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G. N. Saibaba

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G. N. Saibaba
Saibaba in 2017
Saibaba in 2017
BornGokarakonda Naga Saibaba
1967 (1967)
Amalapuram, Andhra Pradesh, India
Died12 October 2024(2024-10-12) (aged 56–57)
Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Resting placeHuman rights activist, academic, writer
OccupationTeaching
LanguageTelugu, English, Hindi
NationalityIndia
Education
Alma mater
PeriodTwenty-first century
GenresIndian Writing in English
Literary movementHuman rights
Years active2003–2024
Notable worksSaibaba, G. N. (2008). "Colonialist Nationalism in the Critical Practice of Indian Writing in English: A Critique". Economic and Political Weekly. 43 (23): 61–68.
SpouseSmt. Vasantha Kumari[1][2]

Gokarakonda Naga Saibaba (1967 – 12 October 2024) was an Indian scholar, writer and human rights activist from Amalapuram, Andhra Pradesh.[3]

Saibaba was accused by Indian authorities of having ties with outlawed Maoist organizations and was sentenced to life imprisonment by a session court in 2017. He was later acquitted of the charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act by the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on 14 October 2022.[4]

After the ruling, the Supreme Court of India suspended the order and asked the high court to re-evaluate the case.[5] On 5 March 2024, Saibaba (as well as five other individuals who were tried along with him) was once again acquitted by the High Court, with the court declaring that the prosecution's case was invalid due to its lack of technical propriety as well as various cases of dodgy evidence, and called the trial court's verdict a "failure of justice".[6] The second acquittal has also been challenged by the state in the Supreme Court, by way of filing a special leave petition the same day and prior to the delivery of the High Court's judgement. He died on 12 October 2024, following post-operation complications after undergoing surgery for gallbladder stones.[7]

Early life and education

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Saibaba was born in 1967[8] in Amalapuram, a town in East Godavari of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, in a poor peasant family.[9] He used a wheelchair from the age of five due to polio.[1]

Having studied at Sree Konaseema Bhanoji Ramars (SKBR) College in Amalapuram, he finished his degree at the top of the university.[9] He obtained his M.A. in English from University of Hyderabad.[10][2] In 2013, he completed his PhD dissertation which was awarded by Delhi University. His doctoral thesis was on Indian Writing in English and Nation Making: Reading the Discipline under guidance of Sumanyu Satpathy.[11]

Literary contribution

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Saibaba's literary inspirations are Gurajada Apparao, Sri Sri, and the Kenyan Ngugi Wa Thiong'o.[9] Saibaba's early works in Telugu were published in Srijana, an Indian magazine. These early articles focused on the dominant forms of knowledge that worked against Dalit and Adivasi participation in Indian literature.[12]

Thesis

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Books

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Articles

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Career

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Saibaba taught English at Ram Lal Anand College of Delhi University for several years.[9][13] He received life imprisonment for his connections to Maoists and was removed from Assistant Professor post at Ram Lal Anand College of Delhi University in February 2021.[14]

Political activity and arrest

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During the Mumbai Resistance 2004, a platform of over 310 political movements organised parallel to the World Social Forum, Saibaba participated as an active organiser. During this period he became a part of the International League of People's Struggle (ILPS).[9]

In 2005, he joined the Revolutionary Democratic Front (RDF) which was banned in August 2012 by the AP government under Andhra Pradesh Public Security Act 1992 for alleged subversive activities.[15]

In 2009, he was a prominent voice in the campaign against Operation Green Hunt, mainly the military actions perpetrated by the Indian state.[16]

He was arrested in May 2014 for Maoist links.[17] He was granted bail by Bombay High Court in June 2015 on medical grounds and he was released in July 2015. He was sent back to jail in December 2015 was released again in April 2016 after Supreme Court granted him bail.[18]

He was sentenced to life imprisonment in March 2017 under Sections 13, 18, 20, 38 and 39 of the UAPA and Section 120 B of the Indian Penal Code for connections with the banned Revolutionary Democratic Front (RDF), an organisation linked with the banned CPI-Maoist.[19] Saibaba denied the charge that organisation he ran was a front for CPI-Maoist.[13]

The Maoist called for "Bharat Bandh" on 29 March 2017 to protest against Saibaba's life imprisonment with banners and pamphlets distributed by the CPI-Maoist at Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh region.[20]

On 30 April 2020, a panel of experts with the United Nations OHCHR called on the Indian government urging the authorities to immediately release G.N. Saibaba, due to his "seriously deteriorating" health condition".[1]

On 28 July 2020, the Bombay High Court rejected Saibaba's 45-day medical bail petition.[21] He was denied permission to visit his 74-year-old mother who died of cancer,[22] and was denied participation in funeral rituals after her death.[23]

On 22 October 2020, Saibaba called off his hunger strike after his demands regarding CCTV cameras were accepted by the jail authorities.[24]

In April 2021, he was terminated from Ram Lal Anand College of Delhi University.[25] His professorship was then terminated as of July 2021.[26][27]

In October 2022, Saibaba and five others were acquitted by a high court bench that set aside the life imprisonment sentence given to them in 2017. The bench concluded that the proceedings before the sessions court were "null and void" in the absence of a valid sanction under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).[28] Discharging all five accused, Justice Deo had observed that the due process of law cannot be sacrificed at the altar of "perceived peril to national security".[29] However, days after that the Supreme Court of India suspended his acquittal. The Supreme Court bench, consisting of Justice Bela Trivedi (who had earlier served as Gujrat state's Law Secretary during Narendra Modi's tenure as Chief Minister of Gujrat[30]) and Justice M.R. Shah, had agreed to hear Maharashtra state's special leave petition on a Saturday (a court holiday) and stayed the HC acquittal.[31] The Supreme Court found fault with the High Court's order and observed the High Court has not considered the incriminating material against him as well as the merits of the case.

