cost of housing, education and health care have all increased at a much higher rate than wages and salaries. In 1967, the middle 60 percent of households received over 52% of all income. In 1998, it was down to 47%. The share going to the poor has also fallen, with the top 20% seeing their share rise. Mark Trumball, “Obama’s challenge: reversing a decade of middle-class decline,” Christian Science Monitor, January 25, 2010. http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0125/Obama-s-challenge-reversing-a-decade-of-middle-class-decline

A record 2.8 million homes received a foreclosure notice in 2009, higher than both 2008 and 2007. In 2010, the rate is expected to be rise to 3 million homes. Sources: Reuters and RealtyTrac.

Eleven million homeowners (about one in four homeowners) in the US are “under water” or owe more on their mortgages than their house is worth. Source: “Home truths,” The Economist, October 23, 2010.

For the first time since the 1940s, the real incomes of middle-class families are lower at the end of the business cycle of the 2000s than they were at the beginning. Despite the fact that the American workforce is working harder and smarter than ever, they are sharing less and less in the benefits they are creating. This is true for white families but even truer for African American families whose gains in the 1990s have mostly been eliminated since then. Source: Jared Bernstein and Heidi Shierholz, State of Working America. http://www.stateofworkingamerica.org/swa08_00_execsum.pdf

Rich Getting Richer: Facts

The wealth of the richest 400 people in the US grew by 8% in the last year to $1.37 trillion. Source: Forbes 400: The super-rich get richer, September 22, 2010, Money.com

The top Hedge Fund Manager of 2009, David Tepper, “earned” $4 billion last year. The rest of the top ten earned: $3.3 billion, $2.5 billion, $2.3 billion, $1.4 billion, $1.3 billion (tie for 6th and 7th place), $900 million (tie for 8th and 9th place), and in last place out of the top ten, $825 million. Source: Business Insider. “Meet the top 10 earning hedge fund managers of 2009.” http://www.businessinsider.com/meet-the-top-10-earning-hedge-fund-managers-of-2009-2010-4

Income disparity in the US is now as bad as it was right before the Great Depression at the end of the 1920s. From 1979 to 2006, the richest 1% more than doubled their share of the total US income, from 10% to 23%. The richest 1% have an average annual income of more than $1.3 million. For the last 25 years, over 90% of the total growth in income in the US went to the top 10% earners – leaving 9% of all income to be shared by the bottom 90%. Source: Jared Bernstein and Heidi Shierholz, State of Working America. http://www.stateofworkingamerica.org/tabfig/2008/01/19.pdf

In 1973, the average US CEO was paid $27 for every dollar paid to a typical worker; by 2007 that ratio had grown to $275 to $1. Source: Jared Bernstein and Heidi Shierholz, State of Working America. http://www.stateofworkingamerica.org/tabfig/2008/03/SWA08_Wages_Figure.3AE.pdf

Since 1992, the average tax rate on the richest 400 taxpayers in the US dropped from 26.8% to 16.62%. Source: US Internal Revenue Service. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/07intop400.pdf

The US has the greatest inequality between rich and poor among all Western industrialized nations and it has been getting worse for 40 years. The World Factbook, published by the CIA, includes an international ranking of the inequality among families inside of each country, called the Gini Index. The US ranking of 45 in 2007 is the same as Argentina, Cameroon, and Cote d’Ivorie. The highest inequality can be found in countries like Namibia, South Africa, Haiti and Guatemala. The US ranking of 45 compares poorly to Japan (38), India (36), New Zealand, UK (34), Greece (33), Spain (32), Canada (32), France (32), South Korea (31), Netherlands (30), Ireland (30), Australia (30), Germany (27), Norway (25), and Sweden (23). Source: CIA The World Factbook: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2172.html

Rich people live an average of about five years longer than poor people in the US. Naturally, gross inequality has consequences in terms of health, exposure to unhealthy working conditions, nutrition and lifestyle. In 1980, the most well off in the US had a life expectancy of 2.8 years over the least well-off. As the inequality gap widens, so does the life expectancy gap. In 1990, the gap was a little less than 4 years. In 2000, the least well-off could expect to live to age of 74.7 while the most well off had a life expectancy of 79.2 years. Source: Elise Gould, “Growing disparities in life expectancy,” Economic Policy Institute. http://www.epi.org/economic_snapshots/entry/webfeatures_snapshots_20080716/

Conclusion

These are extremely troubling facts for anyone concerned about economic fairness, equality of opportunity, and justice.

