The Times of India
22 Sep 2008
'Our composite culture is under great strain'
Roop Rekha Verma, a former vice chancellor of Lucknow University and founder of Saajhi Duniya, an organisation that works for women's rights and secularism, was part of the 'People's Tribunal' that recently heard testimonies of Muslims accused of terrorism over the last two years in Hyderabad. She talks to Jyoti Punwani:
Q: What lasting impression did the testimonies leave on you? How did you vouch for their genuineness?
A: The victims had documents which showed their genuineness. In many cases the courts had found no evidence and they were released, although only after great torture and trauma. This showed how innocent people were being tortured without even prima facie evidence.
The testimonies left us with a sense of despair and shock. It deepened the feeling of living in a very fragile democracy ruled by a highly insensitive and partisan state. The very state organs which are duty bound to facilitate the process of justice are subverting the rule of law. In almost all the cases the lawful procedures of arrest and search were blatantly violated; in many cases even the judiciary seemed to be affected by communal prejudices. No doubt, the composite culture defining our nation is under great strain.
The communal behaviour of the state and the consequent alienation of people is fraught with great danger to democracy. There is also the fear that the real culprits may be at large while innocents are being booked.
Q: Is it possible to investigate terrorist offences without violating human rights?
A: Certainly, provided the police are impartial, knowledgeable, and use honest, scientific methods of investigation. It is fascism which presents human rights violation as the only option to terrorism. Human rights must be non- negotiable in any decent society.
Q: You were part of a citizens' panel that studied the 2005 Mau riots when the Samajwadi Party was in power in Uttar Pradesh. What's the difference in the approach of the SP, BJP, Congress and BSP towards terrorism and communal violence?
A: The increasingly insensitive electoral politics has narrowed the gap between parties. They all are visionless and criminally self-centred. In fact, no political party is doing politics. They all are busy in gang rivalry or gang networking.
However, since the BJP elevates state terrorism to an ideological height in the name of 'nationalism', it is nearest to fascism. And it's far easier to impose fascism in violent situations. Politics must have a vision for the whole society; in fact a world view. The BJP can be credited with a sort of vision but it is not egalitarian, and therefore it is anti-democracy.
Q: Azamgarh is being touted by the media as the home of terrorists.
A: How true is this? How many arrested from Azamgarh have been proved guilty? What about Hashimpura, Bhagalpur, Gujarat, Kanpur or Nanded where either the state machinery massacred minorities or else Bajrang Dal and the like were found manufacturing bombs? Why does the media behave differently in such cases?
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