Arrest of publishers, editors: EPW carries statement by prominent scholars, writers and artistes

 

Link: http://www.epw.in/system/files/pdf/2012_47/40/Arrest_of_Punjabi_Publishers_and_Editors.pdf

http://www.epw.in/letters/arrest-punjabi-publishers-and-editors.html

Police committed atrocity by booking innocent: SC commission member

A letter written by Dalip Singh Pandhi, member, Punjab State Scheduled Caste Commission

(English translation of the above letter)

Subject: Falsely booking scheduled castes under POA

The commission has come to know that under FIR No. 250 on September  15, 2012 registered at police station (city) Barnala, Jagjit Singh Sahoke, tehsil Bhagapurana, district Moga and another Sukhwinder Singh Swatantar resident of Samana, who belongs to  scheduled caste community, have been booked under Section 3 (1) (X) of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (POA). It has been done despite the fact that the Act (POA) is not applicable to the people belonging to the scheduled caste community. Moreover the book, referred in the FIR, has never been banned by the state government. Atrocity has been committed on the helpless poor and innocent by falsely registering a case against them. The commission should investigate the matter immediately and the action should be taken against the guilty. It is a matter of grave concern.

                  Dalip Singh, Pandhi,
                  Member Punjab State Scheduled Caste Commission

25-09-12

To,

Member Secretary,                                                                                                                       

Punjab State Scheduled Caste Commission

Majority say Badal government unjustified in aressting publishers, editors

Question: Is the Badal government justified in arresting two publishers and as many editors for publishing old Punjabi literature with caste slurs? In answer 64% people say no, 36% say yes.

Arrest of publishers, editors: Letters to editor appeared on Hindustan Times' edit page (page 8)

Badal directs authorities to set right the 'wrongs' of arrest of writers and publishers, people anger rises

Neel Kamal, TNN | Sep 26, 2012, 05.46PM IST

BARNALA: To contain the rising temperature in literary circles over the arrest of two writers and publishers, Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal has directed his support staff to diffuse the situation by solving the vexed tangle arising out of castiest words in celebrated kavishar(folk poet) Rajab Ali' poetry. Badal assured a visiting delegation of solving the issue, soon. Badal has asked his special principal secretary KJS Cheema and advisor Harcharan Bains to find ways to get the writers and publishers out of the mess. A delegation of writers, farmer and employees union representatives and led by Sahitya Akademy award winner author Baldev Sadaknama on Wednesday called upon Badal at his office. The activists asked the CM to intervene and ensure the case registered against them under SC/ST charges along with other sections of IPC is withdrawn. "Badal gave the delegation a patient hearing and assured to get the writers, publishers out of the case", said Baldev Sadaknama.

Sadaknama said the support staff apprised the delegation members that state government is taking the utmost care in the issue as deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had convened a meeting with authorities of Punjab based universities and wanted to delete objectionable, derogatory words having been used in various books. Citing that, the support staff asked the publishers to delete such words from books, which could cause unrest among any community. Prof. Jaswinder Singh Brar, Prof. Lakhwinder Singh, Prof. Kesar Singh Bhangoo, Inderjit Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, Dr. Umrao Singh of Punjabi University, Patiala has assailed state step and said the recent arrests of publishers and book editors by Punjab police for reproducing works of Punjabi poet Babu Rajab Ali raises a serious threat to the question of academic freedom. We condemn this thoughtless and irresponsible act of Punjab police and Punjab government.

Barnala based publisher Amit Mittar, Ashok Garg of Samana and writers Jagjit Singh of village Sahoke, Sukhwinder Singh of village Pakka Kalan in Bathinda were booked on September 15 and were arrested for using caste denoting words in books Gatha soormian di and Anokha Rajab Ali. Both the books contain poetry of Rajab Ali having been written many decades back. Though Ashok Garg and Sukhwinder Singh have got bail but both Amit and Jagjit Singh still are languishing in Barnala jail. Highly acclaimed writers and Padam shri Gurdial singh, Surjit Patar apart from scores of other authors, members of various trade unions of Punjab have assailed the state move of arresting the writers, publishers only for reprinting the poetry of celebrated poet of the yore.  

Linkhttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Badal-directs-authorities-to-set-right-the-wrongs-of-arrest-of-writers-and-publishers-people-anger-rises/articleshow/16557204.cms:

'The arrest of editors, publishers has posed threat to academic freedom'

A press statement by teachers of Punjabi University, Patiala

September 26

Press Statement

The recent arrests of two publishers and two book editors by Punjab police for reproducing works of Punjabi poet Babu Rajab Ali raises a serious threat to the question of academic freedom.  We condemn this thoughtless and irresponsible act of Punjab police and Punjab government.

The Punjab police booked them under the Prevention of Atrocities Against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act because the works of Babu Rajab Ali contained some then used caste names.

However, we believe that Amit Mittar of Tarak Bharti Parkashan, Barnala and Ashok Garg of Sangam Publication, Samana are working to dissiminate the knowledge in Punjabi language.  Similarly, editors of the book Jagjeet Singh Sahoke and Sukhwinder Singh Swatantar reproduced the works which were written in the mid of 20^th century.

We understand that it is an intellectual bankruptcy of the state government and the Punjab police that the four were booked under the Prevention of Atrocities Against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act. Despite the fact that both the editors were himself, dalits and the publishers are known for publishing pro dalit literature.

It is not a case of ignorance but a case of sheer abuse of the law and of the act, which enacted to ensure the dignity of the dalits. It is a common fact that everyday there are so many incidents of atrocities against dalits but the same government and the same police doesn’t sound so enthusiastic to stop that. Instead of encroaching academic freedom and abusing the law, the Punjab police should pay some heed to stop atrocities against dalits.

We understand that various texts especially classical Punjabi poetry including Waris Shah’s Heer and poetry of Bhai Gurdas and Dhani Ram Chatrik many more contains caste names as it is in Babu Raja Ali’s poetry. So we believe that Indian constitution is a modern document and the texts written much before the existence of the Constitution can’t be looked with the prism of Indian Constitution. If government imagines doing so, it will set a wrong precedent, which will be dangerous for the history, historiography and culture of Punjab.  It will be disastrous for academic freedom.

If once the tampering with the history and historical texts start, there will be no end. You will have to demolish the Ajanta and Elora for ‘obscenity’; you will have to change the Waris Shah’ Heer, which is considered the biggest literary work in Punjab literature so far.

So we immediately demand from the Punjab government that FIR should be quashed and the guilty police officers should be booked for the abuse of law.

Issued on behalf of Democratic Teachers Front (DTF), Punjabi University, Patiala by Professor Jaswinder Singh Brar, Professor Lakhwinder Singh, Professor Kesar Singh Bhangoo, Professor Inderjit Singh, Professor Sukhwinder Singh, Dr. Umrao Singh

‘Editors and publishers’ arrest is a misuse of an important legislation’

Press Release  

 26, September, 2012

This statement is concerning the recent arrest of the publishers and editors of Sangam, Samana and Tarak Bharti Prakashan– Arun Garg, Sukhwinder Singh Swatantar, Amit Mittar and Jagjeet Singh Sahoke under the Prevention of Atrocities against SC/ST Act for reproducing the poetry of Punjabi poet Babu Rajab Ali on 15^th September 2012. This arrest is a grievous misdemeanor on the part of Punjab Police which has misused this important legislation as an instrument of public coercion.

We condemn this arrest, which we understand to be an indulgence of the state to suppress any act that can remotely be in a position to challenge its hegemonic place in power. Instead of constructing historical texts such as this poetry or other works of literary figures such as Waris Shah or Bhai Gurdas, as name-calling, rather these academic and cultural memories need to be understood in a historical context – of society and times in which they were written. Further, upon evaluation of whether these texts offend the sentiments of a particular group, should there be any initiation of police action. Mere reference to traditional caste names from historical writings cannot in itself become a case of atrocity against a particular group. We herby decry the decision of the state to arrest these publishers on flimsy ground, which seems to be a direct attack on the Freedom of Speech and Expression guaranteed by the constitution of India.

We also urge academics, artists, intellectuals and members of the society to engage with many of these texts including Manusmriti and Bhagvad Gita – have open discussions about how to engage with contemporary pedagogy. The idea of our efforts has to move beyond the politics of identity towards a realization of social justice. 

Issued by                                          

             

Rajeev Godara, President

Sampooran Kranti Munch , Haryana,

Junaid Ahmad, Lallan Singh Baghel

Critique: A Discussion Forum

IFDR (Initiatives for Democratic Rights) 

Panjab University, Chandigarh     

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(For details contact: Rajeev 9417150798, rajeevgodara@gmail.com  ,Lallan 9815338223, lallanbaghel@gmail.com )