Dear Friends, Here's a very significant response from Prof. Anil Sadgopal -- a very well-known activist and academic, a former Dean of Faculty of Education, University of Delhi.
Apart from the customary "thank you" note, *it includes* (i) his own (off-the-cuff) estimate of the current situation and (ii) much more importantly, *a* *very valuable research work -- "a 6-page critique ... of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and its implications in the context of the inauguration of the new Parliament Complex scheduled on his 140th birth anniversary in collaboration" -- jointly done with Prof. Shamsul Islam*. This rich note flagging the significance of inauguration of the new Parliament building -- a part of the ongoing funeral rituals of "India" that had been brought into being as the successful culmination of the decades-long epic freedom struggle -- on the birth anniversary of the MafiVeer deserves close attention and wide circulation. Thanks a ton to Prof. Sadgopal! The text of the *critique* is reproduced right below. Sukla P.S.: On Savarkar, one may additionally refer to the following: I/III. < https://thewire.in/history/veer-savarkar-the-staunchest-advocate-of-loyalty-to-the-english-government >. II/III. < https://frontline.thehindu.com/the-nation/interview-dr-vinay-lal-savarkar-did-very-little-for-india-independence/article64764988.ece >. III. < https://frontline.thehindu.com/the-nation/veer-savarkar-myth-in-indian-freedom-struggle-by-tamil-writer-jeyamohan/article66903378.ece >. (Curated by a friend.) DECODING THE POLITICS OF THE INAUGURATION OF NEW PARLIAMENT COMPLEX ON SAVARKAR’S BIRTH ANNIVERSARY! India’s Hon’ble PM Modi is set to inaugurate the new complex of Indian Parliament on May 28, 2023 which is also the 140th birth anniversary of *Vinayak Damodar Savarkar* who is described as a ‘great son of India’ and ‘Veer’ [gallant/fearless] by RSS-BJP leadership. Obviously, the new Parliament complex – built under the direct supervision of PM Modi and his chosen few – will be dedicated to Savarkar. It is a horrendous and shameful decision in many respects. Dedication to Savarkar implies rejection of the whole idea of an egalitarian, democratic and secular India rooted in Social Justice which came into being on August 15, 1947 and, with its historic Constitution, became a sovereign Republic on January 26, 1950. *Honouring* Savarkar amounts to *dishonouring* the thousands of martyrs and other participants of the historic Indian freedom struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi against British imperialism. Hence, let us know the truth as told by Savarkar himself or recorded in the Savarkar-led Hindu Mahasabha archives. Savarkar’s Hatred for the Tricolour Flag of India Savarkar, like the RSS, abhorred every symbol of the Indian people’s united struggle against the British rule. In a circular issued on September 22, 1941 to be followed by the Hindu Mahasabha cadres, he declared, "So far as the flag question is concerned, the Hindus know no flag representing Hindudom as a whole other than the ‘Kundalini Kripanankit’ Mahasabha flag with the ‘Om and the Swastik’ the most ancient symbols of the Hindu race and policy coming down from age to age and honoured throughout Hindusthan…Therefore, any place or function where this Pan-Hindu flag is not honoured should be boycotted by the Hindu Sanghatanists at any rate…The Charkha-Flag [before the present national flag spinning-wheel used to be at the centre of the Tricolour] in particular may very well represent a Khadi-Bhandar, but the Charkha can never symbolize and represent the spirit of the proud and ancient nation like the Hindus." [Bhide, A. S. (ed.),* Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s Whirlwind Propaganda: Extracts from the President’s Diary of his Propagandist Tours Interviews from December 1937 to October 1941*, na, Bombay, 1940, p. 470-73.] *Savarkar preceded Jinnah in propounding the two-nation theory* Muslim league under M.A. Jinnah demanded Pakistan in March 1940. *Long before it, Savarkar had laid down his two-nation theory.* Savarkar became the President of Hindu Mahasabha [HM] in 1937. While addressing the 19th Session of Hindu Mahasabha at Ahmedabad in the same year he stated: “As it is, there are two antagonistic nations living side by side in India, several infantile politicians commit the serious mistake in supposing that India is already welded into a harmonious nation, or that it could be welded thus for the mere wish to do so…India cannot be assumed today to be a Unitarian and homogenous nation, but on the contrary there are two nations in the main: the Hindus and the Moslems, in India.”