From
Tehelka Magazine, Vol 5, Issue 34, Dated Aug 30, 2008
ENGAGED
CIRCLE
interview
Released But
Not Free
Filmmaker Ajay TG tells SHOBHITA NAITHANI it is important
he speaks out, even if it means going back to jail
In May 2008, the Chhattisgarh police arrested
freelance journalist and filmmaker Ajay TG in
Raipur. The charges against Ajay: violating the
provisions of the draconian Chhattisgarh Special
Public Security Act, 2005 (CSPSA) which allows the
police to arrest anyone with political associations
that dispute state policies. Ajay was released on
conditional bail on August 5 after the police
failed to file a charge sheet against him within the
stipulated 90 days. After his release, the filmmaker
spoke about his incarceration, his work
and starting life afresh.
Photo:
Shailendra Pandey
Now that you're
out of jail, do you feel free?
Not at all. The police haven't closed the case against me yet. I don't
know what their next step will be. I have to think twice before I say
something. I can be thrown back into jail if I make a statement that
disconcerts
the government or the police.
What was going through your head while
you were in jail?
Why am I here? Till today, the police haven't
given me a reason for my arrest. Only when I
was being taken to the court, an inspector
murmured, 'Aapne koi chitthi likhi hai jo
aapka sar dard ban gayi hai.' (A letter written
by you is the source of this crisis). When I
asked which letter, he flashed a piece of paper.
In jail I was under constant supervision. Nobody
would talk to me. Everyone would refer
to me as a 'naxali bandi'. I wasn't even allowed
to go for yoga or computer classes. When passing
time became difficult, I started exercising
to lose weight (laughs).
You were threatened and told not to travel
to Delhi and worse not to speak to the
media. Why did you take the risk?
The police said if I spoke to the media, it would
be difficult for them to close the case against
me. But if I don't speak up, then I'm not doing
justice to my profession as a filmmaker and
journalist. Who will carry the voice of hundreds
of other innocents who are in jail? I am
not scared because I am certain the police will
not find any evidence against me, unless they
create it.
Are you surprised with the support of the
Release Ajay TG Campaign and the impetus it
gave your case?
Absolutely. I didn't expect it. When the police
raided my house in January, I began preparing
my wife for my arrest. I made it clear that she
should never think I would get the kind of support
that Dr Binayak Sen has got. I am only a little
known filmmaker. So why
would anyone take up my
case? But after my release I
realized that there are still
daring people in this world
who are willing to fight for
the rights of others. If that
handful stopped raising
their voice, the government
and the police will
sell this country.
Which letter are the
police talking about?
They claim you wrote
to the Maoist
spokesperson asking
him to either return
the camera you gave
him or pay you.
By no means. If that's
the letter he's referring
to, I clearly remember
that two
months after the
April 2004 incident
when the Maoists
confiscated my camera,
a young boy came home and handed me
a letter of apology by the central committee. It
read: "Since your camera is buried in the village, there are chances it may be
damaged. We could
either pay you for it or buy you a new one. You
must write down the details of the payment and
send it back." Being the state convener for Campaign
Against Child Labour (CACL), I replied on
its letterhead that the camera would cost Rs 2.5
lakh. 'Either give me my camera or the money.'
There wasn't a word more.
When the police raided your house, you admitted
to having written the letter. You also
notified them of the circumstances which
led to it. What was the police's reaction?
They didn't mention the letter till I asked the
reason for the raid. One of them flashed
a xerox copy of a letter written on the CACL letterhead.
I didn't know which letter it was. I assumed
that they must have recovered the letter
from the house of Prafull Jha (a social activist
and freelance journalist arrested in January in
Raipur for "alleged links to Naxals"). And since
Jha was part of CACL, we had exchanged a
few letters. But the police were paranoid. They
had been raiding everyone's house, following
it with arrests.
Did you ever feel that the police, the government
and the local media were trying to
criminalise you? It began with the letter and
ended with the Swiss knife found in your bag
on the first day of Binayak Sen's trial?
It wasn't a Swiss knife. It was a tool kit. Even
after the raid, I was sure nothing would go
wrong because I am innocent. That's why I
didn't apply for anticipatory bail. It all began
with the local media terming me a "Naxal
PRO" and then there was no stopping.
Describe to us the locale that a human
rights activist in Chhattisgarh works in?
It's tough and unexplainable. You're caught between
two extremes — the Naxals and the
state. You're walking the tightrope with the fear
that you may fall on either side. And if you do,
you're doomed. There's no middle path.
When do you think the conflict between
the state and the people of Chhattisgarh
will end?
Who wants it to end? Not the politicians and
administration. There are heavy funds flowing
into the state to solve the crisis. But it is in
everyone's interest to perpetuate it.
From
Tehelka Magazine, Vol 5, Issue 34, Dated Aug 30, 2008
Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Green Youth Movement" group.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected]
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
