Meet Mumbai’s Piper at the gates of truth

She tells it like it is, and has devoted her life to raising issues that most would prefer buried. But for Teesta Setalvad, life means never having to run from the facts

In certain circles, Teesta Setalvad is one of the most hated women in the country. The former journalist, now human rights activist, has got her fingers in every unholy pot that has rattled India’s image of a secular and progressive democracy. Hate mail, threats and attacks have done little to shut her up. “I don’t like to give importance to hate-mongers,” she says.

As secretary of the NGO, Citizens for Justice and Peace, and co-editor of the magazine, Communalism Combat, Teesta is everywhere, pointing an accusatory finger at politicians, and parties like the Bajrang Dal and the VHP — a lot like a preacher on a pulpit terrifying the masses with God’s wrath.

But then, Teesta is not quite convinced of God’s existence. “My father [Mumbai-based lawyer, Atul Setalvad] is an atheist. I’m agnostic,” she says. “You can insult a man’s wife, his mother, and get away with it. But you can’t insult his God without repercussions. I’m not denigrating religion or a person’s spiritual belief, but the moment you bring religion into the political arena, there will be a problem.”

She’s relentless in her attack against every human rights violation, be it the recent attacks on the Christian community, or the aftermath of the Gujarat riots.

“There are right wing fundamentalist parties who believe that all Muslims should be massacred,” she says in high dudgeon. And it is statements like this that have gotten her into trouble. The Eden-like peace of her bungalow — with its well-maintained gardens — that leads onto Juhu beach is shattered by the presence of armed guards.

“Look at this,” she says, pulling out an old issue of Communalism Combat, and pointing to gruesome images of bodies burned and mutilated beyond recognition — scenes most would associate with the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. “This is what was done to the Muslims in Gujarat. And the media does not want to show us this.”

The onus to ensure the safety of its minority community “rests not only on the shoulders of the government, but also on the media”.

Having worked for newspapers like The Indian Express and Business Line, Teesta has worked with many Indian journalists and editors, but even the Fourth Estate does not escape the lashings of her fierce tongue. “The media is so selective in what it portrays.
Do journalists have an inkling of human rights? Do they know what an encounter means — that a man is killing somebody knowingly and wilfully?” she asks, talking of the September 19 Jamia Nagar encounter in New Delhi. “We believe the holy word of the holy police.”

Teesta believes that she has to be relentless, only then will people listen. But there was no reason for her to take up a cause. Born into a family steeped in law — “seven generations” — there was nothing to stop her from taking up her father’s practice, enjoying breakfast by the beach, and turning a deaf ear and blind eye to the nation’s ever-widening fault lines.

Instead, she moves from one atrocity to another with the practiced ease of a veteran soldier. It’s hard to win an argument with her, but she’s had plenty of practice. “We are two sisters, but my father never once hankered for a son. Our dining table was a place for debate. Whether we were right or wrong, we got a chance to put forward our opinion. To question rather than to simply accept.” And it’s this blind acceptance that, she believes, is the cause of so many injustices. So in true Teesta fashion, she initiated Khoj, a programme that tackles prejudices at the school level.

Journalists, politicians, cops and judges may draw comfort from the fact that in Teesta’s book, even the common man is to blame. “There is a collective memory loss, and the damage cannot be repaired unless we acknowledge the injustices. We are living in a state of denial.”

But her “relentless attacks” take a toll on family life and “things that most people take for granted”. For one, she no longer gets the time to maintain her garden. Nor does she get the time to read non-political books. “I love to trek, but I haven’t had the time; I’ve let myself go,” she says ruefully. Cooking is another passion, and when her causes, if ever, are laid to rest, she’d like to start a bistro. “I can cook anything — this is a passion I’ve got from my in-laws,” she says.

So, when she isn’t lending her voice to different causes, she likes to spend time with her family — her husband and her two teenage children. “We make it a point to go on a holiday every year. Last year, we went to the Himalayas.” This year, the pace of events has kept Teesta busy, but she’s looking forward to a week-long break in the coming months.

Teesta has mastered the knack of rushing into areas where most people would fear to tread, and her shrill voice does not falter when she pulls up the likes of Narendra Modi and VHP leader, Praveen Togadia. “My parents worry; they think I go too far, but we’re getting results,” she says.

Despite hailing from a Gujarati family, Teesta sees herself as a citizen of Maharashtra. “I am proud to belong to a state that has newspapers — like Loksatta — that publish editorials on the Bajrang Dal and the terror it has created, unlike the blessed English Press. We come from a state that’s known for its critical thinking - something that is lacking in Gujarat.”

And while she agrees that minority communities are guilty of indulgence, she insists on bringing to light “the Hindu state of denial”. The September issue of Communalism Combat has an article titled, The Bajrang Bomb. “If people don’t like what I’m saying, I respect their right to say so, but I won’t stop,” she says.

September has been a busy month for Teesta. At the time of going to press, she has accused Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena activists of attacking and burning 57 houses in Thane; called for action to be taken against two police inspectors for their role in the attacks on two churches in Karnataka; criticised certain sections of the Catholic order, led by the Bishop of Mangalore, for entering into a compromising agreement with Hindutva groups following the attacks on churches in the region; and participated in a Peace and Solidarity Rally in Delhi.

“It can be taxing, but I’ve always believed that it’s worth doing something only if you do it thoroughly,” she says, and heads back to her cramped office where a team of dedicated workers monitor the news, attend to the constantly ringing telephone, send press releases, and plan their next step. It’s all in a day’s work for Teesta Setalvad.
t_anjali@dnaindia.net