With The Supporters of My Father at Jantar Mantar

“Never stop just because you feel defeated. The journey to the other side is attainable only after great suffering.”

                                                                                                                          ---- Santosh Kalwar

Finally, the day came when a huge gathering of supporters Hari Singh showed up at Jantar Mantar on Sunday the 19th of Jan, 2014. Early in the morning at 9.30 we reached there and I was surprised to see my friends already present. But then, my hopes likely got low when I soon came to know that this point where we wanted a peace march was called ‘focal point of expression ’ of Jantar Mantar where other people also raise their voice against injustice and atrocities of the society. And there went all my nerve strings loose as I thought will we be able to achieve our goal?

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My mother, my biggest support consoled me not to worry and believe in my father and his great sacrifice. So, leaving aside all worries, I focused on the stage preparation. The presence of my kith and kin made me stronger. Our stage was placed just half mile away from the main entrance of the premises. Although there were lots of distractions from other protestors, but we carried our silent protest peacefully. Few of our relatives voiced for my father and his sacrifices for the motherland and others gave some of their viewpoints.

With placards in hand and in backdrop was a huge stage banner stamped with ‘ikkis saal se nyay ke liye sangharsh, Hari Singh ko insaf dilane ke liye Saanketik Dharna’, my brother, sister-in-law and I stood on the stage for some hours. After a while, I was clicked with hopes when some men called me and asked me about the reason of the protest. To my surprise, they were all media persons. Those moments throughout the event were moments of anticipation as well as fear. Anticipation because people were listening to us, our peace march filtered many senses with inquisitive mind and fear because of the tensions churning inside me.

Suffering, pains, misery, torment all have become a part of my life today. But they never overburden me because I know they will shed out of my life some day. The day seems very near, but then, I can see the mirage too. But, I also know the barren land in my family will soon be fulfilled with greenery of happiness and joy. Justice for Hari Singh!

I want Justice for My Father

Life of My Father in Tihar

“It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.” 

                                                                                                                                                                     ― Nelson Mandela

Hari Singh, a teacher, father of three, & a political prisoner, leading an estranged life that changed its course in a shocking way, he has been serving life imprisonment in the infamous Tihar Jail in Delhi, the capital of India. Hari Singh is my father; I don’t know who amongst us both is living the more unfortunate life. Him, as he went to jail when I was just slightly over an year old unaware of the things which were happening around, or Me, a daughter who has spent 21 years of her life without my father, who doesn’t even have memories with her father who serves a lifetime imprisonment in a criminal case which was believed to be a national threat but ended up otherwise. Evidences made him guilty, but consequences proved him innocent, in this dilemma  a daughter suffers and suffers  the family of the  prisoner, my father Hari Singh happens to be.

He has been amongst best inmates of the prison, he is being kept in, a person of values and principles who earned his reputation of being an idealist Indian. Someone who never learned to compromise the interests of his nation, his leadership skills have been duly acknowledged by the administration of the prison. Respected by the fellow inmates he has become an ideal for many, inside and outside the prison cells. This prison is a correctional institution whose main objective is to convert its inmates into ordinary members of society by providing them with useful skills, education, and respect for the law. It aims to improve the inmates' self-esteem and strengthen their desire to improve, but my father has proved out to be a sagacious figure whose conduct & behavior alone has become an example for others to follow.

His punctuality, eloquence, & discipline has been an inspiration to the inmates who have known him and understood his philosophy of life. My father is the center of our ambitions & hopes like any other father, but I take pride in how he has lived up to his values & principles. I and my siblings are proud to be a  revolutionary’s child, but what makes us feel low is our future as a family, our father has lived 21 years away from us. He is growing old and needs time with family; we want him back with us. Please help a daughter fighting for his father’s rights. Please help a father who craves to be with his family to be able to shoulder his responsibilities. Join hands to bring justice for him. Justice for Hari Singh.

Fight Against Corruption in India

“Dear Government... I'm going to have a serious talk with you if I ever find anyone to talk to.” 

                                                                    ― Stieg Larsson in his book The Girl Who Played with Fire

  

The great deal in the fight against corruption throughout the world today is the problem in identifying the enemy, the very thing for the sake of which a crusade is to be raised up. Corruption is the prime enemy of any developing economy of the world today, India is no exception. The continuous lagging in the global development index accounts to the corruption existing in the Indian administrative system; its collective nature hinders the anything that tends to reach out to end it, thus it continues to breed and become stronger by every passing day. It becomes shocking that we have overlooked this national shame and don’t take it as a threat to the legacy of loyalty, India has been known for.

A research organization Transparency International establishes that about 40% of Indians had firsthand experience of paying bribes or using a contact to get a job done in public office. Where have we reached after 67 years of independence?  A democracy is popularly known as a government of the people, by the people, for the people. In India, democracy doesn’t seem to be a government for the   people due to the fact that common people don’t have access to a fair trial, which is the primary constitutional right of a citizen. Corruption has developed in a better way than India did, one such example is the case of Hari Singh, a teacher from Bhondsi, Gurgaon in Haryana.

