Conviction of Binayak Sen

I am not able to understand conviction of Binayak Sen (a pediatrician, a CMC Vellore alumni) by the Raipur court. I respect court and Indian legal procedure. In fact though delayed, but judgments in the naxal cases in India has always been very favorable for the left wing people, one of the reasons for their boldness in past. Binayak Sen has been punished with other two people, Naxal ideologue Narayan Sanyal and Kolkata businessman Piyush Guha by a Raipur court for helping the Maoists in their fight against the state. They have been sentenced to life imprisonment by the court.

58-year-old Sen, had been accused by the prosecution of carrying messages and letters from Sanyal to the underground Maoists. Guha was also found involved in helping the Maoists establish a network. Binayak was arrested on May 14, 2007 from Bilaspur and was in jail for two years before being granted bail by the Supreme Court in May last year. Sen, who was freed on bail last year, has always maintained his innocence. "I have never condoned Maoist violence. It is an invalid and unsustainable movement," Dr Sen had said after his arrest in 2007. His wife Elina Sen said that she was sad for the "state of Indian democracy".


Though it’s only a lower court decision but still it has significance. As I have told above, earlier court decisions used to have very sympathetic approach towards left wing extremists. Is this overturn to indicate that establishment is no more going to tolerate! If so it should have been uniform. Not trying Arundhati Roy for her irresponsible statement on Kashmir was not a good indicator. More over there are more serious inflictions on the Indian nation from the corrupt top officials. And every one of us will accept that police atrocities hand in glove with corporate in the tribal areas is a serious cause of concern in long term. I also understand that recently Maoists have become more dangerous with liaison with terrorists. But for that also the establishment should look in to people within who have not only allowed it to grow, they have helped it; and it’s not people like Dr. Binayak Sen; its people like A. Raja, Mr. Kalmadi and Mrs. Neira Radia . . . Over all, its the perrenial ignorance, insesitivity of the administrators and greedy corporates who make criminal out of gentlemen.

I am sure Dr. Sen is not among those who will wantedly and knowingly cause harm to the Indian nation. If so, there must have been very serious reason for that or some other compulsion. Such verdicts will create wider waves of sympathy. I wish he will be released soon on bail. I understand that the laxity towards such people till date should be shed off. But it can’t start all of a sudden and it can’t be selective.