Bill is Legal Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights and professor of law at Loyola University New Orleans. You can reach Bill at quigley77@gmail.com

Arundhati Roy

ਤਰਸ ਅਜਿਹੇ ਦੇਸ 'ਤੇ, ਜੋ ਕਲਮਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਖਾਮੋਸ਼ ਕਰੇ !

ਮੈਂ ਸ਼੍ਰੀਨਗਰ, ਕਸ਼ਮੀਰ ਤੋਂ ਲਿਖ ਰਹੀ ਹਾਂ। ਅੱਜ ਸਵੇਰ ਦੇ ਅਖ਼ਬਾਰ ਦੱਸਦੇ ਹਨ ਕਿ ਮੈਂ ਜੋ ਕੁਝ ਕਸ਼ਮੀਰ ਬਾਰੇ ਪਿੱਛੇ ਜਿਹੇ ਇੱਕ ਜਨਤਕ ਸਭਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਕਿਹਾ ਹੈ, ਉਸ ਬਦਲੇ ਮੈਨੂੰ 'ਦੇਸ-ਧ੍ਰੋਹ' ਦੇ ਦੋਸ਼ਾਂ ਥੱਲੇ ਗ੍ਰਿਫ਼ਤਾਰ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ। ਮੈਂ ਜੋ ਕੁਝ ਕਿਹਾ ਹੈ, ਉਹ ਇੱਥੇ ਲੱਖੂਖਾਂ ਲੋਕ ਹਰ ਰੋਜ਼ ਕੰਹਿਦੇ ਹਨ। ਮੈਂ ਜੋ ਕੁਝ ਕਿਹਾ ਹੈ, ਉਹ ਮੈਂ ਤੇ ਹੋਰ ਟਿੱਪਣੀਕਾਰ ਬਹੁਤ ਸਾਲਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਲਿਖ ਤੇ ਕਹਿ ਰਹੇ ਹਾਂ। ਜੋ ਕੋਈ ਵੀ ਮੇਰੇ ਭਾਸ਼ਣਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਲਿਖਤਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਪੜ੍ਹਨ ਦੀ ਜਹਿਮਤ ਉਠਾਏ ਤਾਂ ਉਸਨੂੰ ਪਤਾ ਲੱਗੇਗਾ ਕਿ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਬੁਨਿਆਦੀ ਤੌਰ 'ਤੇ ਇਨਸਾਫ਼ ਦੀ ਮੰਗ ਕੀਤੀ ਗਈ ਹੈ। ਮੈਂ ਕਸ਼ਮੀਰ ਦੇ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਲਈ ਇਨਸਾਫ਼ ਦੇ ਹੱਕ ਵਿੱਚ ਬੋਲੀ ਹਾਂ ਜੋ ਸੰਸਾਰ ਦੇ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਧ ਜਾਲਮ ਫੌਜੀ ਕਬਜਿਆਂ 'ਚੋਂ ਇੱਕ ਥੱਲੇ ਜੀਵਨ ਬਸਰ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਮਜ਼ਬੂਰ ਹਨ; ਉਹਨਾਂ ਕਸ਼ਮੀਰੀ ਪੰਡਤਾਂ ਦੇ ਹੱਕ ਵਿੱਚ ਜੋ ਆਪਣੀ ਮਾਤਭੂਮੀ ਤੋਂ ਖਦੇੜੇ ਜਾਣ ਦੀ ਤ੍ਰਾਸਦੀ ਹੰਢਾ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ; ਕਸ਼ਮੀਰ 'ਚ ਮਾਰੇ ਗਏ ਕੁਡਾਲੋਰ ਦੇ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਦਲਿਤ ਸਿਪਾਹੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਹੱਕ ਵਿੱਚ, ਕੂੜੇ ਦੇ ਢੇਰਾਂ 'ਤੇ ਬਣੀਆਂ ਜਿਹਨਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਕਬਰਾਂ 'ਤੇ ਮੈਂ ਜਾ ਆਈ ਹਾਂ; ਭਾਰਤ ਦੇ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਗਰੀਬਾਂ ਦੇ ਹੱਕ ਵਿੱਚ ਜੋ ਇਸ ਫੌਜੀ ਕਬਜੇ ਦੀ ਭੌਤਿਕ ਰੂਪ 'ਚ ਕੀਮਤ ਅਦਾ ਕਰ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ ਤੇ ਜਿਹੜੇ, ਇਸ ਬਣ ਰਹੇ ਪੁਲਸੀ-ਰਾਜ ਥੱਲੇ ਜਿਉਣ ਦਾ ਵੱਲ ਸਿਖ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ।

