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From: kracktivist <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, Nov 26, 2012 at 9:59 AM
Subject: [New post] “I Was Made A Scapegoat Because Of My Background “Syed
Kazmi
To: [email protected]
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kracktivist posted: "Outlook Magazine | Dec 03, 2012 Sanjay Rawat
interview ‘I Was Made A Scapegoat Because Of My Background’ The journalist
accused of being part of an Iranian plot to attack Israeli diplomats in
India speaks up Debarshi Das" Respond to this post by replying above
this line
New post on *kracktivist*
<http://kractivist.wordpress.com/author/kracktivist/> “I Was Made A
Scapegoat Because Of My Background “Syed
Kazmi<http://kractivist.wordpress.com/2012/11/26/i-was-made-a-scapegoat-because-of-my-background-syed-kazmi/>
by
kracktivist <http://kractivist.wordpress.com/author/kracktivist/>
Outlook Magazine | Dec 03,
2012<http://outlookindia.com/content.aspx?issue=10927>
<http://photogallery.outlookindia.com/default.aspx?pt=3&ptv=0&date=11/22/2012&pgid=63609>
Sanjay Rawat
interview
‘I Was Made A Scapegoat Because Of My Background’
The journalist accused of being part of an
Iranian<http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=35.6833333333,51.4166666667&spn=10.0,10.0&q=35.6833333333,51.4166666667%20(Iran)&t=h>plot
to attack
Israeli<http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=31.7833333333,35.2166666667&spn=0.1,0.1&q=31.7833333333,35.2166666667%20(Israel)&t=h>diplomats
in
India<http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=28.6133333333,77.2083333333&spn=10.0,10.0&q=28.6133333333,77.2083333333%20(India)&t=h>speaks
up
Debarshi
Dasgupta<http://outlookindia.com/peoplefnl.aspx?pid=3882&author=Debarshi+Dasgupta>
Interviews Syed Mohammed Ahmed
Kazmi<http://outlookindia.com/peoplefnl.aspx?pid=14223&author=Syed+Mohammed+Ahmed+Kazmi>
*
The arrest of **Syed Mohammed Ahmad Kazmi **on March 6 this year had left
many stunned. A well-established journalist, accredited with the
government’s Press Information Bureau (PIB), and someone who regularly
interacted with top politicians, he suddenly came to be described as a
player in an Iranian plot to attack Israeli diplomats in India. Convinced
he was being framed because of his harsh and vocal views on American and
Israeli policy, many had rallied around Kazmi to campaign for his release.
He was finally granted bail by the Supreme Court on October 19 and stepped
out of Tihar <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tihar_%28festival%29> after
spending seven months in jail. His first interview since his release,
questions related directly to the case were answered by his lawyer (see
accompanying story), but Kazmi himself told **Debarshi Dasgupta** that he
was threatened in order to make him confess. He also spoke of his social
isolation since his release and claims he was targeted for his critical
views on India’s foreign policy<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_policy>.
Excerpts:*
*How were you treated in jail?*
Torture is not just physical. For me, it was more mental trauma, almost
unbearable levels. There was always the uncertainty every morning of when I
would be freed, if at all. I used to see the government’s version and could
not believe it was actually me they were discussing. There were
threats—from top officers—of having my children kidnapped, of having
explosives recovered from my home or car. They told me I’d languish in jail
if I didn’t tell them all, that my beard would grow so long in custody that
even my children would not recognise me. On the whole, I have lost the
social status that I once enjoyed. I was made a scapegoat just for my
professional background.
*Do you think you were picked up for your harsh political views on India’s
close links with US/Israel and their role in global affairs?
*
You can judge it yourself from my television appearances. In this changing
scenario, people do not like the truth. Probably, this was one of the
reasons....
"There were threats—from top officers—of having my children
kidnapped, of having explosives recovered from my home or car."
