Professor, Maulana Azad National Urdu University Prof. Kancha Ilaiah here on Saturday alleged that the TRS government seemed to be thinking that any view of disagreement should be killed in litigation and keep the media in constant fear. “If this continues, how does the State produce serious intellectuals?, he asked.
Speaking to mediapersons here, Prof. Ilaiah felt one reason why the State Government was targeting him was that he was of the view that a 10 drought prone district State of Telangana, having cut away from the Sea Coast would go on the lines of Madhya Pradesh, UP and Bihar. “I have also written about the possibility of feudal forces with family controls coming to power. Unfortunately my prediction has come true. This, therefore, seems to have annoyed the ruling party”, he said. Unfortunately, some intellectuals, who have been with even Maoist politics negotiating with the State government though they keep talking about Human Rights, remained calm about such acts, he added.
“They are in the government and outside. In the name of working for the new-born Telagnana State and working against the so-called Andhra capitalists and industrialists, are indirectly aiding and abetting this kind undemocratic processes. A vigilant media alone can save the poor people of Telangana and the nation. It alone can see that it would not become a “Bimaru” State”, he felt.
Prof. Ilaiah thanked the Indian Judiciary, particularly the High Court of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for protecting his right to write and do research and also for protecting his freedom of speech guaranteed by the Constitution of India. He also thanked his legal friends and the media for debate on social issues.
“I also thank the people of Telangana, political parties like CPI(M), CPI and other Left wing parties and organizations for standing by me in this difficult time. I also thank the Telangana Congress, TDP for opposing such cases against a writer and social scientist like me. I thank many writer associations for enlightening people that such cases go against the very spirit of enquiry and reason”, he added.
“I am of the opinion that this case, which is first of its kind in Independent India, against a social scientist, researcher and writer, would not have come to this stage without the approval of the Chief Minister and his Home Minister. The case is not just only one me as a writer it is also against the editor and entire management of a major Telugu daily. Such a case has serious repercussions on the whole of the Fourth Estate and thinking and creative India”. (NSS)