CASE REGISTERED AGAINST NAGPUR ACTIVISTS FOR SINGING FAIZ’S POEM “HUM DEKHENGE”
Progressive Artists’ League
When the mountains of tyranny and cruelty
Will fly like cotton
Under the feet of the oppressed
This earth will shake with a thunder
And over the heads of the people of power
When lightning will crackle fiercely
We shall see
Certainly, we too shall see
We shall see!
In the country today, the situation is such that if you sing revolutionary songs, question the government, or speak the truth, you will be labeled a traitor or a terrorist and sent behind bars under laws like UAPA, NSA, etc.
It’s not surprising, because we are living in a fascist era — where the freedom of expression and the right to live freely are only granted to those who bow their heads in service of the Führer. Those who stand by democratic and progressive values are being surveilled, silenced, and declared dangerous. This pattern is only escalating.
Recently, on May 13, a program was organized in Nagpur in memory of the renowned actor and activist Veera Sathidar. In that program, Faiz’s poem “Hum Dekhenge” was sung. Since the song was written against injustice and dictatorship, the Nagpur police filed a case under charges of sedition for singing it.
The main organizer of the event, hosted by the ‘Veera Sathidar Memorial Coordination Committee,’ was Veera Sathidar’s wife, Pushpa Sathidar, along with two other activists. A case has been registered under Section 152 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which is related to sedition. Additionally, other sections of the IPC have also been invoked, including:
Section 196 (Promoting enmity between groups), and
Section 353 (Statements conducive to public mischief).
According to the police, singing a song by a Pakistani singer during a situation like a war between India and Pakistan is an act of sedition. Moreover, the line “All crowns will be toppled, all thrones will be dismantled” was also mentioned in the FIR as an objectionable expression.
This entire incident brings back memories of Veera Sathidar’s film “Court”. In the film, Veera Sathidar (in the role of folk singer Narayan Kamble) is accused that one of his songs incited a sewer worker to commit suicide. It is alleged that the worker drank alcohol and, without any safety equipment, went into the sewer to clean it and died — supposedly influenced by the song. As a result of singing such songs of protest and public unity, cases are filed under harsh laws like UAPA.
The poem by Faiz, which today is being labeled a “Pakistani poem” and anti-national in India, has a deeper and more complex history. The ironic part is that even the rulers of Pakistan called it anti-Pakistan and banned it from being sung. Written in 1979, it was banned shortly afterward. In 1985, during the rule of Zia-ul-Haq, when wearing a sari was declared anti-Islamic and was banned, a protester wore a black sari and sang this poem in a packed stadium. During the performance, the entire stadium echoed with chants of “Inquilab Zindabad” (Long live the revolution), and since then this poem has become a voice of resistance.
The ruling class is afraid of this poem because it is a song against injustice and dictatorship. It inspires people to rise up for a better world.
In this fascist era, attacks on people-oriented artists and art forms have rapidly increased.
There are already numerous instances where individuals have been declared anti-national based on their songs, poetry, articles, or even social media posts. The situation has deteriorated so much that organizing film screenings and discussions has become difficult. Recently, when we organized a screening of a film discussing the history of the Palestinian people, the police repeatedly pressured us to cancel the screening. When we didn’t cancel it, they harassed the protesting artists in various ways, troubling our guests and attempting to vacate our studio space through multiple tactics. It’s no coincidence that attacks on democratic and progressive ideas are intensifying—this is being carried out in a very calculated and deliberate manner.
Recently, simply writing an article on the appeal to not spread war hysteria and on the communal attacks orchestrated by alliances led to Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad being jailed. On the other hand, those who incite communal hatred, provoke riots, and spread violence among people are being given complete freedom. During this very climate of war hysteria, numerous reports emerged showing Muslims and Kashmiris being targeted and attacked by mobs on the streets—yet, perhaps no case was filed in any of those incidents.
A key feature of fascism is that it creates a false enemy and blames that enemy for every social, economic, and political problem. Along with this, any voice that opposes the “Führer” is declared the enemy of the majority community and of the nation itself. In Germany, anyone who spoke against Hitler was labeled a traitor to the nation. In the same way today, anyone who questions the Modi government is being branded an enemy of the country.
In this fascist era, against the increasing attacks on people’s democratic rights and on forms of art, we must stand united. Every fair-minded and people-oriented person must raise their voice. No matter how strong fascist forces may seem, they are afraid of our songs, poems, plays, and paintings—because they cannot eliminate them through their laws, police, or army.
On behalf of the Progressive Artists League, we appeal to all our friends: let us compose and create such new songs, poems, plays, and artworks that speak of the cruelty and injustice of our times. Let us create works that compel people to think and take these thoughts to a broader public. As true artists, it is our responsibility.
Along with this, we also demand that the false cases filed against Pushpa Sathidar and the two other individuals be immediately withdrawn.