[i] <#m_-749596563499674618_m_-6701889539218958908_m_6384056416199792798__edn1> [*Samagra Savarkar Wangmaya:Hindu Rashtra Darshan* (Collected works of Savarkar in English), Hindu Mahasabha, Pune, 1963, p. 296.] This shameless collusion between Savarkar and Jinnah was described by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar in the following words: “Strange as it may appear, Mr. Savarkar and Mr. Jinnah instead of being opposed to each other on the one nation versus two nations issue are in complete agreement about it. Both not only agree, but insist that there are two nations in India – one the Muslim nation and the other Hindu nation.” [Ambedkar, BR, *Pakistan or the Partition of India*, Government of Maharashtra, Bombay, (reprint of 1940 edition), p. 142.] *Hindu Mahasabha led by Savarkar declared unconditional support to the British government during Quit India Movement* The Quit India Movement began on August 9, 1942 as per Mahatma Gandhi's call to 'Do or Die' in order to expel the British from India. The British rulers swiftly responded with mass detentions on August 8th itself. Over 100,000 arrests were made which included the entire top leadership of Congress including Gandhi; mass fines were levied and demonstrators were subjected to public flogging. Hundreds of civilians were killed in state-sponsored violence, many shot by the police and the army. Congress was banned. *During these critical times of repression, Savarkar announced full support to the British rulers in line with the Muslim League. * Addressing the 24th session of the Hindu Mahasabha at Kanpur in 1942, Savarkar *outlined the strategy of the Hindu Mahasabha of co-operating with the rulers in the following words:* “The Hindu Mahasabha holds that the leading principle of all practical politics is the policy of Responsive Co-operation [with the British].” He called upon HM councillors, ministers, legislators and conducting any municipal or any public bodies to offer “Responsive Co-operation which covers the whole gamut of patriotic activities from unconditional co-operation right up to active and even armed resistance…” [V. D. Savarkar, *Hindu Rashtra Darshan*, Vol. 6, Maharashtra Prantik Hindusabha, Poona, 1963, p. 112.] *Savarkar led Hindu Mahasabha (HM) and formed coalition governments with Muslim League (ML) during Quit India Movement* Hindu Mahasabha (HM) and Jinnah-led Muslim League (ML) joined hands in running coalition governments in Bengal and Sind (and later in NWFP) in 1942. Defending this collusion between HM and ML against Congress, Savarkar stated, "In practical politics also the Mahasabha knows that we must advance through reasonable compromises. Witness the fact that only recently in Sind, the Sind-Hindu-Sabha on invitation had taken the responsibility of joining hands with the League itself in running coalition Government. The case of Bengal is well known. Leaguers whom even the Congress with all its submissiveness could not placate grew quite reasonably compromising and socialable *[sic]* as soon as they came in contact with the Hindu Mahasabha and the Coalition Government, under the premiership of Mr. Fazlul Huq and the able leadership of our esteemed Mahasabha leader Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerji, functioned successfully for a year or so to the benefit of both the communities." [*Samagra Savarkar Wangmaya:Hindu Rashtra Darshan* (Collected works of Savarkar in English), Vol. 6, Hindu Mahasabha, Pune, 1963, pp. 479-80.] It is to be noted that Mookerji was deputy premier and held the portfolio of suppressing Quit India Movement in Bengal! *Backstabbing Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose* When Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was planning to liberate India militarily, *Savarkar offered full military co-operation to the British masters.