By TCN News,
New Delhi: On 7 July, Sunday, Mission Bhartiyam organized a solidarity gathering at the India Gate in support of Edward Snowden who had leaked the information that NSA is involved in data mining and stealing data of persons and of countries including embassies without their consent and knowledge.
This revelation has ruptured the reputation of US intelligence for this unethical practice. Snowden had applied for political asylum in approx 21 countries as there is a threat of being prosecuted for this act. Many people in USA are also supporting Snowden. Even at the International level, many organizations and groups of people are in support of Snowden. In India, that had also denied the request for political asylum, Mission Bhartiyam stood for Snowden with a group of youths who support him on the grounds of truth and justice.
Ravi Nitesh, founder of Mission Bhartiyam said, “It is our duty to defend Snowden as he had exposed the truth of US intelligence system. What US had been doing was unethical and illegal. Snowden has done the right thing. We must defend Snowden and we must show solidarity towards him not only to give him moral support but also to encourage all such persons across world who support the truth in all forms and in all situation.”
“India was also one of the targets of the US intelligence system. Thus, it is also our duty to defend him”, he added.
Devika Mittal, another core member of the organization remarked, “Of about 200 nations, Snowden had appealed to 21 nations including India. This shows that he has faith in our country, in our democracy. In such a scenario, if we do not give him asylum, we will be challenging our own ideals. Also, we have given asylum to many political figures in the past, so why not to Snowden?”
They raised placards reading “Snowden is our hero”, “Defend Snowden, defend Freedom” and “Big brother is watching you” and distributed pamphlets among the people present at India Gate.
“We must defend Snowden because he garnered the courage to speak up the truth, even though it was against his own Government. If we do not defend him, we may be discouraging similar voices”, argued V Arun Kumar, member of Mission Bhartiyam.
Prashant Nautiyal, an architect by profession and coordinator in Mission Bhartiyam remarked, “We must see what he did and for whom? And then we will realize that he did it for us, he had put his own life on stake to expose a wrong practice. Now, it’s our turn to decide our stand, will we favor the truth or not?”
Other people in the group were Soumya Prakash, Abhishek Shukla and Kashif from Chatra Vimarsh magazine. The gathering was also joined by many visitors to the monument to support the truth.
Along with the gathering, the group had also drafted a memorandum that will be submitted to the Government of India and the Ministry of External Affairs to take official stand against data mining of Indian establishments including embassy and of people of India. The memorandum appeals to defend Snowden and grant him asylum because:
*Snowden had exposed the truth. He knew the risks involved yet, he favored the truth.
*Snowden had exposed the illegal activities of the intelligence system of US which affects many nations including India. India was one of the targets of the US intelligence system.
*There are hundreds of nations in the world but Snowden had appealed to only 21 including India which shows his faith in our democracy and political system that favours truth and justice above everything. If India does not grant him asylum, it will challenge its own ideals.
*India has given asylum to many political figures in the past so why not to Snowden? Snowden took the risk for us. He favored us.
*The US Government has been violating our rights as well as his by denying him the basic rights to nationality and to seek asylum. We must favor the truth. We must do justice.
*By not defending Snowden, we may be discouraging other such voices who may also have some important revelations.
The memorandum was also signed by some passersby who had joined in the gathering to support truth. However, the police were creating problems even though the gathering was not organised where 144 of IPC was imposed. They were threatening for imprisonment. So because of the pressure of the police, only few signatures were recorded. This memorandum will be circulated in colleges and will then be submitted.