Thursday, May 2, 2013

The voice of Sarabjit Singh - a victim of political feebleness




Most of you can’t sit next to your own irritating bosses for just eight hours. I did it for 22 long years. I said I was a farmer. But they called me a terrorist. They arrested me for crossing the border. But they charged that I’m a bomber.  I said I’m a stupid common man. They branded me as “Indian Spy”. I told the truth. But they convicted me and awarded death sentence.

I was waiting to hear from my countrymen. But they kept quiet

They kept me in solitary confinement for more than 15 years. I didn’t have enough space in the prison to stand up on my feet. I was chained with iron rods. I never got a chance to see or hear from wife and two daughters for ages. I heard that my sister did everything she could and campaigned assiduously for my release.

I was waiting to hear from my countrymen. But they kept quiet

My lawyers filed mercy plea five times. They collected 100,000+ signatures. They started an online campaign, a UK lawyer (Jas Uppal) came to help me. Some Canadian Human rights group helped me come out of my solitary confinement.

I was waiting to hear from my countrymen. But they kept quiet

They never verified my true identity. They tortured me to confess that I was a terrorist. I said I know only Hindi. They conducted court trials in English. Witnesses changed. Their versions changed. But their decision didn’t.  I was made a scapegoat. They finally decided to release me. But few hours later, they called it a hoax. 

I was waiting to hear from my countrymen. But they kept quiet

I was attacked in central jail with bricks, iron rods, blades and other weapons. I went to coma and was admitted to a hospital. By now I had lost hopes that my countrymen will help me. But this time they broke their silence. My noble countrymen asked them to release me on humanitarian grounds. I felt so happy that my country’s noble babus at least know my name. All of a sudden, I was the talk of the town. NDA condemned UPA that it did nothing. UPA fired back what NDA did during its rule to get him back.

And now that I’ve ceased to exist, I’m freed of waiting for help, I’ve got ample free time to think if I’m really a victim of mistaken identity or an illustration of a country’s political feebleness and folly.

By the way I’m Sarabjit Singh, a farmer from a remote village of India and this, is my story!

Sources: Wikipedia and http://freesarabjitsingh.com/
Image courtesy: ndtv.com

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