When the Protector becomes the Predator...

The Indian Army catchphrase "Do you have it in you?" used to fill my heart with all the josh and patriotism in the world. Not any more! Check this...

What Indian Army has done in the state of Manipur in the last 50 years is worse than what Modi did in Gujarat.

There is something known as the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, better known as AFSPA. This is one of the most draconian pieces of legislature in Indian history, which states that in any area that is proclaimed as "disturbed", an officer of the armed forces has powers to:

• Fire upon or use other kinds of force even if it causes death
• To arrest without a warrant and with the use of "necessary" force anyone who has committed certain offences or is suspected of having done so
• To enter and search any premise in order to make such arrests

What's more, there can be no prosecution, suit or any other legal proceeding against anyone (officer / jawan) acting under that law. Nor is the government's judgment on why an area is found to be disturbed subject to judicial review.

And that is precisely what has happened in Manipur. Incidents of false encounters, custodial deaths, youths disappearing, young women being raped and killed are a common phenomenon.

Mister Prime Minister, Manipur is not 'DISTURBED'. It is 'BEING DISTURBED'. Consciously! On Purpose! And the Indian Army is the worst terror outfit a common Manipuri can think of!

Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee says the Act is a "symbol of oppression, instrument of high-handedness. But GoI has turned a deaf ear.

Many human rights activists have also demanded abolition of this brutal Act. Sharmila Irom is an icon of the struggle to dismantle AFSPA. She has been on an indefinite hunger strike since Nov 2000.

8.5 years is a long time...

She has been kept on alive on forced-feeding by the state. Her only demand - Repeal AFSPA.

Sharmila, you are not alone. We stand by you in your struggle for justice!

Fascist Incarceration of Dr Binayak Sen must End Immediately

Enough is enough! It is 2 years now!

Chattisgarh government has failed to prove any of its accusations (obviously fabricated) against Dr Binayak Sen. He has been accused of being a Naxalite, incarcerated and denied a bail repeatedly. 22 Nobel laureates and eminent intellectuals like Noam Chosky and Arundhati Roy have demanded immediate release of Dr Binayak Sen. Yet Indian government is not concerned. We ask, why?

Dr Binayak Sen completed his medical studies from a reputed college in Vellore, and later chose to lead a selfless life serving poor tribals in Chattisgarh. But he is not just a good hearted doctor. Dr Binayak Sen is a staunch human rights crusader. He was always critical of the state-sponsored terror in the name of Salwa Judum and strove to expose police atrocities on innocent tribals, which triggered his arrest.

In essence, Dr Sen was arrested because he was speaking the truth! He was arrested because he was fighting discrimination and unfairness.

In our country, people who raise voice against injustice are shown the gallows!

Is this Democracy?