ਕੱਲ੍ਹ ਮੈਂ ਸ਼ੋਪੀਆਂ ਦਾ ਦੌਰਾ ਕੀਤਾ, ਦੱਖਣੀ ਕਸ਼ਮੀਰ ਦਾ ਸੇਬਾਂ ਲਈ ਮਸ਼ਹੂਰ ਸ਼ਹਿਰ ਜੋ ਪਿਛਲੇ ਵਰ੍ਹੇ ਆਸੀਆ ਤੇ ਨੀਲੋਫਰ ਨਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਨੌਜਵਾਨ ਔਰਤਾਂ ਦੇ ਬੇਰਹਿਮ ਬਲਾਤਕਾਰ ਤੇ ਕਤਲਾਂ ਖਿਲਾਫ਼ ਰੋਸ ਵਜੋਂ ਪਿਛਲੇ ਸਾਲ 47 ਦਿਨ ਬੰਦ ਰਿਹਾ, ਜਿਹਨਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਲਾਸ਼ਾਂ ਘਰ ਨੇੜਲੀ ਉਥਲੀ ਨਦੀ ਦੇ ਕਿਨਾਰਿਓਂ ਮਿਲੀਆਂ ਸਨ ਤੇ ਜਿਹਨਾਂ ਦੇ ਕਾਤਲਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਹਾਲੇ ਤੱਕ ਵੀ ਕੀਤੇ ਦੀ ਸਜ਼ਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਮਿਲੀ। ਮੈਂ ਸ਼ਕੀਲ ਨੂੰ ਮਿਲੀ, ਨੀਲੋਫਰ ਦਾ ਪਤੀ ਤੇ ਆਸੀਆ ਦਾ ਭਰਾ ਤੇ ਉੱਥੇ ਮੌਜੂਦ ਅਸੀਂ ਸਭ ਜਣੇ ਘੇਰਾ ਬਣਾਕੇ ਬੈਠ ਗਏ ਤੇ ਇਸ ਘੇਰੇ 'ਚ ਬੈਠੇ, ਦੁੱਖ ਤੇ ਰੋਹ 'ਚ ਧੁਖਦੇ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਭਾਰਤ ਤੋਂ ਇਨਸਾਫ਼ ਦੀ ਹਰ ਉਮੀਦ ਖਤਮ ਹੋ ਚੁੱਕੀ ਸੀ ਤੇ ਹੁਣ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਨੂੰ "ਅਜ਼ਾਦੀ" ਤੋਂ ਹੀ ਇੱਕੋ-ਇੱਕ ਉਮੀਦ ਸੀ। ਮੈਂ ਨੌਜਵਾਨ ਪੱਥਰਬਾਜਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਮਿਲੀ, ਜਿਹਨਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਅੱਖਾਂ 'ਚ ਗੋਲੀਆਂ ਦਾਗ਼ ਦਿੱਤੀਆਂ ਗਈਆਂ ਸਨ। ਮੈਂ ਇੱਕ ਅਜਿਹੇ ਨੌਜਵਾਨ ਲੜਕੇ ਨਾਲ ਸਫ਼ਰ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਿਸਨੇ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਕਿ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਅਨੰਤਨਾਗ ਜਿਲੇ ਵਿੱਚ, ਉਸਦੇ ਅੱਲੜ੍ਹ ਉਮਰ ਦੇ ਤਿੰਨ ਮਿੱਤਰਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਗ੍ਰਿਫ਼ਤਾਰ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਤੇ ਪੱਥਰ ਸੁੱਟਣ ਖਿਲਾਫ਼ ਸਜ਼ਾ ਵਜੋਂ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਹੁੰ ਪੱਟ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਗਏ।

