Kolkata:
Scientist Partho Sarothi Ray, just out after spending 10 days in jail, says he refused two job offers in the US and came back instead to teach and train scientists in his state, West Bengal. Back in Bengal however, he says these are "dark days", with "an atmosphere of intolerance". He has also warned that his ordeal will send out a "bad message to others."
The molecular biologist was arrested on April 8 for participating in a peaceful sit-in protest at Kolkata's Ruby More against an eviction drive at the Nonadanga slum in the eastern part of the city; he was granted bail yesterday after much outrage the world over brought pressure on the Bengal administration. Six others arrested with him are still in jail and Professor Ray says, they were all arrested "to intimidate and harass us."
The scientist recounts, "I was detained with 68 others during a peaceful demonstration and was released after a 10-day ordeal. I was not present at the site, I was 70 km away at my institute. In spite of that being stated, I had to go through harrowing days. They implicated me in a false case to intimidate me. I came back to Bengal in 2008 after refusing two positions in the US because I wanted to come back to my state and teach and train a new generation of scientists."
Professor Ray also said he does not have any links with the Maoists.
The stint in prison has not made the scientist abandon the cause he has espoused; he says he will continue to fight for the rights of slum dwellers and in fact suggests that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee see for herself the plight of slum dwellers in the state. And he has a message for the people of Bengal when he says they "should protect liberty."
Professor Ray's arrest had the scientific community livid. Leading scientists from India and abroad wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and sought his immediate intervention. They said they were "extremely perturbed" over the alleged "crackdown on human rights activists and citizens who are attempting to raise issues of concern".
They also condemned police action against another West Bengal-based professor, Ambikesh Mahapatra. The Jadavpur University professor was arrested last week for forwarding a controversial cartoon of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The cartoon shows Ms Banerjee and new Railway Minister Mukul Roy planning to get rid of party MP and Mr Roy's predecessor, Dinesh Trivedi. The professor was charged with hurting a women's modesty, defamation and causing offence using a computer.