In support of Johann Hari

The Editor of The Statesman, Calcutta, was arrested yesterday. The reason: he carried an article, "Why should I respect these oppressive religions?" by Johann Hari initially published by the Independent UK.

In his article Hari criticized religious fundamentalists of all hues and also-- rightly in my view -- criticized a concession made by the UN. That concession involves the successful campaign by a group of religious states to expand the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights to not just report on violations of freedom of expression but also "defamation of religions and prophets." As Hari's argument suggests, the implication of this change was that religious fundamentalists had now managed to get their right to intimidate, assault, attack and threaten others enshrined as a right in itself and that too one protected by the UN!

A few thousand Muslim fundamentalists rioted and misbehaved in the streets of Calcutta, rioting, threatening the editor, and the like. In keeping with ridiculous Indian laws, the editor of The Statesman was arrested for "outraging" the sentiments of Muslims.

Hari courageously stands by his article, as he writes in a follow-up piece,"Despite these riots, I stand by what I wrote"

Let us hope the West Bengal Government, Left intellectuals in India, and Muslim leaders (a) support Johann Hari, and the editor of The Statesman, and (b) actively campaign and call for the prosecution of the rioters, fanatics and criminals who threatened either of them verbally or physically.

This event should also put paid to the illusion that certain parts of the country, like West Bengal, with a "secular", "Left", "communist" or "Marxist" heritage are more "enlightened" than UP, Bihar, Rajasthan etc.
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