Arrested for being a Naxal supporter, Chhattisgarh doctor BINAYAK SEN has been in Central Jail, Raipur for the last two years. His trial is currently going on in the Raipur sessions court. In the 47 degrees Celsius heat and under the watchful eyes of the Central Jail authorities, he speaks to Vinay Sitapati.

•The recent Chhattisgarh elections were particularly violent. Naxalites killed 11 security personnel and 5 election officers. Do you endorse this?

I can never endorse violence; I have always condemned violence in any form, whatever the justification. The killing of the security personnel is regrettable and the death of non-combatants [election officials], simply unacceptable. I want peace in the area, and violence by both the state and by Naxalites must stop. There is no military solution; the confrontations must stop. But I can’t be one-sided and just condemn Naxal excesses. The government also commits atrocities; I have to condemn that too.

•Do you support the current general elections? The Naxals have called for a ban.

I don’t support the ban by the Naxals of these elections. I disagree with them. I support elections and in the past, I’ve have helped investigate poll rigging to ensure free and fair elections; I’ve helped expose so-called election booths that in reality never existed.

•Even convicted criminals get bail quicker. Yet you’ve been in jail without bail for nearly 2 years. The police think that you’ll influence witnesses.

What witnesses? All the material witnesses against me have already testified in court — and have turned hostile or collapsed under cross examination. There are no witnesses left to influence. The Supreme Court has said: ‘bail denial must be based on evidence’. Where is the evidence against me? I’m approaching the Supreme Court again this Monday.

... contd.