Verdict against Sen

This refers to the report that a Raipur court has held rights activist Binayak Sen guilty of treason and waging war against the state. Dr. Sen's trial was an acid test for our criminal justice system. Rights activists, by the very nature of their civic engagement, are suspect (or worse) in the eyes of the state. At a time when the nation's moral fabric is being torn apart, we can ill-afford to silence a voice like that of Dr. Sen. The media and civil society are also on trial here. Will they stand by Dr. Sen, whose age and resources are hardly a match against the might of the state?

P. Zachariah,

Vellore

One wonders what constitutes sedition. We find those who ask for justice and criticise the state being convicted for sedition while those accused of unleashing communal violence, looting public property and preying on the poorest of the poor are rewarded.

Ammar Anas,

New Delhi