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In a land where traditionally the teacher is equated with God, Professor H S Sabharwal's death in Ujjain last month after being manhandled by student activists comes as a rude reality check.
Even as the investigation into the death follows the typical pattern, the late professor's son Himanshu is determined to get all those linked to his father's tragic demise punished. In an exclusive chat with rediff.com, he talked about how successful he had been in his efforts to bring the culprits to the book. For those who missed out on the chat, following is the transcript of the session:
Himanshu Sabharwal says, Hello everybody I am here and would be glad to take your questions. Thank you for your interest and your concern.
amar asked, My condolences. I am very much with you in your fight against the corrupt politicians and local goons
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, thanks amar, I appreciate
Shan1 asked, HI! One simple and straight question,,, do u believe that you will get justice?
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, shan, even if I believe that there are many loop holes in the system and that strong powers are shielding the guilty but my intent is to fight back, and its most important for me to be able to sleep, to be able to keep my sanity and for all of us at large to have a semblance of justice and fairplay.
mk asked, Atal Bihari vajpayee must be ashamed to be the leader of BJP
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, mk, Mr Vajpayee is a thinker and a poet and a magnanimous personality. These goondas and the party workers have certainly let a man like him down.
sandeep asked, himanshu..we are with you in this bad moment
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, thanks sandeep. I am touched
Imran asked, My Condolence with U Do U Think u will get Justice? Its history till now since 1947 not a single politician has been given punishment. I think if u have to do any Crime u should join Politics. For reply my mail ID is imeemax@Yahoo.com But all the best for ur Struggle my Full support is with u.
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, I think we young and talented and courageous and concerned are the future of this nation. Let's not be paper tigers alone and do something substantial for this system. Politics should have more of dynamic, learned, and thinking individuals. Why sell potato chips for a MNC when you can shape a nations destiny. Its time to think...
ashokkini asked, My condolences Himanshu.. It's great to see a citizen taking the immoral people head on. I am pledging my support to you....
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, thanks. I appreciate.
PAN asked, Hi Himanshu, First of all deepest condolence on your father's demise. It is really unfortunate that such a thing has happened in a county where they say Guru Devo Bhav. Also, hats off to you the way you have stood for justice and the way you are taking it forward. I have heard you on NDTV and other channels as well and am pretty impressed with the way you put your point across and the way you keep you emotions in check. Can you please share with us some details about your schooling / Graduation and what exactly are you doing currently
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, I am an ad film maker, writer. I have my own banner called 'Two's a Film Company'. I studied at the Daly College, Indore and then Delhi Univ and then Xaviers's Bombay.
tousif asked, You know they have strong support of VHP, bajrand dal, shiv sena and RSS, becuse one most of them belonged to all these organisation so students use to fear oppsing then because they carried arms (chaku) so we must ban all these terrorist organisations.when will our govt rise above caste and ban them all?
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, We live in a civilised world and we must stand up against this if we wish to keep the system from collapsing. Or else mayhem is on its way.
gauravrsharma asked, you are trying to become hero of current generation. Isn't it? Are you here to receive applaud for your work, why don't you answer my question..?
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, Place yourself in my situation and then think, u will get the answer. I wonder how have the people begin to think....
dinesh asked, Dont you think you are giving this a political color
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, yes , I am raising the benchmark of behaviour and conduct for all political parties reprimanding the ABVP and the BJP.
Amol asked, Hey Himanshu , This is Amol. I am born and brought up in Ujjain and currently @ Ireland. As a normally Malvi, I am very proud of our culture but this guys has ruined it and we are felling ashamed in front of whole country My condolences
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, thanks amol.
surjit asked, Himanshu, In our times guru was a person to be worshipped. I am ashamed of our generation to give birth to this goonda generation. Where did we fail? But when I think of you I feel No all is not lost. himanshu we are with you. I don't know if you will get justice but let all of us get together to get justice. My condolences to you, your mother and your family. You can count on me any time of the day or night.
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, the youth's energy need to be channelised. We are a country of young with the largest number of young individuals, but unfortunately they are listless. Need direction. Getting into a rat race of power or money, that's what is the larger scenario. We are wasting a gold mine of a potential as a nation.
koshy asked, Hi Himanshu, This is Ritu I am from Ujjain only. It's a shame that nowadays Ujjain is being associated with incidents like this. What u think how the guilty should be punished?
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, it is not a question of punishing the guilty alone. It is a question of saving the system. It's a question of building a proud and just nation.
shiva asked, Himanshu, I am currently in UK and have been following the broad day light murder of your father. It's a shame to the nation and citizens that even after seeing video and pictures, the accused have not been punished. This is the simplest case case possible. What is that you would like citizens to reasonably do to achieve the goal?
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, the citizens should realise that we all make a society and it is not an individual loss of mine, its not the death of my father its the death of a conscience.
gauravrsharma asked, Himanshu why u lost faith on system.? You have to believe the system to seek justice from same. Dou you have any other way of taking justice. I think you are politically biased because NSUI activists were also in involved in that incident & you never spoke anything about them.
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, I urged the authorities to catch the culprits, they had no banner for me, ABVP and BJP activists gave it a political colour by shielding them for the posts they held and the organisations they belonged to.
Tinkku asked, What according to you should be the punishment for the person involved in the case?
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, they should be first convicted and then given a retributive punishment rather than a capital one. They need sincere spiritual elevation, is what I think.
ankur asked, so r u trying to encash from the situations
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, if encashing means taking on a fight to make a just society, may be... my friend.
rsmandora asked, Dear Himanshu, my heartfelt condolences to you. But don't you think that you have started fight against organisations instead of against certain anti social elements. Because there can be black sheep in every organisation. I am concerned that had you focused on that black sheeps alone you could have got justice easily and such elements would have been taken to task easily
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, I agree, and my fight is still against the injustice, and you try getting justice 'easily' as you say... let me remind you, my father was killed brutally with 60 police men just 10 meters away shamelessly.
Ashu asked, It was just out of mere energetic reaction by the youth. It is of course a dreadful act but was not intentional... Would it be fruitful to call the youth involved as murdrers.. I guess they would have not intentionally done all these things. What do you think about it?
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, my father was 62 years old. What kind of a person raises his hand on a person of that age, intentionally or otherwise???? Not to talk of bashing him to death. His cause of death was a punctured lung. Just visualise.
mamu asked, Hello Himanshu. My condolences for a very severe loss that you and your family are facing today. Just one question - Your efforts seem to see that the politicians/political parties involved should be fairly tried and punished which is great. But you don't seem to have made the police system in Ujjain your target inspite of the police being present.
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, I have, if you were to see my petitions in court and my appeal to NHRC you would realise that.
Brijesh asked, guys, his father was a supporter of NSUI, he postponed the elections for personal reasons, he got a heart attack, which students demanded explanation. Media played it over and over again to hype it. This fellow got support of congress. He is just making use of it for his personal gains.
Himanshu Sabharwal answers, OK Mr Know all. You were present there, I guess. I would give your name to the CID, to question you and make you a witness.
Himanshu Sabharwal says, Thanks again everybody, now I would have to log out as our allotted time comes to an end. A variety of views, I wish we all come together to make a proud nation and a civilised and clean system.