Hari Singh is serving a life sentence for an alleged hijack which he didn’t intend to do, but posed to, for making a  political point. The honorable high court asked the government to suitably commute the sentence awarded to him, as he did the crime consequentially, aggrieved with the communal fire that broke out in India during 1992-1993. Corruption blew away the will of government to ensure justice to Hari Singh, and he has been left with no option but to continue with the punishment he was awarded. He lost his chance to secure justice for himself in order to live a normal life with his family. The sufferings of Hari Singh and his family don’t seem to end as their future has become uncertain & hopes are diminishing by every passing day.  Let’s end their wait for justice & defeat corruption together so that fighting for right doesn’t become corruption’s fodder.  Let’s justice be done to him so that none of us could become a victim of this deep rooted corruption. Justice for Hari Singh.                

I Did it For Peace, Love & Harmony

A leading magazine of India, Outlook, mentioned a nationalist with the dignity he deserved, in its March 2011 issue, it wrote:

The Delhi High Court today upheld the life sentence to a political activist Hari Singh for hijacking an Indian Airlines flight in March 1993 but asked the government to suitably commute his sentence as he had committed the crime “to make a political point.”

It becomes quite important and interesting at the same time to analyze that how easy it is for a government to overlook a guideline of the High court of a country where judiciary is considered supreme in the administrative hierarchy. I was convicted for a crime I never committed or aimed to commit, and government didn’t lend its audience to the point that honorable high court made. The accountability of government on the entire episode has been rigid and reluctant, which ultimately makes it clear that no matter how high you regard your motherland, the ruler’s whip is mightiest of all. Your love for nation doesn't mean anything at all, if you are poised to break some rules and go off the track in meeting a challenging threat, no matter if you risk everything for the sake of it. This is what I have learned in life, a life full of idealism inculcated through heroic stories of brave forefathers who risked everything for India’s independence. I am Hari Singh & this is my story.

I never longed for too much of money so became a teacher to match my ordinary lifestyle, following the philosophy of simple living & high thinking, and marched ahead with a belief that I am a responsible citizen of the country whose legacy spans thousands of years. I am a native of the land who gave world gems like Lord Rama, Lord Krishna, Lord Budhha, Guru Nanak & Khwaja Monuddin Chishti and jewels like Charak, Sushruta, Aryabhatta & Kautilya. Life was going good and I was humbled with all that my lord gave me in life. Then came the decade of 90’s and my blood began to rush, my veins full of rigour were ablaze when I saw my dear motherland suffering.

The venom of communalism had taken over & rampant corruption of the system nurtured it further, what I was left with during those horrific times was just to be a spectator & watch it all collapse. My motherland was suffering, and I was just watching, it shook me a lot, so I decided to stand up and fight against it, and I did. My acts were considered crime and were judged in poor light of scanty evidences and I was termed a hijacker, which I never was. I was just being human who tried to respect humanity. I was just an Indian who tried to respect the sacrifices that made India, the wonder it is. I was proud that I didn't remain silent, and became vocal, raising my voice against violence. I did it all for peace, love, & harmony, my country has been known for, around the world since forever. I am Hari Singh & this was my story.

Back Home With a Hijacker’s Image

Life has been equally cruel to my father and our family, as he would have never imagined that his family whom he loved so much will lead a life of full difficulties and that too due to his high degree of respect and honor towards his motherland. My family didn’t have the idea either, that his nationalism would ever make our lives a curse. The horrifying, our life has become makes us think that what went wrong actually? Whose fault is it anyway? Who is guilty? Because punishment became my father’s fate, and my family has been bearing the blame of being the family of an alleged criminal, who was believed to have hijacked a flight on 27th march 1993 from Delhi enroute Hyderabad. He didn’t hijack at all, he just wanted him heard by the deaf whistleblowers of democracy. He just did what his conscience had called for, depending upon the conditions that prevailed across the country in the beginning of 90’s decade.

Prima facie it could appear to be a criminal case as a very controversial word is glued to it, but as one delves deeper, it becomes crystal clear that what exactly forced him to do such a revolutionary act, for which he never thought twice. His conscience became the lone motivation in his great ordeal during which he risked his life & future. He wasn’t mad about getting media attention, no political aspirations, neither did he bargained for his revolutionary step. All he aspired for was just a promise of safety and security of 90 crores lives, safeguarding the interests of a young democracy, & getting the message of universality delivered. Nobody bothered to think about him and his great sacrifice, nobody dared to redefine love for nation, though all witnessed the resentment of a patriot venting through the alleged hijack. He was painted in the poor light of probability and trial based upon consequential evidence, most of them oral & awarded life imprisonment, making him the criminal, he never was.

Hari Singh is not a criminal; neither did he commit any crime in life. Hari Singh has been an idealistic person in his approach to life and never compromised on his values. He has always beared a clean image of a self made man, but what has become his family’s fate is no surprise, but really painful for sure. His family has been living with an image of being a criminal’s family which comes as a big blow to the social identity of the family members. When he never committed a crime, why he and his family have been suffering for 21 years? This son of soil is a boon to India in the 21st century; let’s not make life a curse for him. We should come forward and give his patriotism the due honor, we must help the family to fight the battle of their respect, and we must bring Hari Singh home. We must ask our judicial system to reconsider the case to ensure justice. Justice for Hari Singh.