* Addressing 23rd session of Hindu Mahasabha at Bhagalpur in 1941, he declared: “Our best national interests demands that so far as India’s defence is concerned, Hindudom must ally unhesitatingly, in a spirit of responsive co-operation with the war effort of the Indian government in so far as it is consistent with the Hindu interests, by joining the Army, Navy and the Aerial forces in as large a number as possible and by securing an entry into all ordnance, ammunition and war craft factories…Again it must be noted that Japan’s entry into the war has exposed us directly and immediately to the attack by Britain’s enemies…Hindu Mahasabhaits must, therefore, rouse Hindus especially in the provinces of Bengal and Assam as effectively as possible to enter the military forces of all arms without losing a single minute.” [*Samagra Savarkar Wangmaya:Hindu Rashtra Darshan* (Collected works of Savarkar in English), vol. 6, Hindu Mahasabha, Pune, 1963, p. 460.] According to HM documents, *Savarkar was able to inspire one lakh Hindus to join the ranks of the British armed forces. * *Savarkar’s Mercy Petitions (MPs) were no ruse but instruments of abject surrender* Savarkar submitted minimum 5 mercy petitions [MPs] in 1911, 1913, 1914, 1918 and 1920. Savarkarites claim that these were submitted not as an act of cowardice but “as an ardent follower of Shivaji, Savarkar wanted to die in action. Finding this the only way, he wrote six letters to the British pleading for his release”. *A perusal of the two available mercy petitions will prove that there cannot be a lie worse than the claim that Savarkar’s Mercy Petitions [MPs] were in league with the methods which the great Shivaji Maharaj used to hoodwink the Mughal rulers successfully.* The mercy petition dated 14th November, 1913 ended with the following words: “[Therefore] if the government in their manifold beneficence and mercy release me, I for one cannot but be the staunchest advocate of constitutional progress and loyalty to the English government which is the foremost condition of that progress.…Moreover my conversion to the constitutional line would bring back all those misled young men in India and abroad who were once looking up to me as their guide. *I am ready to serve the Government in any capacity they like, for as my conversion is conscientious so I hope my future conduct would be.* By keeping me in jail nothing can be got in comparison to what would be otherwise. *The Mighty alone can afford to be merciful and therefore where else can the prodigal son return but to the parental doors of the Government?”* The mercy petition dated 30th March 1920 from this prodigal son of the British masters ended with the following words: “The brilliant prospects of my early life all but too soon blighted, have constituted so painful a source of regret to me that a release would be a new birth and would touch my heart, sensitive and submissive, to kindness so deeply *as to render me personally attached and politically useful in future. For often magnanimity wins even where might fails.”* [Available with the National Archives, Delhi.] There was nothing wrong on the part of the Cellular Jail (Andaman & Nicobar Islands) detainees in writing mercy petitions to the British. It was an important legal right available to the prisoners. Apart from Savarkar, Barin Ghosh, HK Kanjilal, and Nand Gopal too submitted petitions. *However, these were only Savarkar and Barin who sought forgiveness for their revolutionary past. Kanjilal and Nand Gopal did not demand any personal favour but status of political prisoners.* *Savarkar secured remission of 37.5 years in his sentence of 50 years* Savarkar was incarcerated at Andamans on July 4, 1911 for two life terms [50 years]. On May 2, 1921 [after NINE years TEN months] he was transferred along with his elder brother, Babarao, to the mainland. He was finally released conditionally on January 6, 1924 [total imprisonment TWELVE years SIX months] from Yeravda Jail. *Savarkar as a worshipper of Manusmriti, Casteism and Patriarchy* Savarkar is glorified as a rationalist and crusader against Untouchability. Let us compare these claims with Savarkar’s beliefs and acts as recorded in the HM archives. While delivering presidential address to the 22nd session of Hindu Mahasabha at Madura, *he declared Manu to be the lawgiver for Hindus* and emphasized that once we “re-learn the manly lessons” which Manu taught “our Hindu nation shall prove again as unconquerable and a conquering race as we proved once”. [*Samagra Savarkar Wangmaya: Hindu Rashtra Darshan* (Collected works of Savarkar in English), Vol. 6, Hindu Mahasabha, Pune, 1963, p. 426.] *He declared Manusmriti to be “that scripture which is most worship-able after Vedas for our Hindu Nation …Today Manusmriti is Hindu law. That is fundamental”. **[*Savarkar, VD, ‘Women in *Manusmriti*’ in *Savarkar Samagra* (collection of writings of Savarkar in Hindi), Vol. 4, Prabhat, Delhi, p. 415.