Dear Friends - Syeda, Harsh, Urvashi, Asok Vajpayi, As someone who spent many many days, nights, which turned into months and years ,deeply immersed in the original NEM - and the myriad activities and initiatives that grew out of that experience - I can only say I am delighted to hear of the second coming of Nagrik Ekta Manch. It is certainly an idea whose time has come - and regardless of whether one is physically in Delhi or not - am totally with you all and this initiative in spirit and in action .
What is going on with this ruling Hindutva project is as sinister as it is so systematically conceived and executed. And it will call on all our collective imagination, will and commitment to fight it. Ramu, was like an anchor for me from afar during those times . Although he was commanding the Eastern Naval Fleet, he totally supported my work in the Relief camps. And, more importantly , encouraged me in my decision to testify at the Ranganath Misra Commission, despite the many many voices from friends and colleagues in the service, who advised me not to do so, as this could spell the end of the Admiral's career. He joins me in wishing this launch and this endeavour all the energy and strength it needs going forward. Nagrik Ekta Manch Zindabad Lolly/Lalita Ramdas from Alibag. On Tue, Dec 9, 2014 at 5:36 PM, kiran shaheen <[email protected]> wrote: > All are invited > > LAUNCH OF NAGARIK EKTA MANCH , a platform of individuals, organisations > and institutions for Justice and Peace & RELEASE OF A REPORT ON THE > COMMUNAL SITUATION OF DELHI > By Syeda Hameed, Ashok vajpeyi, Harsh mander and Urvashi Butalia > > 10 DECEMBER,2014(WEDNESDAY),10.30AM > IWPC,5,WINDSOR PLACE,NEW DELHI > > On November 14, 2014 some of us responding to communal conflagrations in > parts of Delhi - > - notably Trilokpuri, Bawana, Ghonda, and Madanpur Khadar -- called a > meeting of concerned citizens , groups and organisations while tensions > still prevailed. The narratives that came forth at this meeting made it > clear that communal violence was set deliberately to simmer in the city as > Delhi's assembly elections were announced . This is in tune with the recent > trends > during general and assembly elections which were turned into offensive > exercises in communal polarisation. > > Concerted efforts to stoke hatred were reported from various localities > across the city and communal violence threatened to rage. Assorted > community based activists, teachers and students, and other concerned > citizens rushed to respond in whatever way was feasible for them -- holding > dialogues with community members where tension prevailed, informing and > pressurising the city administration, the minorities commission and the > police into action, standing guard with the community members for stopping > violence from further spiralling, providing legal and medical aid to those > affected by it. The fire-fighting was not futile. While these mitigation > efforts were uncoordinated they did have some positive impact. > > While fire-fighting is the need of the hour, we realise that a longer > range view of the situation is needed. Nagrik Ekta Manch is one such > broad-based and coordinated effort towards countering the serious > challenges. > > From the narratives in the report it is evident that we are faced with > communalism in power. > We deduce that these processes are being utilised to produce a > Hindutvisation of public spaces and the public sphere. Communalism in India > has entered a new phase and we feel an urgent > need to understand the uniqueness of this ruling Hindutva communal > project. > Thus, the approach adopted in defending the secular character of our > public sphere and polity must be well-considered, multi-pronged and strong. > Many of us as individuals or as part of civil society organisations are > already responding to these challenges. Nagrik Ekta Manch is a coming > together of all these efforts by groups, organisations and individuals in > Delhi. The chosen name of the forum symbolically gesture at the spirit of > civil society response to the 1984 Sikh > > Massacres in Delhi which had coalesced under the same name. > > NEM resolves to act as a platform for organisations and individuals > working in Delhi and surrounding regions against communalism, for justice > and peace. For practical reason while the Manch is limited to groups and > individuals active in Delhi, we recognise that Delhi’s position as the > capital city of the country has historically been leveraged to make all > kinds of strategic and symbolic moves. This position puts Nagrik Ekta Manch > too at a symbolically important position. > > On 10 December, International Human Rights Day, we are meeting at the IWPC > to announce the formation of NEM and also release of a report put together > on the communal situation of Delhi. Do come and spread the word, invite > others to join this campaign. > > Warmth and Peace, > *Kiran Shaheen* > *FIND WHAT YOU LOVE AND LET IT KILL YOU - Bukovski* > > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "humanrights movement" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > . > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/humanrights-movement. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "humanrights movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/humanrights-movement. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
