Spandan Docu Theatre

"Istishadi" will have Vishnu Bhagwat in the audience.

Staff Reporter

Where the Ex Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat has concluded his "The Betrayal of The Defense Forces : The Inside Story", Spandan, a member of Indian People's Theater Association, will begin its production "Istishadi" from there itself.

After the success of "Operation Flush" and "16 Millimeter" Spandan IPTA's latest production "Istishadi" will now pull out the mask of that person who was earlier exposed by Tehalka Dot Com, disclosing whose real character had cost the then Chief of the IndianNavy Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat his job.Many are more or less completely aware of what kind of character this person is; those who are not aware of it completely also consider him a dubious character. Vishnu Bhagwat, in his writings, had first bared the person's true self to the nation. He himself will be present to watch Spandan IPTA's "Istishadi" at Rabindra Sadan on October 31. The Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya will also be present in the audience.

More than three and half years it took him, according to Sangram Guha, the Playwright and Director of "Istishadi", to do an extensive research work on contemporary politics, the evils of terrorism and that very person's words, actions and attitudes in this connection to create and produce the drama. "Story could have been written, but we felt that a drama on such a major issue would make more impact on the souls of common men, that is why 'Istishadi'," informed the artists of Spandan. “Istishadi” (Arabic word, means suicide squad) will start narrating its real story keeping Dona in lead.

'Operation Leech 2', the operation launched by Indian Navy against the arms and drugs trafficking terrorist outfits in 1998, the operation that was stopped in the middle at that person's beck, Major Surinder Singh Bedi who was killed in that operation while leading it, Dona was the daughter of him. Dona Bedi. “Istishadi” will try to find out, where is the lady named Farah Anwar now, what has happened to her. It is the story of Farah Anwar that Dona Bedi wanted to inform the nation. That was why, Dona, a lawyer at Delhi High Court, had filed a case in the court of law in October 2002. Surprisingly, Delhi Police arrested her under POTA just three days after she submitted the writ petition to the court to file up the case. After a few days we came to know through various news papers that Dona had succumbed to illness under confinement in Tihar Jail. Let us remember, at that time that very person was holding one of the most important posts in the government.

Had Dona really succumbed to illness? Or in the jail she was ……..

Similarly, it might so happen that on 12 July at 2 a.m. CBI along with FBI officials from U.S.A. had removed Farah Anwar from earth. But as per police record she is still 'absconding'! It was also recorded in the police record, Professor Hassan, a well known professor from Delhi University and a long time researcher on terrorism, was found dead at 2 a.m. on the same date. The newspapers carried a brief mention of this on the next day. But no information was available on why and how did the Professor die! The CBI and FBI officials had raided Hassan's house that night being informed that the 'absconded' Farah was living there. The sleuths of both the countries came to know that one of the calls made by Mohammad Atta, one of the main accused for the attack, before the terrorist attack on World Trade Center on 9/11 was to someone in Delhi and the person was none other than Farah Anwar herself. The call was made on 9/10 the day before the date on which the World Trade Center was attacked. Then from when Farah was absconding?

“Istisishadi” will then disclose the identity of Farah. How she and her six male group members used to operate in Kashmir on behalf of a terrorist group, and how did they finally come to surrender to the Indian army. How the army officers attempted to shoot them right after surrendering their arms, how watching that norm breaking attempt Subahdar Yusuf, the man in charge, shot the officer down in order to prevent him from firing at the surrendering terrorists and how as a result of which Subahdar Yusuf is now confined in the Mental Asylum of Ranchi as 'lunatic' patient after coming under the wrath of the Defense Ministry, “Istishdi” will disclose all these. It will also inform us that though seven terrorists including Farah Anwar could manage to escape on that day by taking the advantage of the situation and six of them were found shot dead later, Farah could not be located. She is absconding since that day. Absconding? “Istishadi” will raise the question.

Dona Bedi knew the answers of these questions. And because she knew, she had to die while being in police custody. But the questions are still burning. “Istishadi” will answer these questions by going to the roots of the events. Will raise a breath taking alarm, for the country, for the countrymen.