*]* So far his crusade for Untouchables entry into Hindu temples was concerned *he gave undertaking to Brahmins that “the Hindu Maha Sabha shall never force any legislations regarding the entry of untouchables in the ancient temples or compel by law any sacred ancient and moral usage or custom prevailing in those temples. In general the Mahasabha will not back up any Legislation to thrust the reforming views on our Sanatani brothers so far as personal law is concerned”*. [Bhide, A. S. (ed.),* Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s Whirlwind Propaganda: Extracts from the President’s Diary of his Propagandist Tours Interviews from December 1937 to October 19411*, na, Bombay, 1940, p. 425.] Savarkar wanted Nepal King to rule India in case the British decided to leave India Savarkar even preached that it was legitimate to have *the King of Nepal as ‘Free Hindusthan’s Future Emperor’* if the British plan to leave India. His advice to the British rulers was very clear: "If an academical *[sic] *probability is at all to be indulged in of all factors that count today, His Majesty the King of Nepal, the scion of the Shisodias* [sic]*, alone has the best chance of winning the Imperial crown of India. Strange as it may seem, the English know it better than we Hindus do...*It is not impossible that Nepal may even be called upon to control the destiny of India itself. Even Britain will feel it more graceful that the Sceptre [sic]of Indian Empire, if it ever slips out of her grip, should be handed over to an equal and independent ally of Britain like His Majesty the King of Nepal than to one who is but a vassal and a vanquished potentate of Britain like the Nizam.*" [Italics as in the original] [Bhide, AS, (ed.),* Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s Whirlwind Propaganda: Extracts from the President’s Diary of his Propagandist Tours Interviews from December 1937 to October 1941*, na, Bombay, 1940, pp. 256-57.] *Savarkar criticized Shivaji for not allowing molestation/rape of captured Muslim women * Savarkar was a great defender of molestation and rape as a political tool against the women of adversaries. In his important work of Hindu history, *Six Glorious Epochs of Indian History*, originally written in Marathi and translated in English in 1971 he included a chapter titled ‘Perverted Conception of Virtues’ (Chapter VIII). *He criticized Shivaji and Chimaji Appa for restoring back to the families the women of defeated Muslim and Portuguese governors. Since Shivaji did not allow molestation of captured women Savarkar complained: **“**Did not the plaintive screams and pitiful lamentations of the millions of molested Hindu women, which reverberated throughout the length and breadth of the country, reach the ears of Shivaji Maharaj and Chimaji Appa?”* He went on to lament that *“It was the suicidal Hindu idea of chivalry to women which saved the Muslim women (simply because they were women) from the heavy punishments of committing indescribable sins and crimes against the Hindu women. Their womanhood became their shield quite sufficient to protect them”.* [‘Perverted conception of virtues’ in V. D. Savarkar (tr. By S. T. Godbole), *Six Glorious Epochs of Indian History*, Bal Savarkar India, Delhi, 1971, pp. 147-159.] *EPILOGUE* These irrefutable facts about Savarkar notwithstanding, the Hon’ble PM Modi is going to honour him on May 28, 2023 when he inaugurates the new Parliament Complex. This is bound to accelerate the *dismantling of the Constitutional dream of democratic-secular India* evolved under the leadership of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar along with the *inspiring anti-Caste and anti-Patriarchy gains made during India’s historic renaissance of 19th and 20th Centuries in defiance of the Brahmanical hegemony of Varna Ashram through Chaturvarna as ordained in Rig Veda’s Purusha Suktam and later shaped as a Law in Manusmriti.* Undoubtedly, the aforesaid retrogressive message emerging from the inauguration of the New Parliament Complex on Savarkar’s 140th birth anniversary will act against the revolutionary struggle for social transformation for equality and social justice that the ancient Indian civilization has deeply engaged with since 6th and 5th Century B.C. respectively under the pioneering leadership, to name a few, of Gautam Buddha through Baudh Philosophy; Mahavir (24th Jain Tirthankar) through Jain Philosophy; Srimanta Sankardev (Assam); Basaveshwara (Karnataka); Pandit Iyothee Thass, Singaravelar and Periyar (Tamilnadu); Narayan Guru and Ayyankali (Kerala); Gurujada Apparao and Kundukuri Veersalingam (Andhra Pradesh); Sant Tukaram, Savitribai Phule, Fatima Sheikh and Mahatma Jotirao Phule, Shahuji Maharaj and Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (Maharashtra); Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekanand