The BJP on Friday said it respects Supreme Court’s decision granting bail to Binayak Sen but maintained that the case in connection with his alleged involvement in Naxal activities is still on in the Chhattisgarh high court and hoped that the trial will be held on merit. A Chhattisgarh court had convicted Sen and sentenced him to life
imprisonment for sedition and helping Naxalites. Chief minister of the BJP-ruled state Raman Singh, said his government respects the apex court’s order. “Supreme Court has only granted him the bail. The pending legal process will continue in high court at Bilaspur,” said Mr Singh.
In its reaction, the Congress said the law has taken its own course.
Reacting on the apex court’s decision, home minister P. Chidambaram said “I am happy to know that Binayak Sen has got bail from the Supreme Court. I have always believed that if one is not satisfied with a lower court order, one can get reprieve by approaching a higher court.”
In his reaction, minority affairs minister Salman Khursheed welcomed the Supreme Court’s and said a general impression was gaining ground that the treatment meted out to Mr Sen was not correct.
“I think the circumstances in which the bail has been granted should be welcomed,” Mr Khursheed said. He, however, added that a large number of people believe that there should be no compromise on the issue of security when it is concerned with a serious issue like Maoist. The minority affairs minister said after Mr Sen is out on bail, he will also have something to say and people will get another aspect to hear.
Senior counsel and BJP MP, Ram Jethmalani, who argued before the apex court for bail to Mr Sen said, “It almost establishes a matter of great principle of democracy that everybody has right to exercise his right to freedom of speech. Sen is not involved in any kind of violence nor has he fed anyone to resort to violence.”
CPI leader D. Raja demanded that the state government withdraw the cases “foisted” on Mr Sen. He claimed that a number of his party leaders and cadres were in prison and demanded their immediate release.