Wife of late activist Vira Sathidar booked over alleged inflammatory remarks

According to the police, the FIR was lodged following a complaint by Datta Shirke, a right-wing activist, who alleged that the performance and accompanying speeches contained inflammatory content. He cited references to “fascist times” and exhortations to “shake the throne” as potentially disruptive to public harmony

NAGPUR: The Sitabuldi police in Nagpur on Saturday registered a case against Pushpa Sathidar, 51, social activist and widow of the late actor and human rights campaigner Vira Sathidar, for allegedly making provocative statements during a memorial programme held in central Nagpur.

Wife of late activist Vira Sathidar booked over alleged inflammatory remarks

The controversy stems from the performance of Hum Dekhenge, a celebrated Urdu nazm by Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz, and subsequent remarks made during the event. Organised by the Vira Sathidar Smriti Samanway Samiti in association with Samata Kala Manch—an Ambedkarite cultural collective advocating resistance through art—the programme took place at a hall near Jhansi Rani Square in Sitabuldi.

According to the police, the FIR was lodged following a complaint by Datta Shirke, a right-wing activist, who alleged that the performance and accompanying speeches contained inflammatory content. He cited references to “fascist times” and exhortations to “shake the throne” as potentially disruptive to public harmony, especially in the wake of recent Indo-Pak tensions and the Pahalgam terror attack. A video recording of the event was submitted as evidence.

Written in 1979 by Faiz as a critique of General Zia-ul-Haq’s authoritarian rule in Pakistan, Hum Dekhenge rose to iconic status after being famously sung by Iqbal Bano in 1986. The poem has since resonated across borders as an anthem of resistance and hope.

Pushpa Sathidar, a long-time activist, is known for her work in grassroots movements. Her late husband, Vira Sathidar, gained national recognition for his portrayal of a protest singer in Chaitanya Tamhane’s critically acclaimed film Court (2014), which was India’s official entry to the Academy Awards and won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film. Until his death due to COVID-19, Sathidar remained a vocal critic of systemic inequality and state repression.

Confirming the development, Sitabuldi police inspector Vitthalsing Rajput said an FIR has been filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including section 152 (endangering the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India), section 196 (promoting enmity between groups), section 353 (statements conducive to public mischief), and section 3(5) (common intention). “We have acted on a formal complaint. The matter is under investigation and further action will be based on the evidence collected,” Rajput said.

HT reached out to Pushpa Sathidar but she was unavailable for comment till the time of going to the press.

Police have also begun examining the background of Samata Kala Manch. Its founder, Sudhir Dhawale, a prominent human rights activist, was previously arrested in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon case and is currently out on bail.