From: Anhad <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Dear friends,
The communalisation of Indian society witnessed during the last two
decades has now entered a new phase. After the election of 2004 the
Communal forces are regrouping and revising new modes to regain the
lost ground and to further their influence. Hate mobilisation against
Muslims and the attacks on Christians are being relentlessly pursued.
The Sangh schools continue to imbibe hate in young minds, through
falsifying history and demonizing minorities. Despite the schism
within the Parivar, the attempts at communalisation , undertaken by
social-cultural organisation is unabated.
The election in the summer of 2004 was no ordinary election. The
people of India realised that its outcome would decisively influence
in many ways the destiny of the nation. This election could either
return and further legitimise, or else reject the band of determined,
highly motivated communal forces that had mounted an unprecedented
assault on and challenge to the secular democratic India.
The Congress-led UPA alliance was catapulted to power by people who
had decisively rejected the politics of hate. The expectation was that
the new Government would recognize the significance of this moment in
our political and social history and that it would take immediate
steps to reinforce the secular democratic future of the country.
Although some steps have been taken particularly in the field of
education, the influence of communal ideology has not been effectively
undermined.
Gujarat still remains a blot on the secular image of India. Even after
four years, little has changed for the survivors of Gujarat. The
legal justice is openly subverted and economic boycott and fear
persists for the victims of the carnage. There is no rehabilitation
package, no measures to secure independent investigation, prosecution
and trial. Life has not improved in any way for the survivors of the
carnage. More than half of those displaced from their homes in 2002
are unable to return, almost four years later.
It was expected, as promised in the CMP, that the UPA government would
bring a legislation to prevent communal violence. The expectation was
that the law would strengthen the hands of citizens by codifying the
mandatory duties of the state to prevent and control communal
violence, and to secure compensation and legal justice. Instead, the
proposed legislation enhances the powers of the state which is likely
to go against the interest of the marginalized groups, particularly in
states where the communal forces control the governments.
For the last few decades, people in different parts of the country are
fighting against great odds to defend the secular fabric of our land.
This battle continues despite changes in governments. Communal parties
like BJP may get defeated in elections, but the strength of communal
organisations like RSS is not affected. In this context it is
necessary to further – the secular forces and organisations.
For this reason, it is proposed to bring together people who care
deeply and are concerned about the survival of secular democracy in
India to meet in Delhi on 26, 27 Jan, 2006.
This meeting is intended to take stock of the communal situation in
various parts of the country, particularly the steps adopted by
communal organisations during the last two years. Through such
reporting we hope to chalk out a future course of action to counter
communal activities. For that we would like you to focus on the
following:
Communal organisations working in your state, both new and old
The nature of communal activities and their strategies
Evidence of violence.
Discrimination against minorities.
Communalisation of Adivasis and Dalits.
Communal influence in education.
Govt support to communal organisations
Minority Communalism
What are the secular interventions. are they successful? If not what
are the reasons
What are the possible modes of secular activities
This meeting would like to arrive at a possible future course of
action for secular interventions and bring into being a network of
communication among secular groups and activists. The meeting would
also explore the possibility of the formation of a monitoring group.
Anhad is a small organization and is approaching a number of
organizations to support the boarding and lodging facilities in Delhi
from the evening of January 25th to the morning of January 28th,
2006. We would appreciate if you could arrange your travel through
your organizations.
It would be absolutely necessary to reach Delhi on January 25th for
those traveling by train as all routes from the station are closed on
January 26th.
Kindly confirm your participation as soon as possible by e-mail/
ordinary post or telephone. If you want to invite someone who is
working on this issue please feel free to do so and ask him/ her to
confirm with us their participation.
Looking forward to two days of very serious and intense discussion.
Sincerely
Prof. KN Panikkar
Harsh Mander
Shabnam Hashmi
"Man's dearest possession is life. It is given to him but once, and he
must live it so as to feel no torturing regrets for wasted years,
never know the burning shame of a mean and petty past; so live that,
dying he might say: all my life, all my strength were given to the
finest cause in all the world- the fight for the Liberation of
Mankind."
Nikolai Ostrovsky
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