ਅਖ਼ਬਾਰਾਂ 'ਚ ਕਈਆਂ ਨੇ ਮੇਰੇ 'ਤੇ ਦੂਸ਼ਣ ਲਾਇਆ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਮੈਂ "ਭੜਕਾਊ - ਭਾਸ਼ਣ" ਦਿੱਤੇ ਹਨ, ਕਿ ਮੈਂ ਦੇਸ ਨੂੰ ਤੋੜਨਾ ਚਾਹੁੰਦੀ ਹਾਂ। ਇਸ ਤੋਂ ਬਿਲਕੁੱਲ ਉਲਟ, ਮੈਂ ਜੋ ਕਿਹਾ ਹੈ ਉਹ ਮੋਹ ਤੇ ਮਾਣ 'ਚੋਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਹੈ। ਇਸ 'ਚੋਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਮਾਰ ਕੇ, ਬਲਾਤਕਾਰ ਕਰਕੇ, ਜੇਲ੍ਹਾਂ 'ਚ ਸੁੱਟ ਕੇ ਜਾਂ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਹੁੰ ਪੱਟ ਕੇ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਭਾਰਤੀ ਹੋਣਾ ਮੰਨਣ ਲਈ ਮਜ਼ਬੂਰ ਨਾਂ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਵੇ। ਇੱਕ ਅਜਿਹੇ ਸਮਾਜ 'ਚ ਜਿਉਣ ਦੀ ਇੱਛਾ 'ਚੋਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਹੈ ਜੋ ਇਨਾਸਫ਼ ਲਈ ਤਰਲੋਮੱਛੀ ਹੈ। ਤਰਸ ਅਜਿਹੇ ਦੇਸ 'ਤੇ, ਜੋ ਆਪਣੇ ਲੇਖਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਆਪਣਾ ਇਜ਼ਹਾਰ ਕਰਨ ਵਰਜੇ। ਤਰਸ ਅਜਿਹੇ ਦੇਸ 'ਤੇ ਜਿਸਨੂੰ ਇਨਸਾਫ਼ ਦੀ ਮੰਗ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਜੇਲ੍ਹਾਂ 'ਚ ਸੁੱਟਣਾ ਪਵੇ ਜਦੋਂ ਕਿ ਫ਼ਿਰਕਾਪ੍ਰਸਤ ਹੱਤਿਆਰੇ, ਜਨਤਕ-ਕਤਲਿਆਮਾਂ ਦੇ ਮੁਜ਼ਰਮ, ਕਾਰਪੋਰੇਟ ਘਪਲੇਬਾਜ, ਲੁਟੇਰੇ, ਬਲਾਤਕਾਰੀਏ ਤੇ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਗ਼ਰੀਬ ਜਨਤਾ ਦਾ ਸ਼ਿਕਾਰ ਖੇਡਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਅਜ਼ਾਦ ਘੁੰਮਦੇ ਹੋਣ।

Pity the nation that has to silence its writers.

Arundhati Roy responds to reports of possible arrest on charges of sedition

October 26 2010

I write this from Srinagar, Kashmir. This morning’s papers say that I may be arrested on charges of sedition for what I have said at recent public meetings on Kashmir. I said what millions of people here say every day. I said what I, as well as other commentators have written and said for years. Anybody who cares to read the transcripts of my speeches will see that they were fundamentally a call for justice. I spoke about justice for the people of Kashmir who live under one of the most brutal military occupations in the world; for Kashmiri Pandits who live out the tragedy of having been driven out of their homeland; for Dalit soldiers killed in Kashmir whose graves I visited on garbage heaps in their villages in Cuddalore; for the Indian poor who pay the price of this occupation in material ways and who are now learning to live in the terror of what is becoming a police state.

