This interview you can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiSc-LykhHc
Presenter: That is a lonely struggle which Sreeja is undergoing in Kerala.
Another similar struggle is going on. Anand Jon is in jail in America since 5 years. Anand Jon's family members are in India asking questions why he was trapped like this by some people.
Back ground voice of presenter:
Fashion designer Anand Jon who has been in jail for more than 5 years is world famous. Previously he gained fame by his achievements. Today he is a man sentenced to 59 years in jail due to rape cases. His family says that he was trapped by women who followed him around to grow in the modeling industry.
Sanjana Jon:
We also went to America from India to live the so called "American dream". Anand was just out of high school at that time. I have never seen anyone so dedicated, with so much direction at that age. At the age of 16 itself he entered into fashion, he was a very good artist. In America, there were not many Indians in the fashion industry. When Hurricane Andrew came there, he made T-shirts by himself, sold it on the streets and made 5000 dollars. He was only studying in school at that time. He started a small company with that money. He studies at the Parson School of Design, which is one of the top of the top school, he double majored and topped his course and pased out from that school. Normally the fashion industry is domnated by French or Italian designers, or you have to be from a Jewish background. But we are not French or Italian, we are from a typical Malayali family. In 2006, the company was getting funding from Wall Street. At that time itself, a conspiracy started against him. This happened in 2007 March. The cover of Newsweek in January 2007 featured Hillary and Obama. There was only 1 fashion designer featured inside, and that was Anand, it was not an Italian guy or a French guy. So we can see what a targeted attack it was.
Shashi Abraham:
It has been 5 years and 7 months since Anand has been jailed there. It is very difficult to hold on for so long. I think it is by sheer will power that he is holding on. Same for me and Sanjana too, if we do not hold on, Anand does not have anyone else to fight on. He has suffered a lot. He once wrote a letter from jail, in which he say that he doesn't think he will get justice. Similarly when I think about life I say, it is a risk every day lying inside the jail, we cannot say who will attack us, we do not know what is going to happen, but we have surrendered everything to God.
Presenter:
Many American women made complaints, and investigations were held in many American cities. They say that all of these were plots to trap Anand.
Sanjana Jon:
Right, whoever committed a crime should be punished. No one is saying that they should be let off free. But the crime should be proved, shouldn't it? When the rape kit, medical evidence is negative how can such a person be punished. When a person who has passed the polygraph, lie detector test, how can you punish him for 59 years? If our government does not question it then who will question it? 10 people might lister when I and my mother speak, but they don't have the power to go and question, but it should be questioned, because what happened with us should not happen with another family.
Shashi Abraham:
If a prominent lawyer with a conscience comes and takes up this case, there is no doubt that Anand will win this case, becase the truth is on our side, all the evidence is in our favour. But we need someone to present it in such a way in our favour. But he should think like a human being, not as an American.
Sanjana Jon:
All these girls are just like extras in a movie. They followed Anand from one place to another, because they were seeking to get some publicity in the media whenever our show or event was taking place. Anand's mentality was that whoever can be helped, however they can be helped if we do not suffer any loss in it, if they can get some publicity or media hype, then let them get it. After that, they even came to India with us. They came with us to India years after they said they were assaulted by Anand. So you are going with your rapist's family to the rapist's country after you say you have been raped! Where is the sense in this?
Shashi Abraham:
This is not just for Anand, this should not happen to anybody, especially to one of our citizens. Anand is an Indian citizen. He went to America to study. He made a name for himself there. Anand Jon was a pride of our country. Can't we correct this? Can't we do anything about this? We can do a lot! Let our state rise up and question it, let our leaders speak to them! Why can't they bring him to an international court? Otherwise let them deport him here. I can stand and fight here.
Back ground voice of presenter:
It will not be easy to bring Anand Jon to India. India cannot question judgments of American courts. But still we should see if anything can be done through diplomatic relations.
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