and Rokeya Begum (West Bengal); and Swami Dayanand Saraswati (Gujarat & Punjab); Sant Kabirdas & Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia (Uttar Pradesh); and the Great Sikh Gurus & Shaheed Bhagat Singh (Punjab). This retrogressive impact of Savarkar’s ideology is precisely what the RSS has been dreaming for since its inception in 1925 by promoting *selective re-writing and distortion of the history *of ancient, medieval and contemporary India. Yet, history shall never forgive us for the irreparable damage being done to India’s socio-cultural fabric by the grandiose event on May 28, 2023 scheduled on Savarkar’s 140th birth anniversary! *Researched & Authored (May 24, 2023) by* Shamsul Islam, Former Associate Professor of Political Science, Delhi University Email: notoinjust...@gmail.com *Edited & Epilogue (*May 26, 2023) *by* Anil Sadgopal Former Professor and Dean, Faculty of Education, Delhi University & Former Member, CABE Email: anilsadgo...@yahoo.com ------------------------------ <#m_-749596563499674618_m_-6701889539218958908_m_6384056416199792798__ednref1> ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Anil Sadgopal <anilsadgo...@yahoo.com> Date: Mon, May 29, 2023, 14:58 Subject: Re: Repression and Resistance: In Jantar Mantar Yesterday: Against the Backdrop of a Grand Tamasha in the New Parliament Building To: Sukla Sen <sukla....@gmail.com> Dear Sukla, Once again, your documentation of what happened on May 28, 2023 in Delhi is a historic record of deep contradictions of India's democracy Oooops! Mother of Democracy! Thumbs Up to you and your patience in doing this documentation. The Congress spokesperson Ms. Supriya Srinate is just amazing in her socio-political knowledge and powerful communication to the people. I salute her! The most agonising is the photograph showing the medal winning woman wrestler pushed brutally to the ground by Amit Shah's Delhi police along with the tricolour national flag. This reminds us of what we saw in similar pictures during the freedom struggle when the British police also didn't care while pushing our young freedom fighters brutally to the ground along with the tricolur who never stopped boldly raising the slogans like *Vande Matram! and Inquilab Zindabaad!!* Tragically, *'We the people of India'* today have to live with this insult to the martyrs of our historic freedom struggle (in which RSS had not just zero but negative role!) and also to the brave medal winning wrestler women of independent India whom the whole country is proud of. Yet, not a word of apology uttered by either the PM or any other spokesperson of the ruling party! Indeed, given the background of Bilkis Bano case, there is no reason to expect otherwise. Is this what the ruling dispensation claims to be India's culture? The propaganda machine of the BJP government stands exposed by the photograph showing the rapist BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh standing in the new Parliament Complex waving as if he is challenging the PM and the Home Minister to arrest him! This is precisely what also happened in the matter of the son of the Minister of State in Home Ministry in the Lakhimpur Kheri (U.P.) assault on the protesting farmers. I have no further words to express my agony. I have also watched the two propaganda officially approved films on the new Parliament Complex which do not mention even a word about the deprivation the masses of India, comprising the oppressed castes, tribals and minorities, particularly the women in each of these social segments are suffering from. Finally, PFA a 6-page critique in both Word and PDF of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and its implications in the context of the inauguration of the new Parliament Complex scheduled on his 140th birth anniversary. Notably, it is a result of a joint exercise by Prof. Shamsul Islam (Original Researcher and Author) and myself whose contribution is limited to editing the text and adding an Epilogue at the end on Page 6. Your feedback on this essay would be most welcome and invaluable to us. Can this essay be utilised in awakening the masses to the *SATYA* looking into our eyes? Jai Bhim! Jai Hind!! Anil Sadgopal On Monday, 29 May, 2023 at 09:22:04 am IST, Sukla Sen <sukla....