*Would you still argue that India needs to correct its present course of
foreign policy?*We need to have a foreign policy based on national
interests, and not for short-term interests but long-term ones. A gas
pipeline <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pipeline_transport> from Iran,
Pakistan<http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=33.6666666667,73.1666666667&spn=10.0,10.0&q=33.6666666667,73.1666666667%20(Pakistan)&t=h>to
India is not feasible but a gas pipeline from Turkmenistan,
Afghanistan,
Pakistan to India is feasible. Does it make sense?
*What would your comments be on the current crisis in West
Asia<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Asia>and India’s role in the
region?
*
The MEA issued a balanced statement on the ongoing crisis between Israel
and Palestine but we need to make tactical diplomatic moves, independent of
western perceptions and objectives, if we have to emerge as an effective
force in the region. We should, for instance, take into confidence the
elected government of Hamas <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas> in Gaza
and have diplomatic contacts with them and not just the Al Fatah faction.
Powers on the ground need to be engaged more. For instance, Hezbollah,
described as a terrorist entity by westerners, is a crucial player in
Lebanon. You cannot form a government there without their support. We made
mistakes in Iraq too. Post-Saddam, we could have furthered our business
interests more had we nurtured close contacts with the guiding leaders in
Najaf. And in Egypt, with the Muslim Brotherhood in power, the Americans
and Israelis have done much more than India to establish close links with
the new government. We are left behind since we are overcautious. I would
argue we are an emerged power in this region, not an emerging one. America,
on the other hand, is a weakening force in this region and we must further
our independent role.
"We need to make tactical diplomatic moves, free of western
perceptions and objectives, if we’re to be effective in West Asia."
*You are viewed as a very harsh critic of Israel...*What do you mean by a
critic? If you read just 60 years of Israel’s history, you’ll become a
harsh critic of the country...just read it and analyse it. People do not
want to question the way the state of Israel was created and ignore the way
it’s being expanded illegally into Palestine every day. How much time do
you need to undserstand the history and geography?
*Has it been difficult to voice political opinions that match yours?*
Prominent journalists who worked earlier for several years are off the
screen for many years now for this reason. You name important journalists
who worked around a decade earlier and are alive. All of them are sitting
in their apartments when they should be editors. A prominent journalist who
used to author leads for *India Today* is now leading a small-time Urdu
paper. This is the changing situation of this country. This is part of a
conspiracy.
*Will you go back to doing what you did before your arrest?*
I will resume writing my weekly column in Urdu on international affairs
soon. My readers probably are waiting for my experiences in jail too.
Besides, there is already the offer to go back to working for Islamic
Republic of Iran Broadcasting’s Tehran Radio, to which I was contributing
political reports every day for its Hindi service. I would also appear
frequently on their Urdu channel, Seher TV.
"Just read 60 years of Israeli history and you’ll turn a harsh
critic. People don’t want to question how the Israeli state was created."
*Do you feel socially isolated post-bail?*While in jail, I wondered if
people would come to see me or suspect me after my release. I decided not
to initiate any meetings or make phone calls once out. Let me see who
contacts me, I decided. This is still the position. A huge number of people
came to receive me at Tihar Jail but there is one set who feel meeting me
is something wrong. As far as my professional career is concerned, I do not
know if I can go back to work with Doordarshan, maybe when I’m discharged.
*Have you lost your PIB accreditation?*
I just checked the website yesterday. It says my card is not ready. I had
the card last year. This year’s was delayed for procedural reasons. Perhaps
it was ready when I was arrested, maybe I could not collect it. But
yesterday when I checked, it said the request is still under process. I
feel they have suspended it and held it for the next season.
*You got a lot of support from the public because you are a journalist. But
there are many others behind bars, waiting for a free and fair trial. Are
you going to undertake any work to help them?*
I have full sympathy with those who are innocent and behind bars. I plan to
work with anyone who fights for them in whatever way. I will work for
justice.
Related articles
- Press Note: Supreme Court order granting bail to Syed
Kazmi<http://kractivist.wordpress.com/2012/10/20/press-note-supreme-court-order-granting-bail-to-syed-kazmi/>(
kractivist.wordpress.com)
*kracktivist <http://kractivist.wordpress.com/author/kracktivist/>* |
November 26, 2012 at 9:58 am | Tags:
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