In March 2024, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court once again acquitted G.N. Saibaba and all the other 5 accused (one of whom died from Swine flu during imprisonment), citing 'dodgy' evidence and lack of technical regularity during the prosecution.[29] The state's counsel, in an exact replication of the 2022 proceedings, filed for another Special Leave Petition with the Supreme Court to stay the new HC order. Interestingly, the petition was filed before the Supreme Court even prior to the release of HC order, just as it was done in 2022.[29]

Illness and death

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Saibaba suffered from several health problems while imprisoned and was 90% physically handicapped.[1][9]

Saibaba died on 12 October 2024, whilst undergoing treatment at Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad. He was 57, and had been admitted ten days prior following post-operative complications after undergoing surgery for gallbladder stones. He was survived by his wife, Vasantha Kumari, and daughter, Manjeera.[32][33][34]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Five years on, no relief for jailed Delhi University professor Saibaba". The Hindu. 9 May 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Court relied on deposition of semi-literate witness: Saibaba's wife". The Hindu. 4 April 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  3. ^ Shrivastava, Amisha (5 March 2024). "Bombay High Court Acquits GN Saibaba & 5 Others In Alleged Maoist Links Case, Orders Immediate Release". www.livelaw.in. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  4. ^ Saigal, Sonam (14 October 2022). "Bombay High Court acquits ex-DU professor G.N. Saibaba in Maoist links case". The Hindu.
  5. ^ Rajagopal, Krishnadas (15 October 2022). "SC suspends Bombay HC order acquitting G.N. Saibaba and others in Maoist-links case". The Hindu.
  6. ^ "Saibaba Acquittal: From Lack of Sanction to Dodgy Evidence, High Court Judgment Tears Into State's Case". The Wire. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  7. ^ "Former Delhi University professor G N Saibaba passes away". The Indian Express. 12 October 2024. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  8. ^ "Explained: Who Is GN Saibaba, What's The Maoist-Links Case He Is In Jail For?". Outlook India. 15 October 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "GN Saibaba: The revolutionary in Delhi University". Times of India. 23 September 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  10. ^ "Pages smuggled out of Nagpur's central prison to be published as Saibaba's latest book". The New Indian Express. 26 May 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  11. ^ "Doctoral Research: Abstracts of Theses – vol. 14" (PDF). University of Delhi. 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  12. ^ "Dr. G N Saibaba". India Political Prisoners. 7 March 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  13. ^ a b "Delhi University professor Saibaba, arrested for Maoist links, gets bail". India Today. 4 April 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  14. ^ Scroll Staff (2 April 2021). "GN Saibaba removed as assistant professor from Delhi University's Ram Lal Anand College". Scroll.in. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  15. ^ "Saibaba is believed to be brain behind several attacks on police". The Economic Times.
  16. ^ "Justice for Dr. GN Saibaba". Dalit Camera. 14 July 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  17. ^ "Delhi University Professor G N Saibaba is arrested for 'Naxal links'". 10 May 2014.
  18. ^ Scroll Staff (28 June 2018). "United Nations rights experts urge India to release jailed Delhi University professor GN Saibaba". Scroll.in.
  19. ^ Dahat, Pavan (7 March 2017). "Ex-DU professor Saibaba sentenced to life for Maoist links". The Hindu – via www.thehindu.com.
  20. ^ "Maoists have confessed their link to Prof. Saibaba: Anti-Naxal unit". The Hindu. 23 March 2017.
  21. ^ "'Extremely apathetic': Wife of prof GN Saibaba as Bombay HC denies him bail". The News Minute. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  22. ^ "DU ex-professor Saibaba's ailing mother dies, her final wish was to see her son". The Hindu. 2 August 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  23. ^ "GN Saibaba denied medical facilities, books, letters from family; threatens hunger strike". Sabrang. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  24. ^ "Dr G N Saibaba Calls Off Hunger Strike as Jail Authorities Accept His Demands". Clarion India. 22 October 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  25. ^ "Jailed DU professor GN Saibaba terminated by Ram Lal Anand College". Hindustan Times. 2 April 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  26. ^ "Jailed DU professor GN Saibaba terminated by Ram Lal Anand College". Hindustan Times. 2 April 2021.
  27. ^ "Maoist links: DU professor GN Saibaba, JNU student and three others get life imprisonment". The Financial Express. 7 March 2017.
  28. ^ "Ex-DU professor GN Saibaba acquitted by HC in alleged Maoist links case". Indian Express. 14 October 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  29. ^ a b c "Bombay HC Acquits G.N. Saibaba and Five Others in UAPA Case". The Wire. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  30. ^ "Contrary To SC's Rules Of Assignment, At Least 8 Politically Sensitive Cases Moved To One Judge In 4 Months". article-14.com. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  31. ^ Rajagopal, Krishnadas (5 March 2024). "Maoist links case | Maharashtra drags Saibaba to Supreme Court for the second time in as many years". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  32. ^ The Hindu (12 October 2024). "Prof. G.N. Saibaba passes away in Hyderabad". Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  33. ^ The Wire (12 October 2024). "G.N. Saibaba Passes Away". Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  34. ^ The News Minute (12 October 2024). "Seven months after his acquittal in UAPA case, human rights activist Dr GN Saibaba dies". Retrieved 12 October 2024.
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