Your Support My Hope.

Is Our Society Really Civil?

In the contemporary world Civil Society has become an integral part of everyday discussions, entailing from practicing positive politics to bring about intellectual revolutions, civil society has become talk of the towns, everywhere. Be it a comfortable coffee shop, an overcrowded bus stop, a busy railway station, a famous book stand, a sophisticated airport lounge or just a tea stall thronged by gossip mongers , everyone seems to be so worried about the society, and as a responsible citizen tends to modify things in a positive manner. Of late, it has been quite evident that most of the civil societies came into existence because of the never quenching thirst of getting attention.  It would be harsh to judge it all but leaving a few exceptions aside, the very honest conviction of Civil Society has failed badly, because hadn’t  it, a man would never had to spent his 21 beautiful years of life behind bars for a crime he never committed.

Hari Singh is fighting a battle against this pseudo socialism existing in the society today, he tried to convey a message to everyone that nation comes first & humanity should be our priority in every case, no matter how hard the situation becomes. He has always stood tall against every social evil all his life fighting for the rights of human being an institution alone, when needed. Corruption & Communalism have always been his enemies, and he was fighting them alone in 1993 when he decided to take a revolutionary step, to have his cravings for safeguarding human rights of every Indian. He wasn’t wrong in his intent but judged for his revolutionary act, was left alone. No society approached him and asked if that very civilian needed any help. No media person was interested in his story for life time imprisonment as it was not breaking news. No politician was present to lend a hand of support to the family as it wasn’t a beneficial political issue. It’s high time we must ask ourselves the big questions that, are we civil or even social, to the core of our souls? No, we aren’t, because had we been, Hari Singh would not be fighting his battle alone.

Industrial intervention made Social Work as an emerging sector and it has evolved as the centre of now, business houses came forward to be a part of this, in order to chisel out a good repute for their already functional enterprises. Politicians too, realized the need of being social and hence began to be a part of the social gatherings every fortnight in name of social welfare. Media persons too hunting for some breaking news added glamour to such gatherings, fuelling the Page3 culture amongst the wannabe celebrities. It’s all the same thing as the idioms says, Old Rum in New Bottle. Welfare is absent from most of these party, it has just become a trend & everyone is reaping benefits made available via funding by global agencies. Nobody cares. That is an attitude Hari Singh fought against and became a victim himself, he need us, the society. We need to be more civil in our conducts to reach out and tell him that he is not alone. He needs justice. Let’s promise him that we will get him back with his family. Let’s fight together for justice. Justice for Hari Singh.

Your Support My Hope

Points to Be Raised For The Society

A wise person somewhere said, “If you want to rebel, rebel from inside the system. That’s much more powerful than rebelling outside the system.”  A man in India could be believed to have heard that. A man who became a teacher out of his willingness to do some good for the society by educating young minds and preparing them to make a better India.

 With passing years he had his family for which he bore some duties, rising expenses forced him to take up a corporate job but since he was a nationalist to the core, he continued to be a social activist. A man of mettle & courage, he became a moving helpline who helped people in difficulties, no matter it was a ration card renewal or a driving license application, he assisted everyone who approached him with hopes. Catering to the expectations of society has always been his primary concern, for he believed it’s the people who make the society, he never treated society as an alien of bedtime stories, in fact he worked tirelessly for its welfare, in whatsoever way he could have.

Hari Singh understood the meaning of being social, because he knew the meaning of being human; he always had this strange sense of dedication towards welfare of humanity. In his extraordinary ordeal to bring about a ‘ceasefire’ into the war of nothingness, which could have taken society to the deadly gallows, he reached a no man’s land where his good deeds became his biggest enemy. Hari Singh tried to save the society from the jaws of communalism, as he had heard a lot about communal violence since his childhood by his parents & grandparents. He had an idea about the atrocities which might have been faced by the people who lost their everything during the communal violence at time of partition. Hari Singh felt that immense pain within and couldn’t control his anger for the corrupt & communal forces which set India afire & took a step he never imagined about, just for the sake of ensuring safety & security of the society he had been living in.

Today, all of sudden every political front is talking about corruption, the same social evil Hari Singh fought 21 years ago. We just celebrate our national days once in a year, but he has been a man who celebrated the spirit of India everyday in his life. An ordinary man becomes extraordinary just on basis of his principles and the dedication with which he put them at work for the collective social welfare. He is getting the punishment for fighting social evils, it's high time for the society to judge his acts because all he did was only for the sake of safeguarding society’s interests.

Have we gone blind as a society, that we can’t see a man suffering because he fought for us? Have we forgotten the value of human life & emotions? Haven’t we known, what it means to live in trauma for quite some time? Hari Singh has been living in trauma for his vigil towards society, its our turn to payback for what he did for our society. We have to get him free to welcome him back to the society, he is a part. We must help him get justice. Justice for Hari Singh.