Pune activists hail freedom for Binayak Sen

Social activists in the city expressed happiness over human rights activist Binayak Sen’s release on bail by the Supreme Court on Friday.

Sen had been sentenced to life imprisonment on charges of sedition and links with Naxalites by a lower court in Chhattisgarh. Sen, 61, had challenged the order of the Chhattisgarh high court that had rejected his bail plea on February 10. Later he moved the apex court.

Noted social activist, Baba Adhav said, “There was an impasse between truth and justice, but with bail granted by the apex court the side of truth is upheld by the judicial system. I feel that justice has been definitely delivered to Sen. Even internationally acclaimed intellectual, Amartya Sen, supported Binayak. Truth has prevailed.”

State secretariat member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Kiran Moghe, also welcomed the verdict of the apex court. “Since long, activists have been demanding justice for Sen. Finally the apex court of the country delivered justice, which shows that the judgment by the lower court was surely questionable,” Moghe said.

“Now we shall see how much water the government claims hold because the release of Sen strengthens the power of activists in order to follow good work,” she said. “In the same way the government is acting towards those people who are opposing the Jaitapur nuclear power project and filing false cases against them,” Moghe said.

Convener of Lokayat, Niraj Jain, who along with other social activist created awareness among Puneites about Binayak Sen said, “The judgment by the Supreme Court is good and supports people’s movement. Even the Supreme Court has questioned the evidence presented by the Chhattisgarh government regarding the charges slapped on Sen.”