Show solidarity with Anand Teltumbde
It has been three years since Rohit Vemula had to sacrifice his life to the system. His death is an example of how the government, police department, politicians and authorities can systematically finish a creative person. This silencing of voices didn’t end with Vemula, in fact his incident was just the beginning of it all.
Today all activists who speak against the dictatorship of the government are facing threat of being jailed. This way, the efforts are on to silence them forever. All those who participated in Koregaon movement a year ago are being branded ‘Urban Naxals’ and are being jailed. Government wants to finish off every person who’d speak against its ideology before the upcoming elections. Koregaon movement is just a pretext. The Real design is to create violence in an event and blame the participants for it so that genuine progressive movements can be finished forever. This agenda is clear from the subsequent incidents.
Unfortunately, the place where the Dalits were instigated by anti-social elements was around the Sambhaji’s burial site. Sambhaji was killed by Aurangzeb’s army as a result of conspiracy between Peshwas, Marathas and Rajputs. His body was collected and given a dignified burial by Govind, a Dalit from Mahar community, and not Peshwes or Marathas. Govind built a burial tomb in his field. After Govind Mahar dies, his memorial was built right around Sambhaji’s funeral site, by his family members.
This narrative from the pages of history is adequate to understand who betrayed Shivaji and his son Sambhaji, and who stood by their side when things went wrong. But Sangh Parivar has always been creating skewed narratives of history. And this incident too has one such stretched story in their version. They believe the body was not buried by Govind Mahar but a person called Shivale, from the Maratha community. Not just that, they almost destroyed the burial site of Govind Mahar that was right next to Sambhaji’s site two days prior to Koregaon day celebrations. This action was clearly aimed at instigating the Dalits who would be taking part in Koregaon day. But the Dalits maintained silence and peace and the event ended on a calm note over discussions and deliberations.
But the Sangh Parivar wanted a ruckus to break out on Koregaon day. So the Sangh Parivar pelted stones at the meeting held on January 1 and attacked the Dalits armed with Saffron flags. Dalits were forced to defend. But all the Sangh Parivar leaders involved in violence were given a clean chit. All the progressive leaders were branded ‘extremists’ and sent to jail. Tragedy is the police made an FIR based on the complaint lodged by those who took part in the violence, blaming the progressive thinkers for it. Sangh Parivar has said the instigating speech delivered by the thinkers led to violence in Koregaon. But the entire video and speech is with the police. If there were any such elements, the police could lodge a suo moto case. The question arises as to why the complaint was lodged as per the convenience of Sangh Parivar, after a whole week.
Tragically enough, writer Anand Teltumbde who never took part in the event has also been named in the FIR. The police are keen to arrest him even when he says he did not take part in the Elgar Parishad convention, and provided all proof and witnesses to the effect. Yet, the arrest seems too imminent. Teltumbde is also being branded ‘Urban Naxal’ with this. His statement carries no weight and his plea before the courts has fallen on deaf ears.
The stage has been set to severe a hand that writes, shut the brain that thinks and a tongue that speaks. It is easy to understand why the government is after Teltumbde. He is a rare writer who helped Dalit writing thrive in the country. He put out incidents like Khairlanji and others before the world that were happening in India. Else, one would have never known the fact behind Khairlanji. Dalits have begun to understand their realities. Writers like Teltumbde are a challenge to the lies that are being spread through Sangh Parivar.
In this background, plans are afoot to clear him off with Koregaon as the pretext. It is rather worrisome that no people or political parties that indulge in Dalit appeasement have spoken in support of Teltumbde. He has not just written for the Dalits but has written and spoken a lot against Modi government too. Just as Vemula was isolated, Teltumbde is also being isolated right now. For all these reasons, he has to be supported by parties, regions and organisations. If he is supported in the strongest voice today, no government would dare quash the freedom of expression in the future.
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Australia bundled out for 104 as India take 46-run first-innings lead
Perth (PTI): Pacer Jasprit Bumrah completed his 11th five-wicket haul in Tests as Australia were bundled out for 104 at lunch, losing the remaining three wickets in the morning session on Day 2 to give India a handy 46-run first-innings lead in the opening match here on Saturday.
For India, captain Jasprit Bumrah (5/30) was the pick of the bowlers while Mohammed Siraj (2/20) and debutant Harshit Rana (3/48) also chipped in.
It was a abject surrender from Australia, who could add just 37 runs to their overnight score of 67/7, thanks chiefly to tail-ender Mitchell Starc (26), who emerged the highest scorer for his side
Bumrah struck the first blow on Saturday, dismissing keeper-batter Alex Carey (21) off the first ball of his over as the Australian could add just two runs to his overnight score.
India were all out for 150 from 49.4 overs at the stroke of tea on Friday.
Brief Scores:
India: 150 all out in 49.4 overs vs Australia: 104 all out in 51.2 overs (Alex Carey 21, Mitchell Starc 26; Jasprit Bumrah 5/30, Harshit Rana 3/48, Mohammed Siraj 2/20).
