TCN News
Hundreds of people belonging to several activist organisations staged a massive demonstration on July 16, Sunday. The rally started from Ramlila Maidan and reached Jantar Mantar.
Participants in the rally carried placards condemning attacks of the Modi government on different sections of people. The rally participants declared that through united efforts, they will put an end to the growing attacks on minorities, Dalits, workers, peasants, women and others fighting for their rights.
The rally was organised by Lok Raj Sangathan, Social Democratic Party of India, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, United Muslim Front, Communist Ghadar Party of India, CPI (M-L)-New Proletarian, Citizens for Democracy, Welfare Party of India, Association for Protection of Civil Rights, Sarvahara Patrika, Students Islamic Organisation of India, AIFTU (New), South Asian Human Rights Documentation Centre, Purogami Mahila Sa ngathan, National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations and many others.
The purpose of the rally was to bring together all sections of people whose rights are being violated by the Indian state and its institutions.
Speakers at the rally vigorously condemned the attacks on different sections of people. Press note from the organizers said,”In the name of protecting religious identities, innocent Muslims are being lynched by mobs. Minorities are being targeted based on what they eat and how they appear or dress. Dalits are subjected to barbaric caste oppression and attacked brutally when they raise voices of protest. Labor rights are being severely curtailed while the Modi government goes about inviting the biggest monopoly houses to invest in India, to “Make in India”, promising them “ease of doing business”.”
It further said, “Peasants are being driven to bankruptcy and suicide because of withdrawal of state guarantee for procurement of their produce at a minimum support price providing reasonable returns to run their families. Students in various universities are being targeted for raising their voices against injustice. Atrocities against women are increasing day by day. The people of Kashmir are being brutally silenced because they demand the withdrawal of armed forces.”
They pointed out that people are completely marginalized in this political system. Other than the right to vote they have no mechanisms to select and elect the candidate of their choice, recall their representatives if necessary, and initiate legislation that protects their rights.
Speakers said, “Modi government acts in the interests of big monopoly houses just as its predecessor governments. It is strengthening India’s alliance with the ruling classes of US and Israel who have violated the sovereignty of people and caused untold suffering to people in many countries of West Asia and other regions. It is taking India on a dangerous course at the behest of big business houses and foreign monopolies, who want to continue increasing their wealth, gravely endangering peace and security in this region.”
Many speakers pointed out that both BJP and Congress polarize the people to create vote banks. One party is called ’secular’ and the other is called ’communal’, but they are two sides of the same coin. They both claim they are working for the people, but in reality they work to implement the policies of the biggest corporate monopolies.
Activists from different organisations vowed to unitedly oppose the attacks on people with the motto “An attack on one is an attack on all”. They declared that mere change of government cannot change the present state of affairs because the root cause of all problems is the present system and state institutions. Only the empowerment of people can pull our country back from the brink of disaster.