'He is the same man who has won honours for the country across the world.'
In a strong rebuke of the central government's handling of dissent, Communist Party of India-Marxist MP from Sikar Shri Ram Amra says he was denied permission to meet educationist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is currently lodged in the Jodhpur Central Jail.
Amra, who attempted to meet Wangchuk two days ago, says he was stopped nearly 500 metres away from the jail premises -- despite being an MP.
Speaking to Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff, Amra says the government's treatment of Wangchuk is "authoritarian" and "unconstitutional".
Amra questions the legitimacy of Wangchuk's arrest and warns that "history has shown that authoritarian governments in India do not last."
When did you go to meet Sonam Wangchuk in jail?
I went two days ago to Jodhpur jail but was not allowed to meet him. The central government is ruling the country in an authoritarian way.
After Independence we have seen new states being formed but never states that already existed getting their statehood snatched.
It was the BJP which spoke of the Sixth Schedule for Ladakh and now they do not want that. Even Kashmiris want their statehood back but then their voice is too being suppressed with brute force.
Why did you want to meet him?
You see his nature of work. He is such a well-known person across the world and I wanted to show solidarity with him after his arrest.
Sonam Wangchuk has been taken away thousands of kilometres from Ladakh to Jodhpur and imprisoned. The government is not allowing even a member of Parliament to meet him. This is a very authoritarian move.
I wanted to give him moral support. Wangchuk is fighting against dictatorship in this country and I as a representative of the people felt it was important to meet him and tell him we all are with him in his struggle.
The Constitution will only be saved when fascism is defeated. Today, they are telling the people what to eat and what not to eat.
Does the Constitution say that? The answer is no.
The government wants the people to parrot their sayings day in and day out.
And when you oppose them they say, go to Pakistan. This is a fascist trend.
But there are jail rules. You cannot just land up to meet someone.
I was arrested by the BJP government in Rajasthan in 2018. There were many farmer leaders of the Communist party who were arrested then. The Rajasthan government had given in writing that they will wave off farmer loans but they did not do it even after giving a written assurance.
This assurance was given by four BJP ministers to us. And when they went back on their word we protested and were put in jail.
In February 2018 we were arrested and they put us in jail at 1 am. And you know the jail manual states that no one can enter or come out of jail after 6 pm. What happened to the jail manual at that time?
They just want to harass innocent protestors.
How can you call Sonam Wangchuk a deshdrohi? He is the same man who has won honours for the country across the world.
He has been arrested under the National Security Act. This is a serious charge.
NSA is a kaala kanoon. We raised our voice against it even when it became an Act.
Newsclick Editor and founder Prabir Purkayastha too was arrested for one year for no reason. The government stated that he took money from China to instigate the farmer agitation in India.
The Supreme Court of India asked the government to show proof where the money came to Prabir from China. In which account was it deposited? They had no answer.
This is what the government does to people who oppose them.
The British used the same tactic to rule India and now the BJP is doing the same.
And the history of India proves that whenever governments have turned authoritarian, the people of India have ensured that they don't last and change becomes evident.
When you went to to meet Wangchuk were you stopped at the main gate of the jail?
No, I was stopped 500 metres away from the jail.
They have barricaded the entire area around the jail.
I am an elected representative of the people and I am not allowed to meet Sonam Wangchuk.
I was not planning to come out with him. He has only been charged but not convicted and yet you cannot meet him.
Four people died in the Ladakh protests and Wangchuk is being blamed for instigating the people.
They died in police firing. Sonam Wangchuk didn't fire at the protestors, it was the police who did it.
But did Wangchuk instigate them?
The promises made to the youth of Ladakh are not being fulfilled so what do you want youngsters to do? Sit at home and do nothing?
They will obviously come on the road and protest.
The government is not interested in talks but wants bullets to be used to convey their message.
The public on the other hand has only their physical body that they can bring on the roads to protest against injustices of the government.
Did you get a chance to speak to Wangchuk's wife?
I saw his wife's video. The government is not allowing her as well to meet Sonam Wangchuk.
Don't you feel Wangchuk should have been more careful considering the fact that Ladakh is close to the border and peace has to be maintained there at all cost?
Rajasthan has 1,100 km of international border with Pakistan. So does it mean the people of Rajasthan should not protest against the injustices of the government?
Moreover, it is the duty of the government to protect the international border. The people of India too need to protect the border for sure, but that does not mean that they cannot raise objections to the wrong policies of the government.