The student activist quotes Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s couplet in Urdu: ‘Dil na ummeed to nahin naakaam hi to hai; Lambi hai gham ki shaam magar shaam hi to hai’
NEW DELHI — Muzammil Imam, brother of incarcerated student activist Sharjeel Imam, on Tuesday shared on his Facebook page the reaction of his brother after the Supreme Court denied bail to him and his co-accused Umar Khalid in the 2020 North East Delhi riots case.
Muzammil said in the post that his older brother, Sharjeel Imam, was “happy for those who walked out free but condemned the injustice.”
Umar Kahlid also had a similar statement after his bail denial. He is reported to have told his partner, Banojyotsna Lahiri, “this is my life now.”
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. However, the apex court granted bail to Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa-ur-Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmed, all of whom have been in custody for more than five years.
Welcoming the release of other activists, Sharjeel Imam said: “I am very happy that others have been granted bail, even though I condemn the injustice meted out to them for so long. As far as we are concerned, I firmly believe that Umar and I are being punished for organising and spearheading what was probably the most important mass protest in recent Indian history. The judgment criminalises organised protests and treats disruption as a terrorist act. This further blurs the distinction between terrorist activity and democratic protest and dissent.”
https://www.facebook.com/imammuzzammil
“On a personal note, my only concern is the physical and mental health of my elderly mother,” said Sharjeel Imam as quoted by his brother in his FB post.
“Apart from that, I remain optimistic about the case and that the truth will ultimately prevail. In sha Allah, we will be successful.
“Till then, I am pursuing my intellectual and academic journey to the extent I can.” said Sharjeel.
Sharjeel Imam concluded his statement with a couplet from Urdu poet’s Faiz Ahmed Faiz ‘Dast-e-Saba’
“Dil na ummeed to nahin naakaam hi to hai,
Lambi hai gham ki shaam magar shaam hi to hai.”
Muzammil Imam, however, expressed disappointment in the Supreme Court’s order that neither Umar nor Sharjeel can apply for bail for another year.
“They have been in jail for years. I was hopeful that Sharjeel would be released. This judgment is extremely disappointing for us,” Muzammil was quoted by Maktoob Media as saying.
He said that this decision would not bog them down, and they will continue to fight until Umar and Sharjeel walk out as free citizens.
