"Our identity as a Kashmiri Muslim over powers everything else," said Bismillah Geelani, the professor's brother, "It shapes us individually, and as a community. It is all consuming.The arrest of my brother is nothing but a political case," he added.
Wednesday marks the last date of the judicial custody of Syed Abdul Rehman Geelani, the Delhi University professor who was arrested on charges of sedition in connection with an event held at the Press Club of India where anti-national slogans were held.
As Geelani's lawyers work the case trying to prove his innocence, dna caught up with the professor's family at their home. Amid the din of construction, the Geelanis' home is undergoing renovation, topics of discussion ranged from a Kashmiri Muslim's identity, freedom of speech, and the Geelanis' blind faith in the constitution among others.
While the media frenzy surrounding the arrests of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya may have died down three weeks hence, another similar case has barely taken flight. The Delhi Police arrested Syed Abdul Rehman (SAR) Geelani, a Delhi University (DU) professor, on February 16 in connection to an event held at the Press Club of India where allegedly anti-national slogans were raised.
"Our identity as a Kashmiri Muslim over powers everything else," said Bismillah Geelani, the professor's brother, "It shapes us individually, and as a community. It is all consuming.The arrest of my brother is nothing but a political case," he added.
Bismillah, who has been a vocal proponent for his brother's cause cannot stress enough that the case against SAR is political. "There is no case against him, no evidence," he said. Bismillah is also incensed with the double standards of the media. Apart from statements of support from the DU Teachers Association and the Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners, not much has been said for Geelani. "My brother is a professor at the Zakir Hussain College, and even the authorities there have not bothered to check up on the family," Bismillah added.
It has been almost a month, since the arrest of SAR, and yet, "I wonder why no one has taken out protests for his release. Why nobody has spoken up for my brother and why there is a silence from the media about his trial," Bismillah wondered. "There were protests in Kashmir in support for the JNU students," Bismillah said, "Why is JNU not standing up for a Kashmiri Muslim."
The Geelani family is pained at the dichotomy in the media coverage of the two sedition cases. "We are pleased to see so much support for the students and JNU in particular. These students need our support and JNU, whose image is being tarnished, needs our defence. The liberal atmosphere at JNU continues to remain the last bastion for debate and freedom of speech," says Bismillah. Nusrat, SAR Geelani's daughter concurs. Atif, Nusrat's brother, "the current head of the family," Bismillah – the uncle jokes, is busy attending to the construction workers in the house and pops in our conversation now and then.
Over the afternoon, we touch upon various topics. However, the turmoil that the Geelani clan continues to go through because of the prosecution of SAR and his acquittal in the 2005 parliament attach case takes centre stage.
"I was very young when my father fought the case," said Nusrat. "It has consumed my whole life and it has become a part of who I am now," she added. The fifth year law student is studying to be a criminal lawyer. "I am very interested in litigation and eventually want to get involved in criminal law," she said. Her brother Atif, too is a second year law student. Though his interest is leaning more towards judiciary. "I want to get into judiciary," said Atif, "And let it be known that my judgments will be fair," he stressed.
The cloud of constant suspicion has moulded the life of these two children and it is heartening to see that it has only made them stronger. "I have to be strong, What choice do I have?" said Nusrat. "I am proud to be a Kashmiri Muslim and I am proud to be my father's son," added Atif.
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 "Syed Abdul Rehman Geelani (front L), Mohammed Afzal Guru (front C) and Shaukat (front right)")
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