* PLEASE PUT IT ON ALL LIST SERVES AND PASS IT ON TO ALL SUPPORTERS!!* Dear Friends,
As we celebrate 61 years of India becoming a Socialist Democratic Republic we are shocked to witness that the spirit of our Constitution stands violated every so often today, sacrificing people's democratic rights and throttling the socialist dream of our Constitution makers. Speaking out against the conviction and incarceration of Dr. Binayak Sen's case has to be seen in that larger context of lending our voice against the gross injustice that we witness as a daily happening in India day after day. Today when we demand his release we must also raise our voice against all those who remain hungry, malnourished, and without secure means of livelihood, as well as those who have been dispossessed, killed, tortured, humiliated, disappeared, threatened, arbitrarily detained and arrested, falsely charged and under surveillance because of their legitimate work in upholding democratic rights and fundamental freedoms. In the last two days I too have been a victim of this in Wardha, Maharashtra (Central India)where I teach. Dr. Binayak Sen has completed more than a month in this leg of his imprisonment. The hearing for the suspension of his sentence continues. It is not a testing time for us alone but more for our political and judicial systems, which are on trial for accountability, rationality, justice and equity. Finally, I would like to thank all of you for holding our hands in this period of suffering and anguish faced by me, Binayak's mother, daughters, brothers and all his friends. I would like to end with a verse of Faiz bol ke lab aazaad haiN tere bol zabaaN ab tak terii hai teraa sutvaaN jism hai teraa bol ke jaaN ab tak terii hai dekh ke aahaNgar kii dukaaN meN tuNd haiN shole surKh hai aahan khulne lage qufloN ke dahaane phailaa har ek zanjiir kaa daaman bol ye thoRaa vaqt bahut hai jism-o-zubaaN kii maut se pahle bol ke sach ziNdaa hai ab tak bol jo kuch kehnaa hai keh le English translation: Speak up, while your lips (thoughts) are (still) free speak up, (while) your tongue is still yours Speak, for your strong body is your own speak, (while) your soul is still yours Look at the blacksmiths shop hot flames makes the iron red hot opening the (jaws of) locks every chain opens up and begins to break Speak, for this brief time is long enough before your body and words die speak, for the truth still prevails speak up, say what you must. WE WILL BE VINDICATED!!! Prof. Ilina Sen, Mahatma Gandhi Antarashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalay, Wardha, Maharashtra 26th January, 2011 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "humanrights 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/humanrights-movement?hl=en.