Yesterday I traveled to Shopian, the apple-town in South Kashmir which had remained closed for 47 days last year in protest against the brutal rape and murder of Asiya and Nilofer, the young women whose bodies were found in a shallow stream near their homes and whose murderers have still not been brought to justice. I met Shakeel, who is Nilofer’s husband and Asiya’s brother. We sat in a circle of people crazed with grief and anger who had lost hope that they would ever get ‘insaf’—justice—from India, and now believed that Azadi—freedom— was their only hope. I met young stone pelters who had been shot through their eyes. I traveled with a young man who told me how three of his friends, teenagers in Anantnag district, had been taken into custody and had their finger-nails pulled out as punishment for throwing stones.
In the papers some have accused me of giving ‘hate-speeches’, of wanting India to break up. On the contrary, what I say comes from love and pride. It comes from not wanting people to be killed, raped, imprisoned or have their finger-nails pulled out in order to force them to say they are Indians. It comes from wanting to live in a society that is striving to be a just one. Pity the nation that has to silence its writers for speaking their minds. Pity the nation that needs to jail those who ask for justice, while communal killers, mass murderers, corporate scamsters, looters, rapists, and those who prey on the poorest of the poor, roam free.

Arundhati Roy

(Courtesy SANHATI)

ਸ਼ਹੀਦ ਕਿਸਾਨ ਆਗੂ ਪ੍ਰਿਥੀਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਨੂੰ ਰੋਹ ਭਰਪੂਰ ਸ਼ਰਧਾਂਜਲੀ ਭੇਂਟ

ਸ਼ਹੀਦ ਪ੍ਰਿਥੀਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਚੱਕ ਅਲੀਸ਼ੇਰ ਦੇ ਭੋਗ ਸਮਾਗਮ ਮੌਕੇ ਸ਼ਰਧਾਂਜਲੀ ਭੇਂਟ ਕਰਨ ਪਹੁੰਚੇ ਹਜ਼ਾਰਾਂ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦਾ ਠਾਠਾਂ ਮਾਰਦਾ ਇਕੱਠ

ਸ਼ਹੀਦ ਦੇ ਪਰਿਵਾਰ ਦਾ ਸਨਮਾਨ ਕਰਦੇ ਜਥੇਬੰਦੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਆਗੂ

ਕਲ੍ਹ ਮਿਤੀ 21/10/10 ਨੂੰ ਪਿੰਡ ਚੱਕ ਅਲੀਸ਼ੇਰ ਵਿਖੇ ਸ਼ਹੀਦ ਕਿਸਾਨ ਆਗੂ ਪ੍ਰਿਥੀਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਨੂੰ ਸ਼ਰਧਾਂਜਲੀ ਭੇਂਟ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ 17 ਕਿਸਾਨ-ਮਜ਼ਦੂਰ ਜਥੇਬੰਦੀਆਂ ਤੋਂ ਇਲਾਵਾ ਹੋਰ ਇਨਸਾਫ਼ਪਸੰਦ ਜਥੇਬੰਦੀਆਂ ਤੇ ਇਲਾਕੇ ਦੇ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੇ ਹਜ਼ਾਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਗਿਣਤੀ 'ਚ ਭੋਗ ਸਮਾਗਮ 'ਚ ਪਹੁੰਚ ਕੇ ਸਹੀਦ ਪ੍ਰਤੀ ਸਤਿਕਾਰ ਤੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਰੋਹ ਦਾ ਪ੍ਰਗਟਾਵਾ ਕੀਤਾ। ਇਸ ਮੌਕੇ ਕਿਸਾਨ-ਮਜ਼ਦੂਰ ਜਥੇਬੰਦੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਸਾਂਝੇ ਤੌਰ 'ਤੇ ਸ਼ਹੀਦ ਦੀ ਪਤਨੀ ਤੇ ਬਾਕੀ ਪਰਿਵਾਰ ਦਾ ਸਨਮਾਨ ਕੀਤਾ ਤੇ ਪਰਿਵਾਰ ਨੇ ਵੀ ਸੰਘਰਸ਼ਾਂ ਦੇ ਰਾਹ ਤੇ ਅੱਗੇ ਵਧਣ ਦਾ ਇਰਾਦਾ ਪ੍ਰਗਟਾਇਆ।

