3 weeks ago
Readers Decry UAPA Detentions as Rulers' Mindset Unchanged
This page of letters to the editor gathers short messages that readers send to a newspaper.
The first letters complain about a law in India called the UAPA, which can keep people in jail for a very long time without a trial.
Two students, Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, have been in prison since 2020, and by next month Umar will have been there for six years.
Some readers think this is unfair and a blot on India's democracy, so they are asking the Supreme Court to help and let the students out on bail.
Another reader writes about a village where roads had not been fixed for more than 50 years.
Just before the elections last December, the government suddenly did lots of repair work and put up plaques taking credit for it.
One letter says India needs a better strategy to tell its side of the story to the world, instead of only relying on official press releases.
The final letter celebrates singer Remo Fernandes, who chose London for his very last stage performance.
Fernandes performed for more than four decades, and fans remember songs like 'India Beyond', 'Maria Pitache' and 'Bombay City'.
Letters criticise prolonged detention without trial under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, citing student activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, in jail since 2020.
Prabhat Patnaik has urged the Supreme Court to take cognisance of all cases involving prolonged detention and grant bail to the detainees.
A letter notes the UAPA was passed by a Congress government in 1967 and amended by governments of different hues, saying rulers' mindset remains more or less unchanged.
A letter from rural Nadia reports roads unrepaired for over 50 years, with development work arriving last December ahead of elections.
Musician Remo Fernandes announced his final stage performance in London, closing a live career spanning more than four decades.
- Who
- Readers of the letters page, including Sukhendu Bhattacharjee and Sujit De, who criticise UAPA detentions; economist Prabhat Patnaik, who urged the Supreme Court to act; and musician Remo Fernandes, who gave his final performance.
- What
- The letters address prolonged detention without trial under UAPA for activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, pre-election development work in rural Nadia, India's limited global media projection, and Remo Fernandes' farewell concert in London.
- Where
- India - including Calcutta, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, Mumbai and rural Nadia; Remo Fernandes performed his final show in London.
- When
- References Prabhat Patnaik's article of Aug 5; Umar Khalid will have spent six years in prison without trial by next month, and the Nadia development works took place last December ahead of elections.
- Why
- Letter writers wanted to highlight what they see as injustice in prolonged detention without trial, neglected rural infrastructure exploited for election credit, and the need for better global narrative projection - while marking the end of a four-decade live career.
Critics of the Rulers
Rulers' Approach
Detention Without Trial Under UAPA
Critics of the Rulers
Holding Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam for six years without trial is a blot on the country, its democracy and its judiciary; the Supreme Court should take cognisance and grant bail, and the legislature should examine the merits of the laws it passes.
Rulers' Approach
The UAPA allows a person to be kept behind bars for any length of time without trial with bail often denied, a stance preserved as the law has been amended by governments of different political hues - showing the mindset of rulers remains more or less unchanged.
Credit for Development Work in Nadia
Critics of the Rulers
The government's plaque on a culvert claims credit while most roads had not been repaired for over 50 years, and the plaque may later become evidence of apathy when repairs stop.
Rulers' Approach
The government carried out a slew of developmental work in the region last December ahead of elections and publicised it with a plaque naming the councillor.
Key facts
- Law in focus
- Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, passed by a Congress government in 1967
- Activists in detention
- Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, in jail since 2020 without trial
- Detention period
- Umar Khalid to complete six years without trial by next month
- Comparison cited
- Three times the two-year limit under the British raj's Rowlatt Act of 1919
- Prompt for letters
- Prabhat Patnaik's article 'Strike them down' (Aug 5)
- Nadia development
- Most roads unrepaired for over 50 years; works carried out last December ahead of elections
- Remo Fernandes
- Final stage performance in London; career spanning more than four decades; emerged in the 1980s
- Songs cited
- India Beyond, Maria Pitache, Bombay City
Quotes
Sukhendu Bhattacharjee
Letter writer and resident of Hooghly, India
“"Every single extra day that persons like Umar and Sharjeel are being held in prison without trial is a blot on our country, on the democracy we flaunt with pride and on our judiciary that is supposed to uphold citizens’ rights."”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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