Dr. Navsharan Singh, writer, democratic rights activist, a resilient supporter of people’s struggles and the daughter of renowned playwright Late Gursharan Singh, is being mercilessly targeted by the Modi government for revealing the truth. It is a manifestation of the trend engulfing nation of attack on intellectuals and democratic rights activists across the country, Dr. Navsharan was interrogated under the PMLA Act and an attempt was made to crush and bully her in the name of an inquiry. Modi Govt driven Enforcement Directorate (ED) has harassed the well known Cultural and Social activist Dr. Navsharan, by grilling more than 8 hours Like the UAPA, PMLA also gives the government unlimited powers to crush the democratic rights of any person.
Role of Navsharan Singh as a democratic Intellectual and Activist
Dr. Navsharan is the member of AIUFWP Advisory committee on Women and Cultural issues. Dr. Navsharan has been reknowned for her contribution in shaping various social movements and cultural movements across the Country. She is daughter of the iconic cultural activist and we’ll renowned dramatist Gursharan Singh alias Bhai Manna Singh, who had, made a phenomenal contribution in raising the cultural and political awareness of the masses all through his life. Dr. Navsharan has been engaged in social and political movements since her childhood along with her parents. She has been a staunch fighter for the farmer and peasant rights and also has lent her support to the Forest Right Movement and Women Movement.
Dr. Navsharan has been an active revolutionary intellectual in the field of democratic rights for almost two-and-a-half decades. and one of the leading supporters of the historic peasant struggle on the borders of Delhi. Not only did she relentlessly participate in the Delhi sit-in, but she invested every ounce of her energy to share the experience of the farmers’ struggle with the struggling people of different countries of the world Dr. Navsharan is one of the most vocal intellectuals or boldest voices of the country speaking out against the brutal fascist tirade of the Modi government on the ordinary people.
In recent times Navsaharan has been championing the cause of trust Aman Biradari, founded by Harsh Mander.
Leaders like Amolak Singh and Kanwaljeet Khanna of Punjab Loksabhyacharak Manch ,Joginder Singh Ugrahan of BKU(Ugrahan) and Balbir Longowal of Democratic Teachers Front in no uncertain times condemned the subjecting of Dr Navsharan to such harassment or victimisation.
Ascendancy of Fascism
All democrats should condemn the Modi government to wash their hands off Dr. Navsharan and immediately cease her harassment in the name of inquiry. The nefarious attempts to suppress the democratic voices backing the working people must cease,abruptly.. All the people movements of Punjab are standing alongside Navsharan.
The grilling undertaken by the ED department for more than 8 hours is a gross violation of the fundamental rights of Dr. Navsharan as the citizen of this Country. By interrogating her for such long hours in their office it is a violation of Art. 21 and Art. 19 of the Constitution that guarantees “Right to personal Liberty “and “Right to freedom of expression”. Dr. Navsharan has devoted her entire life for the upliftment of the poor and socially deprived sections and been a committed writer.
This act of ED is a barbaric act to target the intellectuals and activists to pave way for the fascist regime to eradicate all the dissenting voices that questions the present fascist Government. Dr. Navsharan was summoned under the PMLA Act (Prevention of Money Laundering Act), which itself is a mockery. No action is being undertaken by this govt. for, demolition of houses of Muslim communities, annihilating its own citizens by introducing g CAA- NRC legislation, corrupt officials involved in bribery, atrocities against dalit communities illegal arrest of famous academicians, authors, officers, journalists and activists in Bhima Goregaon case.
There are hundreds and thousands of incidents of violence perpetrated by this present regime but there is no justice granted to any one and it is quite evident that those who are raising their voice against such atrocities and injustices are squashed as happened in the case of Dr. Navsharan. Today hundreds and thousands of civil society activists, lawyers, journalists, political activists and other activists fighting for the democratic rights are being mercilessly targeted to crush their voice.
Dr Navsharan’s voice represents the aspirations of the oppressed masses while her being targeted manifests the wave of neo-fascism of the saffron brigade, at it’s crescendo.
Harsh Thakor is a freelance journalist who has been in touch with human rights movement in India for long