ਬੁਲਾਰਿਆਂ ਨੇ ਬੋਲਦਿਆਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਸਿਆਸੀ-ਪੁਲਸ-ਗੁੰਡਾ ਗਠਜੋੜ, ਸੂਦਖੋਰ-ਆੜ੍ਹਤੀਆ ਸਿਸਟਮ ਤੇ ਭੂ-ਮਾਫੀਆ ਵਲੋਂ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਖੰਨਾ-ਚਮਿਆਰਾ, ਫਿਰ ਸਾਧੂ ਸਿੰਘ ਤਖ਼ਤੂਪੁਰਾ ਤੇ ਹੁਣ ਪ੍ਰਿਥੀਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਵਰਗੇ ਕਤਲ ਕਾਂਡਾਂ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਕਿਸਾਨ-ਮਜ਼ਦੂਰ ਤੇ ਜਮਹੂਰੀ ਲਹਿਰ ਤੇ ਤਿੱਖੇ ਹਮਲੇ ਕੀਤੇ ਜਾ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ। ਇਹ ਕਤਲ, ਮੁਲਕ ਭਰ 'ਚ ਹਕੂਮਤ ਵਲੋਂ ਨਵੀਆਂ ਆਰਥਕ ਨੀਤੀਆਂ ਤਹਿਤ ਸਾਮਰਾਜੀ ਹਿੱਤਾਂ ਵਾਸਤੇ ਮਿਹਨਤਕਸ਼ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਤੇ ਲੋਕ ਲਹਿਰਾਂ ਤੇ ਵਿੱਢੇ ਸਰਕਾਰੀ-ਗੈਰ ਸਰਕਾਰੀ ਤਿੱਖੇ ਹਮਲਿਆਂ ਦਾ ਹੀ ਅੰਗ ਹਨ। ਇਹ, ਵੱਖ-ਵੱਖ ਢੱਗਾਂ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਮਿਹਨਤਕਸ਼ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਜਮੀਨਾਂ, ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਜਿਉਣ ਲਈ ਚਾਹੀਦੇ ਬੁਨਿਆਦੀ ਸਰੋਤਾਂ ਤੇ ਜਮਹੂਰੀ ਹੱਕਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਵਾਝੇਂ ਕਰਕੇ ਦੇਸੀ-ਬਦੇਸੀ ਧਨਾਢਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਮੁਲਕ ਦੇ ਵਸੀਲਿਆਂ ਤੇ ਕਾਬਜ਼ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਸਾਜਿਸ਼ ਨੂੰ ਤੇਜੀ ਨਾਲ ਲਾਗੂ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਅਮਲ ਹੈ।

ਇਹਨਾਂ ਹਮਲਿਆਂ ਨੇ ਲੋਕ-ਹੱਕਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਲਹਿਰਾਂ ਸਾਹਮਣੇ ਸੁਰੱਖਿਆ ਦੇ ਸਵਾਲ ਨੂੰ ਸ਼ਿਦਤ ਨਾਲ ਉਭਾਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਹੈ ਜਿਸਨੂੰ ਗੰਭੀਰਤਾ ਨਾਲ ਲਿਆ ਜਾਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ ਤੇ ਵੱਖ-ਵੱਖ ਸੰਘਰਸ਼ੀਲ ਤੇ ਲੋਕ ਹਿੱਸਿਆਂ 'ਚ ਇਹਨਾਂ ਹਮਲਿਆਂ ਪਿੱਛੇ ਕੰਮ ਕਰਦੀਆਂ ਹਕੂਮਤੀ ਨੀਤੀਆਂ ਦਾ ਪਰਦਾਫਾਸ਼ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ। ਹਕੂਮਤੀ ਪ੍ਰਬੰਧ ਤੋਂ ਸੁਰੱਖਿਆ ਦੀ ਝਾਕ ਛੱਡਕੇ ਆਪਣੀ ਰਾਖੀ ਆਪ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਨਹਰਾ ਬੁਲੰਦ ਕਰਨਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ।

WAR AGAINST THE PEOPLE AND ROLE OF DEMOCRATIC FORCES

Photo: Courtesy INDIAN EXPRESS

DEMOCRATIC FRONT AGAINST OPERATION GREEN HUNT, PUNJAB HOLDS A MASSIVE CONVENTION AT JALANDHAR!

BUILD A BROAD SPECTRUM OF RESISTANCE MOVEMENTS!

OPPOSE NEO-LIBERAL POLICIES AND SUPPRESSION OF PEOPLES' MOVEMENTS THROUGH ARMED FORCES!

