The journo Kumar who fought to free Kappan

To be a true sanatani, you have to be on the side of justice. I did just that  - Kumar Sauvir

NT Correspondent

Lucknow: If there is one fellow journalist Siddique Kappan will have a lot to thank for after he walked out of a Lucknow prison on Thursday, it is Lucknow-based Kumar Sauvir.

The Week reported that Sauvir not only expressed solidarity with Kappan, but went so far as to furnish the bail bond for his release. The bond in this case was ownership papers of 9,000 square feet of farmland in Lucknow’s Bakshi ka Talab area, which is in Sauvir’s name. Kappan and Kumar are said to have shared a long hug after the former’s release.

“There were no words. Just the longest embrace,” said Sauvir. At a time of heightened hostility against minorities and journalists, mediapersons and civil society alike have heaped praise on Sauvir for his generous gesture. The Lucknow-based journalist responded saying that his motivation behind helping Kappan was compassion.

“We are responsible, emotional, social and sensitive creatures. Our lives are about showing empathy too ur fellow being, to see the pain behind another’s tears and to wipe them off.”

Jailed for trying to report?

Kappan was imprisoned in October 2020 when he was on his way to Hathras to report a gang-rape. UP police had leveled a host of allegations against him, including one that claimed he had received money from the now banned Popular Front of India (PFI) to foment trouble. He went on to have a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case registered against him.

The State government had been very hostile to Kappan and as a result, influential persons had been too afraid to furnish bonds for the Kerala - based journalist. Kumar was then requested to step in by two friends, both senior journalists.

“There is such an atmosphere of fear that no Muslim was willing to stand in for Kappan. The larger intent was also to show that this was a matter of justice and that the journalistic fraternity was one when it came to that,” said Sauvir, who submitted papers in court on January 3.

Paralysis no roadblock

To make matters even more challenging, Sauvir suffered a brain stroke and partial paralysis by mid-January.

The condition still continues to bother him as he is cared for by his two daughters. He was bombarded with phone calls by the police while in hospital. Kumar offered them his identification cards but to no avail. He had to appear before the judge on February 1.