Voices of resent on Sen’s birthday

As the national and international ‘intellectuals’ continue to raise their voices against the life imprisonment sentence awarded to Sen by Raipur Sessions Court after convicting him on sedition charges,the residents of his native town Kalyani today came together to observe his birthday as a mark of protest against the verdict.

Hundreds of locals,including Sen’s childhood friends ,colleagues,ex-army officers,students,lecturers and professors of Kalyani University — under the banner of Binayak Lovers of Kalyani — celebrated the paediatrician and tribal rights activists’ birthday at his ancestral house at Parul Park.

“We have celebrated his birthday in his absence as we thought this is the only way to show our solidarity towards him and his family and voice our protest against the unreasonable and unjust verdict,” said Dr Ashok Bakshi,a long time friend of Sen. He narrated how optimistic Sen was about getting a bail,when he came to Kolkata last December. “He said he has some plans about rural health camps and wanted to talk to the local MP regarding their implementation. The verdict came as a rude shock to him,” said Bakshi.

From close friends to remote acquaintances,people shared anecdotes about Sen,sang songs and recited poems to mark the occasion. The two-hour long program started with Sen’s mother singing a song and ended in a chorus of “We shall overcome,” along with lighting of candles.

“I am overwhelmed by the fact that everybody,starting from locals to the intellectuals at Kolkata have come forward to help and show their solidarity with my son. I am going to visit him as soon as my health pemits,” said Anasua. “But the saddest part is however much I want to stand beside Ilina (Sen’s wife),I cannot talk to her much as there is constant surveillance over our telephonic conversations. What kind of a democracy is this which does not allow the citizens to live without fear,and with their heads held high? My son has served the backward people all his life. Is that a crime for which he has to spend his days inside a hell-like cell? He should be released immediately” she rued.

In Kolkata,meanwhile,about 200 doctors assembled at Mohar Kunja under the banner of Doctors in Solidarity to protest against the verdict. “Sen did the highest duty of a doctor. He is a role model to all the doctors. We demand unconditional release of Binayak Sen,” said Dr Sanjib Mukherjee. The forum plans to organise medical camps and blood donation camps in near future to propagate their demand among all sections of people.