On 17th October, when people were celebrating Dussehra to mark the victory of Good over the Evil, the Democratic Front Against Operation Green Hunt, Punjab, held a massive Convention in Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall, Jalandhar on “War against the people & Role of Democratic Forces.” It was addressed by noted pro-people thinker & Booker Award winner writer Arundhati Roy and Gandhian social activist Himanshu Kumar. Hundreds of people from all walks of life - University Professors, Research Scholars, Students, Artists, littérateur, cultural activists, press-persons, farmers, agricultural & industrial laborers, trade unionists, thinkers etc., participated from all across Punjab & Chandigarh. The Convention Hall having a seating capacity of 900 was overfilled & hundreds of people were left to hear the programme from outside the Convention Hall.

The Convention Hall was tastefully decorated with flex-hoardings having appropriate messages. The theme hoarding had the poem by Pastor Martin Niemoller – ‘FIRST THEY CAME FOR THE COMMUNISTS’, with a painting depicting peoples’ struggle in the background. Two others were having poems by two noted peoples’ poets of Punjab Sant Ram Udasi- MAGHDA RAHIN VE SURJA (Shine O Sun brightly) & Pash- ASIN LARANGE SATHI (Comrade! We will fight). There were quotations from Shaheed Bhagat Singh, ‘HAWA MEIN RAHENGI MERE KHIALON KI BIJLIAN’ (I may or may not live, but my ideas will remain galvanizing the air eternally)

The Convention was presided over by a presidium consisting of Dr. Parminder Singh (Professor Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar), Prof. A.K.Maleri (Ludhiana), Sh. Yash Pal (Retired Teacher and Editor VARG CHETNA), Prof. Ajmer Singh Aulakh (Noted pro-people Punjabi Dramatist), Com Gandharav Sen Kochhar & Sh. Naunihal Singh(both from Desh Bhagat Yadgar Committee, formed to honor the martyrs of Gadar Movement).

Arundhati Roy opened her speech with the remark that the Indian state has been waging a war against its own people in many parts of the country such as North East, Kashmir, Punjab and many other places for the last 60 years using military and the police to ruthlessly suppress them. She paid rich compliments to the poor people and tribals living in the forests of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Andhra, West Bengal & Maharashtra, who were fighting valiantly to save their lands, forests, water & mineral wealth from being plundered by the world’s richest companies. Preaching non-violence to the tribals of Chhattisgarh is immoral. To those, who accuse the tribals of being violent, she asked: ‘When people are forced to die of hunger, when they are uprooted after depriving them of their lands & livelihood, in the name of development, is it not violence?’ Is it not ironic to advise those, who have empty stomachs and empty pockets, to follow the Gandhian tools of Hunger strike and boycott of foreign goods?

She said that to oppose operation Green Hunt, one need not go and fight in the jungles of Dantewada. Fighting against injustice at our own place is also an important contribution to this cause. Struggles against SEZ and the exploitative Commission Agent (ARHTIYA) system in Punjab are part of the fight against operation Green Hunt. She called upon the intellectuals and toiling sections of the masses to build a broad spectrum of resistance movements against the neo-liberal policies of the State and its onslaught on the peoples’ movements in the form of armed operations such as Green Hunt.

Commenting on the ongoing events in the states under operation Green Hunt, she said that there is a strong link between development and genocide. There is genocide under the façade of development. When the people are uprooted from their lands, culture sources of livelihood, they are doomed to die. In India Crores of people suffer from the AIDS of malnutrition. Malnutrition not only leads its victim to death, but casts its agonizing shadow on the next generations also.

She said while the Naxals are fighting a protracted war against the capitalist system and big corporates, the Indian state was fighting war against its own people. She suggested having diverse methods of resistance in a wider struggle to challenge oppressive policies of the state.

She said the Green Hunt began in Punjab earlier than Chhattisgarh, with the advent of “Green Revolution”. Green Hunt is infact the phenomenon to deprive the people of their land and the resources attached to it such as water, forests, mines etc. Green Revolution and the farmers’ suicides in its aftermath is pointer to this. About 1,80,000 debt trapped farmers have committed suicides in the country. She deplored the Punjab Govt for having branded the 17 organization of farmers and agri-labourers as Naxalite front organizations. Those who raise their voice against injustice are branded as Naxalite. If the rulers continued to follow the policies of privatization & liberalization, then they shall have to deploy army in the whole country. In two decades of neo-liberal policies, the number of people below poverty line have increased manifold, while 100 people own 25 percent of national wealth.

