Truth and justice are the most important needs, acknowledged and time-tested. But for them, human society can progress but on the path of degeneration, if not extinction. This is what we have been experiencing in our body politic, national and international. Denial and/or derailment of justice and strangulating truth have become the way of the world. But the question is whether the civil society is going to let this disquieting situation go unnoticed and unchallenged.
Only recently we witnessed the 75-year-old Arun Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, being “persecuted and hounded out” of the M.K. Gandhi Institute in the US. Was he a ‘threat’ to the States? No, it was his remark that Israel and the Jews are the biggest players in the ongoing culture of violence, which irked the Jewish lobby in the US and made him quit his post in the Institute he had founded so lovingly. Yes, speaking the truth is that bitter.
And back home, the BJP-ruled government in Chhattisgarh issued orders to remove Sharatchandra Behar from the post of Advisor to the Department of Education in the State. This former Madhya Pradesh chief secretary had met the incarcerated human rights activist Dr Binayak Sen in Raipur Central Jail and criticised the government move for arresting him. Yes, standing in solidarity with an illegal detainee is a crime in the scheme of things of the party that has been fast embracing Moditva.
As for the denial of justice, there are cases galore, which are lying under the heaps of lies and political jiggery-pokery. As the recent verdict in Bilkis Bano case shows, only proper action, boldness and courage on the part of the victim as well as human rights activists and peace- and justice-loving persons can yield some, if not due, justice. Judicial system is there but there must be someone to move the process, to serve as legal guide to the victim, and to provide succour for him when he happens to falter. It is utter shame for a democracy – of course we are one – and blot on the nation’s conscience that weapons of sort are being used to persecute, kill and psychologically demoralise the minorities, the victims have to run from pillar to post to get justice, and eye-witnesses are threatened and intimidated. Bilkis Yakub Rasool, who was gang-raped and 14 members of whose family, including her three-and-a-half-year old daughter were done to death at the hands of the Modi-fied marauders, is comparatively fortunate at least to feel ‘vindicated’ as her cries for justice were heard, in the neighbouring State of Maharashtra if not in her home State Gujarat, after the passage of six years. But this is the beginning of delivering justice to her as seven more accused in her case are yet to be punished and she is yet to enjoy peace.
The civil society, especially the believers in truth and justice have to come forward. The situation, alarming indeed, knocks at their conscience. They should say no to injustice, denial of justice, persecution of minorities, intimidation of witnesses, with renewed vision and vigour, zeal and enthusiasm. They should strive to get values like truth and justice as well as sense of accountability introduced in the various training courses of government officials. Only then we can see truth prevailing in society and ensure justice to victims.