This is sadism

Political leader Abdul Nasser Madani, most likely, will be the only person in India who will have to spend Rs two lakh five thousand seven hundred and forty three as per the Goods and Service Tax (GST) for attending his son’s wedding.

It’s been seven years since Madani has been jailed in connection with the Bengaluru blast case at the Parappana Agrahara prison. Unbiased journalists who delved deep into the issue as well as the human rights activists unanimously testify that Madani has been framed in the case. And the case trial that has not even reached halfway, proceeds at a snail’s pace. In Karnataka, BJP was in power when Madani was arrested. Now it’s the Congress that’s presently in rule. The BJP government adopting retaliatory measures against a Muslim political activist who raised the political slogan ‘Power for the Avarnas and Liberation of the Oppressed’ could be comprehended. The latest reports show that the attitude of the Congress government towards Madani is far worse than the BJP.

The Supreme Court granted bail to Madani in 2014 on medical grounds after a relentless and tough legal battle. He wasn’t allowed to leave Bengaluru even then. However, Madani had approached the trial court for bail to attend the wedding of his eldest son next weekend. As expected, the court rejected his bail plea. Madani then approached the Supreme Court. The apex court permitted Madani to visit Kerala to attend the wedding allowing him to be in his home state till August 14. The court however approved the rather strange demand of the Karnataka government that Madani should bear all the necessary security expenses during the journey. Prominent lawyer Prashanth Bhushan who appeared for Madani in Supreme Court questioned the logic behind the demand. He told the court that Madani, who is blind in one eye and has an amputated leg would escape nowhere. Bhushan asked whether it wasn’t the court that should be bearing the expenses of the undertrials. But the respected Supreme Court judges weren’t even willing to straightly answer the question. However, the court stated that expenses incurred on the escort by the Karnataka police should be minimal and reasonable. The lawyer who represented Karnataka said that the government would be informed on the matter.

Strangely, the list of expenses presented by the Karnataka police on Tuesday before Madani is shocking. The Karnataka police has directed Madani to remit an amount of Rs 14, 79, 875 including Rs 12, 54, 132 that comprises the advanced salary of the police team and a GST of Rs 2, 25, 743. More money will have to be spend for the flight travel of the police officials as well as for their food and accommodation for thirteen days. Anyone could fathom that this huge amount is unaffordable to a political activist who has been jailed for years. And even if Madani succeeds in collecting the required money with the help of his personal influence, these sadistic police officers would later appear in court claiming him to be a terrorist who could amass hefty sums within a short span of time. Remember, Madani has spent long and hard 9.5 years in Coimbatore prison framed in a false case. No courts or governments have so far paid even a single penny as recompense for ruining the precious 9.5 years of his life. The governments have behaved like violent beasts who finds pleasure in torture, towards a handicapped and ailing man.

The Karnataka government is presently making attempts to ruin a father’s wish to attend his son’s wedding. It’s the Congress that has to answer for this deplorable cruelty. One would be compelled to say that the Congress government in Karnataka fail to display even a minimum respect for human rights and basic human emotions. The Congress leadership in Kerala should voice against this brutality of the Congress government in the neighbouring state. The Karnataka government should be compelled to rectify their decision. Only then will they deserve the right to talk about human rights and rights of minorities.