She said the Indian democracy has become shallow. Democracy doesn’t mean mere periodic elections. Democratic rights of the people are being trampled under the foot. Indian Constitution has lost its meaning as the judiciary, media & Parliament have all been made to serve the corporates and monied people. Media is in the hands of corporates. Courts have gone beyond the reach of common man and have become a tool to endorse neo-liberal anti-people policies of the State.

There was a lively discussion on her speech and she answered most of the questions raised by the participants.

Noted Gandhian Himanshu Kumar, who had gone on a cycle-yatra of Rajasthan, Gujrat & Maharashtra, after addressing 16 conventions against Operation Green Hunt throughout Punjab on the invitation of the Democratic Front, shared his assessment of the situation prevailing in those states. He said the situation was explosive everywhere. There were many Dantewadas in the making due to anti-people policies of the rulers. He said in Gujrat, the Forest Rights Act envisages grant of land up to 10 acres on lease to tribals in the forest areas. But Modi Government has not granted even an inch of land to them. But the same Govt has gifted away 1,02,000 acres of land to 176 corporate houses. A functioning university has been closed to provide land to Tata’s Nano plant. A hundred people of this country control 25 percent of its wealth. Our Prime Minister says the people are becoming violent. But the question is why after six decades of independence, there is violence. Are only the Naxalite responsible for this violence? In fact the development model, being implemented by the rulers is resulting in the poor becoming poorer and the rich becoming richer. Development has become synonymous with depriving the poor of their livelihood resources, such as land, water, forests, mineral wealth etc., to fill the coffers of the rich. It will definitely breed violence. Instead of following the principles of social justice and equity, we are following the law of jungle, where might is right. This situation has to be changed. Quoting Gandhi & Vinoba Bhave, he said that if injustice and inequity persists in the society, violence is inevitable, because the victims of injustice & inequity cannot be expected to take the things lying down; they will definitely revolt to change the system, to assert their rights. He said injustice must not be tolerated. It should be resisted at all costs. Non-violence should never become an excuse to run away from the fight against injustice.

Both the speakers were presented with the portraits of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, a poster with Pastor Niemoller’s poem, and a set of three books- ‘History of Gadar Party’, ‘History of Naujwan Bharat Sabha’ & ‘Dialogue with the Revolutionaries’. Mrs. Veena wife of Himanshu Kumar, who spent 18 years with him at Dantewada, serving the tribals was also honored.

After the convention Arundhati Roy held an interaction with Research Scholars & students from three universities of Punjab & prominent historians in the Gadar Museum Hall. She along with Himanshu Kumar & his family and Sanjay Kak, went around the museum evincing keen interest in the revolutionary history of Punjab, particularly the Gadar movement.

At the end of the convention the participants passed resolutions with raised hands demanding an end to Operation Green Hunt; withdrawl of military and para-military forces from the tribal areas; disbanding Salwa Judam & such other fascist organizations; recognizing the rights of tribals over their forests, lands, water and natural resources; stopping SEZ and uprooting of tribals in the name of development; roll-back neo-liberal policies of privatization, globalization & liberalization; repeal black laws such as Armed Forces Special Power Act, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act etc.; stop false encounters and implication of innocent people in false criminal cases; revoke the ban imposed on CPI Maoist and its front organizations; allow the pro-people press-persons and democratic organizations to visit tribal areas; hold judicial inquiry in the killing of Maoist leader ‘Azad’ in a fake encounter; stop the conspiracies to foist false cases on Arundhati Roy, Himanshu Kumar, Nisha Biswas, and other noted intellectuals; punish the murderers of peasant leader Sadhu Singh Takhtupura and Pirthipal Singh Alisher and the killers of peasants at Khanna Chamiara in Punjab; Stop implicating leaders & activists of mass organizations of farmers, agri-labourers, employees, unemployed youth in Punjab & other states in false criminal cases and torturing them; Close all the interrogation centers such as the one at Amritsar known as Joint Interrogation Center.