People's Alliance for Democracy and Secularism - An Appeal to Democratic Citizens and Organisations of India
An Appeal to Democratic Citizens and Organisations of India
from People's Alliance for Democracy and Secularism
Democracy in India is facing a grave threat. The BJP
government and organisations allied with it are violating every principle of
constitutional democracy. Their strategy
is to keep society on a boil through a continuous barrage of fake allegations
and vilification campaigns against selected targets, and create an atmosphere
of suspicion, hatred, fear and widespread violence.
Their assault on the Indian constitution is at three levels:
1./ Public discourse is constantly poisoned with communal
propaganda. Ministers, MPs and MLAs of the BJP make open threats against Indian
Muslims. The latest piece of poison is jingoistic nationalism and the branding
of all opponents of the RSS as traitors to the nation.
2./ The BJP/RSS is willfully degrading constitutional institutions
and democratic norms. After the tragic suicide of Rohith Vemula, a scholar of
Hyderabad Central University, due to institutionalised victimization, state
intelligence agencies have been asked to prove that Rohit was not a dalit. The
Delhi police have foisted cases of sedition on elected student representatives
of JNU on what appear to be trumped up charges. Muscle-men in lawyer’s robes
have brazenly attacked journalists and other citizens in full public view, and
assaulted the JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar inside court premises whilst
policemen watched. Some of the attackers are known for their proximity to the
Union Home Minister, who has been exposed using fake tweets to associate
student activists with terrorists.
3./ The family of Hindutva organizations is assaulting democracy
via the open use of violence against convenient targets. It is doing so under
state protection, which is now being extended to controlled mobs organised by
the ruling dispensation. Students and teachers of one of an internationally
respected central university have been physically assaulted by a mob of
lawyers. Similar assaults have taken place in other cities. In Chhatisgarh,
activists such as Soni Sori have been physically attacked. Members of the
Jagdalpur Legal Aid team, who work on protecting Adivasis from illegal
detention, have been forced to wind up.
The BJP government and media houses pliant with the RSS have
declared an open war on all democratic voices in the country. Besides religious
minorities, new social groups have been added to their list of targets.
Students and universities are under attack; their right to mobilise against
state policies, and debate issues of mass concern are under threat. Radical
Dalit groups who refuse to conform to aggressive Hindutva ideology are under
vicious assault. Democratic-minded
intelligentsia are under threat to prove their 'patriotism'.
All people and organisations who support democracy need to
co-operate in the struggle against the diabolical plans and practices of the RSS-led
Modi government. We must understand what we are faced with. Fascism has always
been based upon a degree of mass support. In the 2014 elections Mr Modi managed
to convince a significant number of youth and disaffected sections with his
promise of prosperity. Now that the economy is faltering, the countryside
ravaged with years of neglect and drought, and there are no signs of the
millions of promised jobs, the RSS ‘parivar’ is resorting to its familiar dirty
tricks, and doing so with full state support. Their plan is to isolate
religious minorities, radicalised Dalits, and liberal and progressive elements
of workers, youth and the middle classes.
The mobilisations against Hindutva have to be broad based.
Democratic principles that emphasise citizenship rights of all Indians have to
be publicised far and wide. Apart from those directly affected by the RSS
campaigns of vilification and violence, it should also include broader masses
who suffer from economic deprivation and social oppression.
Democratic forces need to ensure that the agenda of public
discourse and action is not set by the RSS. Their authoritarian agenda for the
Indian people must be exposed politically. Hindutva is driven by prejudice
against Dalits and affirmative action. Its aggressive and homogenized Hindu
identity is also directed against Adivasis, whom it insists on naming vanvasis
(forest dwellers). It is also directed against those Dalits who want to
establish a cultural identity outside the caste system.
Neo-liberal economics and politics have benefitted small
section of Indians, while disempowering and pauperising masses of ordinary
citizens. India’s economic agenda should be determined by the problems faced by
Indian masses, not by the hate-filled and divisive politics of the RSS.
Democratic forces should try to transform the current crisis
in Indian democracy into an opportunity. Popular democratic consciousness is
the only permanent antidote to fascist politics. This consciousness should
include an appreciation of the fundamental rights of every citizen, recognition
of the oppressive practices of the Indian state in J&K and the North-East,
and an awareness of the injustice and oppression prevalent in our society. No
citizen or community can claim rights only for themselves, and remain
indifferent to, or violate the rights of others.
PADS appeals to all democratic citizens, student bodies,
women’s rights groups and organisations of laboring people in India to come
together for a principled fight against the RSS/BJP government. Above all they
must be alert to the constant threat of communal violence and do their best to
counter communal propaganda, be it in the name of any religion or community
whatsoever.
PEOPLE’S ALLIANCE FOR DEMOCRACY AND SECULARISM (PADS)
Email: info-pads@lycos.com
Telephone contact: Srinivas Rao 09393875195
