Independent People’s Tribunal on Rise of Fascist Forces and the Attack on the Secular State
By Anhad Delhi
About three hundred women and men from different states of India who had confronted communal campaigns and experienced its brutality had assembled in Delhi from 20-23 March to give their testimony to an independent people’s tribunal organized by a Delhi based voluntary organization, ANHAD and Human Rights Law Network. They consisted of people who have suffered mental and physical torture, driven out of their homes and have lost their dear and near ones. The testimonies rendered by them before the tribunal have clearly demonstrated that communalization is on a fast track in the country and a take over of the state by fascist forces is a distinct possibility. They shared their pain and anguish the myriad ways in which communal forces are expanding their sphere of influence, both through propaganda and coercion.
Those who deposed before the tribunal came from 16 states. These included: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Manipur, West Bengal, Nagaland, Jammu & Kashmir. Their depositions were supported by affidavits and documents. These depositions clearly brought out the strategies employed by the communal forces to further their influence both in the rural and urban areas.
Most of these activities led to serious violations of human rights and dignity of women. Although, these atrocities are local specific, there are certain uniform, discernible tendencies. The demon-ization of minorities, both Muslims and Christians, and their consequent marginalization and physical attack has been noticed all over the country. It is particularly important that the states in which the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) is in power like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, this has been quite widespread. The victims of communal aggression have failed to get any help form the state. The role of the police is particularly dubious, as in most cases, the victims were not even able to file FIR. Often it is noticed that the victims are turned into perpetrators of crime. As a result the minorities feel a sense of helplessness. In most states the testimonies indicate that a situation akin to that of Gujarat is developing.
Another unfortunate trend is the ghettoization of the minorities since they feel that they are not safe in the mixed localities they tend to seek safety in the company of co-religionists. This actually increases a fear psychosis. Moreover, it tends to destroy the secular character of social life.
Several other disturbing trends were noticed across the states. Some of these are:
* Systematic clearing or dispossession of lands belonging to the minority communities.
* Communalisation of bureaucracy, especially lower level officials, police and district administration and the injustice faced by the minority communities at their hands.
* The emergence of a clear pattern of activities by Hindutva forces to ferment troubles where there may have been none.
* Inroads being made by Hindutva forces among the oppressed, i.e. the Dalits and the Tribals and the hinduisation of their cultural practices.
* The hurdles faced in advocating justice for the minority communities.
* The criminal justice system in several states appears to be under the influence of Hindutva forces. Consequently we see clear initiatives of false cases being foisted against innocent Muslims and they are being forced to undergo repression behind bars. Also no or inadequate compensation was provided to the victims and medical assistance to the injured was denied.
* Saffronisation is increasingly impacting on economic activity. Ghettoisation through socio-economic boycott renders these communities further vulnerable to other forms of violence.
* The criminal justice system has failed to protect the rights of minorities and has failed to punish the perpetrators.
* The textbooks are saffronised.
* Testimonies underlined an increasing role of religious leaders in communal mobilization.
Several pamphlets with anti-minority propaganda were circulated in different states.
The Jury of the Tribunal consisted of the following: Prof. K.N. Panikkar, Justice Suresh, Justice S.N. Bhargava, Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer, Ali Asghar, Syeeda Hameed, Prof. Akoijam Bimol, Prof. Subhranjan Dasgupta, Nikhil Wagle, Kumar Ketkar, Dr. Sandeep Pandey, Annie Raja, Gagan Sethi, John Dayal, Justice Hosbet Suresh, Vincent Manoharan, Dr. Angana Chatterjee, Dr. K. M. Shrimali, Dr. Ram Puniyani, Henri Tiphagne, Prof. Kamal Mitra Chenoy, Jaya Mehta, Dr., Prof. Purshottam Agarwal, S. Irfan Habib, Sheetla Singh, Uma Chakravarty, Dr. R Vashum, Lalit Surjan.
Tribunal Organized by: ANHAD and Human Rights Law Network (HRLN).
Supported by: Aman Samudaya, AVHRS, Insaaf, Janvikas, Peace, People Research Society, PUCL Rajasthan, Sandarbh, Vikas Adhyayan Kendra