http://www.emirates247.com/news/world/indian-journalist-gets-jail-for-caste-column-2011-01-28-1.348126Indian journalist gets jail for caste column
Anish Trivedi sentenced for insulting country's 'scheduled castes';
ruling flies in face of freedom of speech
By Keith J Fernandez
Published Friday, January 28, 2011
Indian journalist Anish Trivedi was on Thursday sentenced to six
months' imprisonment for a 2006 column about the country's
reservationist policies, the Indian Express newspaper reported.
The special Prevention of Atrocities Act court convicted Anish
Trivedi, a Mumbai-based writer for the Mid-Day tabloid, for insulting
India's scheduled castes. He was also fined Rs25,000. He was released
on bail, but it is not clear if he intends to appeal.
The sentence flies in the face of a constitutionally guaranteed right
to freedom of speech.
Editors acquitted
In an April 2006 piece, "Children of a Lesser God", Trivedi attributed
the "bad condition of government offices" to caste-based reservation
policies. Trivedi and two of the publication's editors, Krishna
Warrier and Lajwanti D'Souza, were subesequently booked under several
sections of the Scheduled Caste and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention
of Atrocities) Act.
However, both Warrier and D'Souza were acquitted, with Judge C K Bedi
observing that they had no involvement in the case.
"The column was derogatory and directly attacked the Dalits. He not
only tried to draw parallels between the inefficient government
offices and caste reservation, but at several places, he also made
distasteful comments that were clearly casteist," said public
prosecutor Shrikant Dukhande, as quoted by the Indian Express.
The prosecution examined five witnesses, two police officers and three
Dalit activists, who had filed the complaint against the publication.
Reactions
At the time of publication, Mid-Day had not issued a statement.
Trivedi later posted comments on Twitter thanking his readers for
their support "Sub judice now, so can't share the link," he posted.
"But thank you for all the support. Speak out for free speech."
Susprisingly, the Twittersphere was relatively quiet on Thursday,
although users began posting reactions on Friday.
Wealth manager Sunil Arora said: "I see utter silence on my timeline
on this #anishtrivedi. Apparently freedom in Tunisia and Egypt is more
imp to people here." Another user, Vedashree Khambete, said: "Since
when is it a crime in this country to have an opinion? Oh wait, stupid
question."
Journalist Manjula Narayan put it best: "Whats the bet lots of people
wont comment on Anish Trivedi arrest cos of caste angle. Freedom of
expression includes freedom 2 offend btw"
India's caste system goes back millennia and has largely broken down
in the country's major metropolises. While its uglier faces, such as
untouchability, have been abolished, the system continues to influence
social life, with a series of reservation policies introduced in the
years since independence responsible for the most friction.
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