'My respects to the victims of all failed movements!' – Sara Joseph cautions against fascist regimes

Thrissur: Acclaimed writer Sara Joseph stated that it was the people themselves "who were creating autocrats without questioning, correcting, or threatening them."

She was delivering a keynote speech at the conclusion of the two-day seminar titled Sara Joseph’s Worlds, a reflection on her life and work.

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In her speech, Sara emphasised the need for resistance against fascist forces and the importance of empowering voices of dissent. "By staying silent, we allow fascist powers to grow. When there is no force of correction from the outside, power will be centralised. A people's movement is never futile. Whether the struggle succeeds or fails, it creates awareness and a mindset," she said.

She also recalled the Suryanelli case, mentioning how the victim was blamed for all the wrongs during the time of the incident. "The change in that mindset is evident now. The transformations brought about by movements in various sectors are clear," she added.

"I offer my respects to the victims of all the people's movements that have failed," Joseph continued. "In a strange house, when a girl is crying alone in the corner, how can we sleep peacefully? I have been listening to their voices," she stated, reflecting on the pain of the marginalised.

The event was chaired by Professor Kusumam Joseph, the convenor of the organizing committee. Other notable speakers included Telugu writer Volga, Rafeeq Ahammed, C.V. Balakrishnan, C.P. John, M.P. Surendran, Sheeba Ameer, Najma Thabsheera, Cherian Joseph, and Naiju Ismail.

V.D. Satheesan praises Sara’s political insight

Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan, who inaugurated the seminar, spoke highly of Sara Joseph’s political acumen. "Sara teacher is more political than someone like me, who is the opposition leader," he remarked, underlining her influence in both literature and politics.

"Life and writing are one and the same. Some people take them in parallel, but for others, they are intertwined. In Kerala, communalism is like a fire that has spread uncontrollably. Autocrats are cowards. It is the brave who resist," Satheesan stated.

Minister K. Rajan, who presented a gift at the seminar, remarked that when the Left goes astray, it must first be criticised without mercy.

The event served as a powerful reflection on the social and political issues faced by the country, with prominent figures discussing the role of literature and activism in challenging autocratic regimes.