DU Professor GN Saibaba and five others were convicted for
their links with the banned CPI(M) organization and awarded life imprisonment
by a sessions court in Gadricholi, Maharashtra. On August 22nd,
2013, Maharashtra Police nabbed Hem Mishra, a JNU Student Mahesh Tikri and
Pandu Narote who were carrying a microchip to be passed onto dreaded Naxal
Narmada Akka operating from Gadchiroli forest following a tip-off. These three
pretended as mediators to enter the forest. After initial police interrogation
of the suspects, Prashant Rahi, a freelance journalist and Vijay Tikri who was
acting as courier were also taken into police custody in September 2013. The
story slowly then began to unfold and police finally zeroed in Saibaba, the
master mind behind the whole network. After six months of extensive search,
police arrested Saibaba who was operating under various pseudonames on 9th
May 2014. Saibaba, an English professor at DU’s Ram Lal Anand College was
arrested in May, 2014 by Maharashtra Police for providing logistic support, and
recruiting students for Maoist front. He is wheel-chair bound and 90% disabled.
On medical grounds, Mumbai High court granted him bail after 14 months for
three months. He was re-arrested on Dec 25th 2015 and was released
in December 2016 on a bail issued by Supreme court.
Saibaba who hails from Amalapuram district of Andhra Pradesh was
engaged in Naxal activities from his college days. He completed his MA and PhD
from University of Hyderabad, founded the All India People’s Representation
Forum (AIPRF) and worked as secretary of the forum from 1994 and 1996. During
this period, he was arrested number of times for being the brain behind various
attacks on police, for recruiting students to carry the fight against the
democratic system of governance. In 2005, he joined Revolutionary Democratic
Front (RDF), an organization banned for subversive activities by Andhra Pradesh
government. RDF was frontal organization of CPI (M) with a motto of “Naxalbari
Ek Hi Rasta”. But he steadily climbed the hierarchical ladder of the Maoists
and even helped in formation of Committee for Release of Political Prisoners
(CRPP) with the help of RDF. Saibaba over a period of time travelled
extensively to different countries and established firm contacts with
like-minded people across the world. It was officially established that he has
contacts with Maoists operating in Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan. He was
instrumental in forging strong links between the Maoists and separatists of
Kashmir. In a startling revelation, Maharashtra police said that four students
carrying out anti-state struggle, who are members of Democratic Student’s Union
(DSU) joined Maoists at behest of Saibaba. They claimed that Saibaba was
indoctrinating and recruiting students for Maoist movement.
In its uncompromising verdict sessions court clearly
reiterated that court can’t recuse Saibaba despite being 90% disabled for the
quantum of violence perpetrated leading to loss of several innocent lives. Reacting
to the life sentence, Saibaba’s wife, Vasanta said, “In the history of
Maharashtra this is the first case in which all the persons have been convicted
in all sections with life imprisonment. No evidence has been proven by the
prosecution….electronic evidence were not sealed.” On expected lines, she is
playing a victim card and alleging it as conspiracy of BJP-RSS combine.
Sympathy is already pouring from various quarters and the leftist-liberal
brigade is preparing ground for blowing the issue out of proportions. Hence
expect thousands of op-Eds condemning the authoritarianism of the BJP
government (both at Centre and state). Frankly, this judgement couldn’t have
come at much better time. The court had dispassionately awarded punishment to
all the convicts under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The message
was loud and clear: a person with 90% disability is not entitled for leniency
since he is the think-tank of a frontal organization that perpetrates violent,
anti-national activities.
Herein comes an interesting twist to the tale: Campus wars in
the capital held all the narratives under siege. Liberal brigade under the umbrage
of freedom of speech began shielding persons who have raised the anti-national
slogans. They fiercely supported Umar Khalid who was organized a meeting condoling
Afzal Guru and raised anti-national slogans. Interestingly, Khalid who is now
arrested on sedition charges is established to have links with left-wing
extremists. In September 2015, Khalid travelled to Nagpur to meet Misra, JNU
student who was arrested for acting as courier between Saibaba and underground
leaders of CPI (Maoist) Puppalla Laxman Rao alias Ganapathy. The level of
coordination and support clearly reinforces deep-seated understanding between
Maoist sympathizers and students embracing separatist conspiracies.
The vicious “urban Maoist” networks are vitiating University
atmosphere. Mounting evidences clearly indicate close links between Maoist
leaders and students with secessionist agenda. The veil of leftist brigade is
now falling-off. But still they continue to argue, coerce, and justify the
actions of students. Raising anti-national slogans in JNU wasn’t an isolated
case, the rot is slowly spreading to other universities. Can a country like
India, sandwiched by belligerent neighbors afford to ignore the
deeply-entrenched nexus between Maoists and secessionists? Is it fair to simply
dismiss anti-national slogans as perversion of misguided youth?
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