Open Letter to Sonia Gandhi from Trilok Purwar

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Trilokinath Parwar's letter to Sonia Gandhi
- A veteran freedom fighter letter to the Governemnt of India -

To,
Srimati Sonia Gandhi
Chairperson, U.P.A.
10, Janpath
New Delhi

From,
Sri Trilokinath Purwar
C/o – 114, Mohan Singh Place
Connaught Place
New Delhi – 110001

Dear Mrs. Gandhi,

I am writing this letter with heavy heart. On 12th of May, I went to see Sushri Irom Sharmila Chanu at Manipur House, New Delhi.

I was bewildered and pained to know that she was forced to attend a court case in Delhi on the charge of attempting to commit suicide. You kindly try to understand that this country has the highest regard for the people who suffer peacefully for a cause and in this country of ours it is very shocking that a lady who has been on a fast for many years is forced to travel back and forth. Manipur - Delhi – Manipur in such a fragile condition of health. What a shame on all of us !

We may not agree with the politics of Sushri Irom Sharmila but we can understand her cause as a human being that no innocent person is victimized or tortured by normal or emergency laws of the Government that is what happened in Manipur which compelled her to take to non-violent, peaceful protest by undertaking an indefinite fast.

This lack of understanding about delicate sensibilities of people is often reflected in utterances and actions of present congress leadership. It is because of this factor that Sri Rahul Gandhi was not able to establish a rapport with the people in his tour of Uttar Pradesh.

In near future, I intend to go on a tour of Manipur to contact rebel groups there; to discuss with them relevance of their demand in context of present human –living, to persuade them to give up the way of killing people and to come forward for a discussion with other groups in order to understand them and make other people understand what are their apprehensions and fears that come in the way of joint-living.

I hope you may help your government to understand that inflicting undue pains on a person who has already taken to a path of peaceful suffering does not serve any body or any purpose.

Hoping for the best. With due regards.

Yours Sincerely

Trilokinath Purwar

Profile of Shri Trilokinath Purwar

C.C. To:

Sri Subbarao, who a couple of months back told me about a near divine resolve of Sushri Irom Sharmila Chanu
Sushree Irom Sharmila Chanu with due regards.
Shri Manmohan Singh, who as a head of Indian Government has a responsibility to see that every citizen, is treated fairly.
Shri Shivraj Patil, who has as a Home Minister has a power to rectify mistakes committed by his juniors in his set up.
Shri S.S. Sidhu, Governor of Manipur with a hope that he will persuade his government to be more humane and responsive to sufferings of Sushri Irom Sharmila Chanu.
Shri O. Ibobi, Chief Minister of Manipur that how a person who has received such an overwhelming response from Manipuri people slipped in case of Sushree Irom Sharmila Chanu by allowing another arm of the Government to charge her for an attempt to commit suicide.
Sri Sri Ravishankar with a hope that if he intends to visit Iraq on a peace mission he should give his attention to violent conflicts in India also.
Editors of all dailies of New Delhi and News Agencies.

A brief profile of Shri Trilokinath Purwar

Shri. Trilokinath Purwar (83) from Allahabad is a freedom fighter who participated in 1942 Quit India Movement and was imprisoned for about a year. He participated in peoples movement in 1947 in Tehri Garhwal state against feudal order and was imprisoned.

After his release from jail he organized a successful non-violent people’s movement and dislodged Tehri Garhwal ruler and handed over the administration to the forces of Government of India. In mid 50’s he went for a study tour in Assam there he came in contact with Nagas and other tribal groups then onward he concentrated on the problems of North East. He came to Delhi and contacted leaders of the Central Government.

After their approval he started on a one man’s peace mission in Nagaland. The then Chief Minister of Assam did not appreciate the interference of central leadership in his domain so he was obstructed by state government and was put in jail on false charge of violating inner line regulation. After his release from imprisonment he continued on with the problem.

After ten years again in 1963 an understanding was reached between him and Jawaharlal Nehru. He went on a tour of Nagaland where he was able to persuade a sizeable number of people to his point of view. The nominated leadership who were heading the state administration felt insecure that they may not be able to find a place in an understanding interfered with his work and forcibly sent him to Shillong.

He came to Delhi and discussed the issue with the Prime Minister who hesitated a bit. He then went to Nagaland and offered a Satyagrah.

He was arrested and imprisoned. He went on a fast which continued on for forty days, which be broke after a Peace Mission was announced for the Naga problem and state authorities were instructed to make arrangements for travel of Shri Purwar to either to Bhubaneshwar (where Congress Party was holding its annual session), Allahabad or New Delhi as Prime Minister as Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru wanted to see him. He reached Bhubaneshwar as god willed he could not see him as Prime Minister had a paralytic attack, from which he could never recover fully.

Peace Mission started its activities and Shri Purwar continued on with his contact of Naga rebels. Peace mission failed because its member could not understand the Naga psyche and establish a rapport with them. The same scenario is again being repeated in case of present peace talks. Shri Purwar was a bit active in Bangladesh Movement.

And after that for a few decades he confined himself to studies, meditation and contemplation. After achieving a bit of clarity about his future work, he has decided to resume his activities again for a cause of harmonious human society. After partition of the country he did not accept the membership of any political party.

Certain aspect of constitution disturbs as they are not in harmony with people’s interest. He is not a voter and does not participate in electoral politics. He may start a campaign against the anomaly those colonial laws which are anti people are still in operation in this country after so many years of independence. It exposes the lack of sensitivity towards the suffering of people by major political parties.

Kshetrimayum Onil sent this announcement to e-pao.net. He can be contacted at onilrights(at)gmail(dot)com . This Press Release was webcasted on May 24th, 2007

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