Author: George Fernandes
Publication: Rediff on Net
Date: November 25, 2004
URL: http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/nov/25spec1.htm
George Fernandes may be 74, but
the former defence minister -- a veteran of numerous street protests since
the 1960s -- can still take to the streets he proved last fortnight when
he protested against the arrest of the Shankaracharya of Kanchi, whom he
has known for 35 years.
Fernandes, who met Jayendra Saraswati
at the Vellore central jail last week, describes the encounter in a first
person feature, exclusive to rediff.com
What has been done to the Shankaracharya
is not acceptable. Because there is no fairness in the attitude of the
police, the Supreme Court has laid out certain guidelines to treat accused
in police cases. These guidelines were not followed in the seer's case.
Those who say we are brahminical
because we are protesting against his arrest and against the treatment
of the police do not know me. They should know that I had gone to Chennai
when Jaylalithaa got Karunanidhi arrested. The CM is incidentally a Brahmin.
Karunanidhi is not a Brahmin.
The police pulled Karunanidhi out
of his house. On a hot summer day the DMK president was kept in a jail
room without a fan and a proper bed.
At that time too, I went to see
him in jail. So if anybody sees a Brahmin in me I would like to say I don't
believe in caste. I believe we don't need an intermediary to communicate
to some spirit, if at all it is up there. In our country, millions of human
rights violations take place, and whenever possible I have fought against
them.
On the charges of murder against
the seer
After the arrest, I went to Vellore,
Kanchi and Chennai. His worst enemies have told me that he has not done
it. One of them said he is incapable of doing such things and he has not
done it.
Yes, somebody has been killed. That
is the truth. But if the police believe that a statement by the accused
whom they consider to be the murderer is more important than the statement
of the seer, then I think something is wrong in our country.
The Shankaracharya had nothing to
do with it. I have seen him working with Muslim leaders. I know he aspires
for peace with the Muslims. He is a man of peace. I have seen his work
all over the country, and it does not smack of caste bias.
On his visit to the jailed Shankaracharya
When I went to Vellore jail, the
jailor told me nothing pertaining to his case could be discussed. Inside
the jail, there were two policemen and two jail officials with us. So my
conversation with him was limited.
I asked him in Hindi, "How's your
health?" He said, "Tabiyat to teek hain.(I am well)." At this point one
of the jailors told me that a doctor was checking him every day.
Then, I asked him, "Do you have
any other difficulties?" He said, "Pachas saal ka mera smaprit jeevan ek
ghante main barbad kara diya (In just one hour, these people ruined fifty
years of my dedicated life).."
So, I told him, "You should not
worry. Outside the jail, all over the country and even outside India, people
are concerned about your arrest. People are thinking of you. You should
not worry at all."
He replied, "Hum to yahan hain (that's
true, but I am here in jail)."
I said, "See, we have courts. And
the truth will come out one day. Nobody can stop that."
The Shankaracharya said, "Nahin
aayega. Satya bahar nahin aayega (the truth won't come out)because all
my people were beaten up by the police. People are tortured to get signatures
on (confessional) statements. That is why the truth will never emerge."
I had no reply to that. I kept silent.
I was with him for 12 minutes and most of the time we were silent.
The people who are targeting him
would like to remove him from his post. In a way he has been removed from
his seat.
I found that his mind is still resilient.
I believe he will go ahead. He didn't mention Jaylalithaa at all. He sat
silent. His only emotion surfaced when he said that his life's work was
destroyed in one hour.
On the after-effects of the arrest
This arrest only demonstrates that
this country is not safe in the hands of people who are indulging in this
kind of activities, whether they are in the south or the north.
These are test doses. They are testing
the extent to which people are ready to fight back. Indira Gandhi did the
same kind of things before she became a dictator.
After the war with Pakistan over
Bangladesh, she won with a huge margin. After that Indira came out with
a poster that showed her as an avatar of a supreme leader like Hitler.
I pulled it off from the wall of
my office in New Delhi. S M Joshi, Nanasaheb Goray and other socialist
leaders were there. In their presence I put on her (Indira Gandhi's) face
a mustache and hair like Hitler had. I asked them to identify and they
said, 'Hitler!'
Our democracy is in grave danger
from people with dictatorial tendencies and people with ideas of setting
up political dynasties in power.
I believe Tamil Nadu Chief Minister
Jaylalithaa has made a mistake. Sometime even intelligent people do make
mistakes. In Chennai, I was told that she was misled. and not just by the
police.
On the lack of public response to
the arrest
Hindus rarely go out onto the streets
to fight. I think most people are shell shocked that such a thing happened.
Now people who are coming out against the arrest are coming out with anger.
The Statesman had a brilliant editorial
on the lack of response of people against the arrest and on the so-called
Dalit-Brahmin 'divide' among Hindus.
It said the Hindus are the most
secular and it is because of them that India is secular.
