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Poems and letters from one of India’s most prominent political prisoners

Spotlights the cracks in the country’s judicial system

Arrested under the UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act), human rights activist G.N. Saibaba’s new book offers an insight into his innermost thoughts and reflections, penned down during his time in prison.

He is renowned for playing a prominent role in the campaign against Operation Green Hunt – a paramilitary offensive which had been designed to uproot the Adivasi community from their habitat. Apart from this, he had also been involved in activism on behalf of victims of state violence right from his days as a student. His fearless, dynamic work perhaps led to his eventual arrest in 2014, after which he was sentenced to life imprisonment in a ruling from the Gadchiroli Sessions Court. Saibaba, who was paralysed by polio and suffers from 90% disability as well as various chronic cardiac and spinal problems, has been kept in solitary confinement and denied medical assistance. 

Published by Speaking Tiger, Why Do You Fear My Way So Much? contains an anthology of poems and letters that the activist has written during his time in prison. While the work captures his feelings of anger, frustration and distress, it also resonates with a message of hope and talks about the importance of resilience in the face of insurmountable obstacles. Through it all, he encourages readers to continue to strive for an India that is not only built upon the foundation of equality but also can look beyond its differences and find a way to co-exist harmoniously.