@gmail.com> wrote: *What happened yesterday inside the new Parliament building and outside: In two videos and one statement by the PUCL:* *I*. <https://youtu.be/bJ3E99UCtQk>. *II*. <https://youtu.be/fh-PObW7sr0>. *III*. *PEOPLE’S UNION FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES* ------------------------------------------ 28.05.2023 *From Deathly Silence to Violence: The journey of Wrestlers struggling for Justice.PUCL Condemns Arrest of Women Wrestlers & supporting ActivistsAnd demands their immediate release* PUCL strongly condemns the brutal manner by which the Delhi Police forcibly arrested the women wrestlers today, 28th May, 2023, as they prepared to go from Jantar Mantar where they have been protesting peacefully since 23rd April, 2023, to the `*Mahila Samman Mahapanchayat*’ near the new Parliament Building. Without any sense of respect to their contribution to Indian sports, protesting wrestlers, all champions viz: Olympic medalists Bajranj Punia and Sakshi Malik, and Asian Games Gold medalist, Vineesh [Read: Vinesh] Phogat, and Sangeeta Phogat, who were sitting in the 35th day of their dharna, demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and others were, summarily dragged, forcibly pushed to the ground, manhandled, thrown into buses and removed to unknown destinations. Soon thereafter, the protest site at Jantar Mantar where the women wrestlers have been protesting since 23rd April, 2023 had the tents dismantled, their belongings including their beddings and coolers thrown away and the protest site cleared by the Delhi police. Ironically, even as the wrestlers were being forcibly removed from Jantar Mantar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was making grandiose announcements in the newly opened Parliament building about India not only being the mother of Democracies but also being a model for other democracies! The aggressive and violent action of the Delhi Police stands in contrast to the reluctance of the Central Government to act against the six times BJP MP and three times ex-President of the Wrestlers Federation of India, Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, for sexual violence against young women wrestlers. This, despite all the seven complainant women wrestlers, including a minor, recording their statements before the concerned Judicial Magistrate under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Apart from the wrestlers, all the groups who lent their support to the demand of arrest of the accused and came out to participate in the Mahila Samman Panchayat, outside the new Parliament building in several hundreds, were detained. They included former MP Subhashini Ali, Annie Raja, Kawaljeet Kaur and Dipti Bharti of the National Federation of Indian women, Poonam of Pragatisheel Mahila Sangathan, Sucheta De of CPIML (L) and AICCTU, Jagmati Sangwan and Maimoona Mollah of AIDWA, activists Maya John and others of CSW, Purogami Mahila Samiti and AIMSS activists Ritu Kaushik and others, Krantikari Yuva Sangathan activists, JNU students, AISA, NSUI activists were also picked up. The Farmers leaders were either detained in Haryana or Punjab itself or picked up from the protest site at Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur border. Those picked up from the Haryana borders of Singhu and Tikri included Charanjit Kaur Dhulia, Davinder Kaur Hardaspura, Gurnam Singh Chaudhuri, Amarjit Singh Mohri, Ravi Azad and Jagdeep Aulakh. They also arrested leaders from the Binen Khaps and others in Haryana. Several journalists and bloggers were also picked up, notable amongst them was freelancer Mandeep Punia. Lawyers who were trying to provide legal assistance, including Vertika Mani Tripathi, Abhishist Hela and others, were kept in the dark and not allowed to enter the police stations and meet the detainees. The detainees were kept in more than a dozen police stations, mostly in the outskirts of Delhi. What was very disturbing was that the four wrestlers were separated and sent to four different police stations and subjected to intimidation and to illegal detention and isolation. The whole idea was to break their morale and demotivate them from returning back to the protest. Even as we release this Press Note, they and other women activists continue to be under illegal detention. The strong-arm tactics used by the BJP led Central Government through the Delhi police against the women wrestlers ironically exposes the lie of the BJP government as being committed towards justice for women, protecting their dignity and democratic rights. What is clear is that: 1. The BJP Government and the Delhi police showed its true anti-women and anti-democratic character by preventing and trying to crush what has been a very peaceful, violence-free and orderly protest of women wrestlers whose only request is to enforce the law against a person who has sexually inflicted violence on them, including ensuring the mandatory arrest of the perpetrator under POCSO. 