By: Parmanand Pandey
Bail to Binayak Sen by the Supreme Court of India must be hailed because justice stands for liberty and equality. In fact, it has sent the right signal to millions of young men and women across the country, who feels frustrated with the existing judicial system. Supreme Court has rightly opined that to have sympathy with Naxalism does not mean that the person is naxalite and it cannot be construed to be sedition at all.
As a matter of fact, the old definition of sedition must be changed. It is often misused by the insensitive and cruel state apparatus to settle scores with those, who oppose them or the system that they foster.
Dr. Sen has been working among poor tribal of Bastar for the last many-many years as a children’s Doctor. Although he is a specialised Paediatrician but, more often than not, he doubled up as general practitioner of medicines with the aim to providing succour and relief to poor adivasis. It is no secret that the tribal are the most exploited people. The pace of development has not only been slow and tardy in tribal areas but at many places there has been no development at all. This has been the cause of frustration among tribal and this was, in turn, has been capitalised by the naxals to the hilt. The reach of law and order machinery cannot be expected to have any impact in the areas, where the life is still primitive. This again has provided fertile grounds for naxalites to flourish.
There is no doubt that the nexus of corrupt officials, politicians and middlemen are primarily responsible for the growth of naxalism and the brunt of the same is invariably borne by ordinary and innocent people.
The time has now come to call spade a spade. Naxalites and Christians missionaries have been able to make deep inroads in these tribal areas and their activities, undoubtedly, border on the sedition. They excite and provoke the gullible Adivasis against the government and make every possible effort to win over them. While Christian missionaries make unabashed effort to convert the tribal brethrens to their religious fold, naxalites instigate them for armed uprising which; by every stretch of consideration, is against the interests of the nation. But here again the corruption of those at the helm is the top culprit.
The civil society will, therefore, have to take the lead to effectively deal with this menace. The fight has to be is two-fold. One is to fight against the cancer of corruption, which is eating into the vitals and made the system completely rotten and hollow. The second one is to awaken and enlighten the people for their rights and also about naxalites and Christian missionaries, who are not their friends but they are their enemies. The naxalites are also equally guilty of blocking the development. If there is no peace and tranquillity, how can there be development? Christian missionaries, on the other hand, are most adept in fishing in the troubled waters. They are having the good of both worlds. This duplicity must be exposed. It should also serve as an eye-opener for the Hindus, who have hardly cared for the vast section of the society because of their culpability of neglect and greed. If Hindus do not behave and reach out to tribal and scheduled castes, they will be doing so at the perils of their own religion.
Binayak Sen is a symbol for many things; he has become the beacon light. What he is doing must be encouraged. Naxalites, if they are actually not the slaves of the forces that are out to create chaos and confusion, then they must also wake up and stand up against corruption.