The Maharashtra police have filed a sedition case against social activist Pushpa Vira Sathidar and two others for allegedly reciting Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s famous poem ‘Hum Dekhenge,’ at a recent event, claiming it contained lines that posed a threat to India’s sovereignty.

On May 13, Pushpa Vira Sathidar conducted the Vira Sathidar Memorial, a cultural programme in Nagpur in honour of her late husband, Vira Sathidar, a strong supporter of the anti-caste movement.

The cultural event mainly conducts songs, poetry recitals, and plays. Hundreds of people had participated.

The sedition charges were pressed after an FIR was lodged by a right-wing activist, Dattatray Shirke, who alleged that “when the Indian armed forces were bravely fighting the Pakistan Army, a group of singers preferred to sing a poem written by a Pakistani.”

The FIR further quotes a line from the poem: Takht hilaane ki zaroorat hai (the throne needs to be shaken), stating it poses a threat to the Indian government.

However, the FIR has clearly misquoted the line as the original line says: sab takht giraye jayenge (every throne will be brought down).

Pushpa Sathidar and two others were booked under sections 152 (acts endangering sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India) which has replaced ‘sedition’ in Indian Penal Code, 196 (promoting enmity between different groups), 353 (circulation of false statements and rumors) and 3 (5) (liability of individuals when a criminal act is done in furtherance of a common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Vira Sathidar was a brilliant man who donned many hats. A poet, journalist, writer, he directed Court, a movie that exposed the Indian legal system and daily proceedings. The movie won him the national award and was India’s official entry to the Oscars in 2016. He passed away in 2021.

For our readers, here is the full lyrics of Hum Dekhenge:

Hum Dekhenge
Hum Dekhenge
Lazim hai ke hum bhi dekhenge
Hum Dekhenge
Hum Dekhenge
Wo din ke jis ka wada hai
Jo lauh-e-azl mein likha hai
Hum Dekhenge
Hum bhi dekhenge
Hum bhi dekhenge
Jab zulm-o-sitam ke koh-e-garan
Rooi ki tarha ur jaenge
Hum Dekhenge
Hum mehkoomon ke paaon tale
Ye dharti dhar dhar dharkegi
Aur ahl-e-hakam ke sar oopar
Jab bijli kar kar karkegi
Hum Dekhenge
Hum Dekhenge
Hum Dekhenge

Bas naam rahega Allah ka
Jo ghayib bhi hai hazir bhi
Jo manzar bhi hai nazir bhi
Utthega an-al-haq ka nara
Utthega an-al-haq ka nara
Jo main bhi hoon, aur tum bhi ho
Aur raaj karegi khalq-e-Khuda
Jo main bhi hoon aur tum bhi ho
Hum Dekhenge
Hum Dekhenge
Hum Dekhenge
Hum Dekhenge
Hum Dekhenge