2 It is very much a part of the fundamental right of the women wrestlers to peacefully demand accountability and express their protest against the inaction of the Delhi police under the Ministry of Home Affairs to arrest Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The women wrestlers have been demanding action since January, 2023. No justice came their way, despite being subjected to two illegal Complaint Committees regarding sexual harassment. It was only thereafter that on 23rd April, 2023 they were forced to make their grievances public by staging their protest in Jantar Mantar. The deathly silence of the ruling Modi regime continues to date. 3 The reluctance to act on the part of the Modi government to enforce the law against wrongdoers from its own ranks is made clear when we see that the FIR itself came to be lodged only when the wrestlers filed a petition in the SC and the CJI’s Bench ordered registration of a FIR. 4 What is indicative and best exemplifies the authoritarian, anti-women and anti-democratic mindset of the Central Government and the Delhi police to the citizen’s fundamental right to protest is the action of the Delhi police who dubbed the protest of the women wrestlers as constituting ANTI-NATIONAL act, as it was marring the day when the PM was inaugurating the new Parliament! How the protests of the women wrestlers seeking fair implementation of the law against a sexual predator can constitute an`anti-national’ act belies logic and only exhibits the ignorance to constitutional norms and proprieties. Vineet [Read: Vinesh] Phogat very poignantly summed up the mood of the protestors in her statement published by the Hindu to the effect that, “The accused is roaming free, he is being sheltered by the government and we athletes who won medals for the country are now being put in jail for demanding justice for the country’s daughters”. PUCL calls upon all citizens groups, women’s, farmers, students, workers, lawyers and other groups to continue being united and demand justice for the agitating women wrestlers and unequivocally condemn the brute force used by the Delhi police to arrest the women wrestlers and others and dismantle their protest site. The PUCL demands that the wrestlers protest site be restored and they be allowed to peacefully agitate by exercising their democratic rights. PUCL demands that all criminal cases registered today, against the women wrestlers and activists be dropped and Brijbhushan Sharan Singh be immediately arrested. We also demand that strict action be taken against those police functionaries who indulged in illegal action and brutal use of force against peaceful protestors. 28th May, 2023, Kavita Srivastava, President Dr. V. Suresh, General Secretary People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) Some more: *I*. An iconic image of repression and resistance (from yesterday) [image: image.png] *II*. [image: image.png] (<https://twitter.com/thetatvaindia/status/1662802706912907264>) *III*. *AA*. [image: image.png] *BB*. < https://news.abplive.com/news/india/mahila-maha-panchayat-wrestlers-forcefully-detained-tents-removed-at-protest-site-ahead-of-parliament-march-key-points-1605346 > *IV*. The Tamasha Inside [image: image.png] [*Addendum*: <https://www.youtube.com/live/ljxLy6Ftyo8> Quite interestingly, the fiction that the last British Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten (ref.: < https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/legislativescrutiny/parliament-and-empire/collections1/collections2/mountbatten-the-last-viceroy/>) had handed the "Sengol" -- epitomising state power -- to Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of Independent India, to mark the "transfer of power" (ref.: < https://www.msn.com/en-in/lifestyle/smart-living/sengol-a-symbol-of-transfer-of-power-to-india-to-be-installed-in-new-parliament-amit-shah/ar-AA1bCreU> and < https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/city/chennai/thiruvavaduthurai-aathinam-rejects-claims-about-history-of-sengol-says-everything-is-well-documented/videoshow/100537287.cms>) stands quietly dropped. *Thus, the story dished out by Amit Shah in a specially convened press conference for that specific purpose now stands modified*.] -- Peace Is Doable -- Peace Is Doable -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to greenyouth+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/greenyouth/CACEsOZg4XQPvCCK5nVRob_TY7TvT5%3DuA1XrM5_QWJFd33woqMA%40mail.gmail.com.
