Skip to main content

Civil society, Opposition plan anti-saffron "Chalo Lucknow" show on May 10,160th anniversary of 1857 revolt

The 1857 Siege of Lucknow, as seen by Thomas Jones Barker
By Our Representative
Several civil society organizations, in alliance with opposition parties, such as Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, the two Communist parties, Rashtriya Janata Dal, and Janata Dal (United) are likely to come together for a show of unity against saffornization on May 10 in Lucknow to commemorate the 160th anniversary of the First War of Indian Independence of 1857.
The decision of the programme, likely to begin on May 5, culminating into a rally on May 10, was taken recently at a civil society meeting in Delhi, where activists agreed that it was necessary to break the alleged apathy towards the manner in which hardline Hindutva votaries are taking over reins of power in the country, as seen in Uttar Pradesh slipping in the hands of Yogi Adityanath.
The meeting decided, to quote one of the participants, to “give a clarion call that recalls the glorious days of the First War of Indian Independence and reaffirms resolve to fight to preserve and save India and Indians and the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution against oppression of all forms.”
Prominent persons who participated in the meeting, which took place after holding consultations with political leaders, included well-known intellectuals and social activists Apoorvanand, Harsh Mander, social activists Jaya Sharma, Sehba Farooqui, Maimoonah Mollah, MJ Vijayan, Avijit, Rajeswari Raina, Madhuresh Kumar, Zakir Husain, Shabnam Hashmi, and others.
The meeting was told that top social activist Teesta Setalvad has already held discussions with civil society activists regarding planning of the programme, which would be called “Lucknow Chalo”, in different cities, including Lucknow, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Patna, Saharanpur, Kolkata, etc.
The political leaders contacted included Sharad Yadav (JD-U), Sitaram Yechury (CPM), Ahmed Patel and Raj Babbar (Congress), Sudhindra Bhadoria (BSP) and Ghanshyam Tiwari (SP), and Manoj Jha (RJD). While CPM, JDU, RJD and Congress agreed to participate, SP and BSP said they would get back after talking to their leaders.
Setalvad separately held consultations with civil society organizations such as Bhoomi Adhikar Andolan, National Alliance of People’s Movements, National Committee on Dalit Human Rights, Saajhi Duniya, Uttar Pradesh Jan Manch, Bana Rahe Banaras, Savitribai Phule Samiti, National Trade Union of India, Quraishi Jamaat, Safai Karamchari Union, and others.
The programme in Lucknow is likely to begin on May 5, and would include seminars and cultural events on issues such as including defence of rights, breaking the silence, silence of the majority community, attack on Muslims, attack on the rule of law, subjugation of minorities, attacking young couples, attack on the idea of India, freedom of speech, constitution, democracy, and women.
During the meeting, Apoorvanand, professor of Hindi literature at the Delhi University, said, “We must say loudly that Muslims are being attacked and it’s not acceptable. Participation of Muslim groups is a must.”
Harsh Mandar, bureaucrat-turned-activist, added, “There is silence of the majority, some are with them, some apathetic and some afraid, and majority must break this silence.”
Farmers’ leader Vijayan said the focus should be to Talibanisation of India, with emphasis on how the RSS wants to break and divide India.” The meeting decided that there should be gathering on the last day, May 9, with the participation of 5,000 people, as it is “important to break the silence and atmosphere of fear.”
The slogans discussed sought to address issues such as how “goon squads were taking law unto their own hands, killing in the name of what one eats and what one wears; lynching fellow Indians because of what they trade and eat; and attacking young men and women because they choose to be friends, or enter into relationships”, said a source.
It was decided that the Lucknow programme would pledge “resolved to ensure that there is justice for all, social, economic and political; liberty of thought, expression, faith, belief and worship; equality of status and opportunity; and above all to promote a sense of fraternity that assures the dignity of the individual.”

Comments

TRENDING

Insider plot to kill Deendayal Upadhyay? What RSS pracharak Balraj Madhok said

By Shamsul Islam*  Balraj Madhok's died on May 2, 2016 ending an era of old guards of Hindutva politics. A senior RSS pracharak till his death was paid handsome tributes by the RSS leaders including PM Modi, himself a senior pracharak, for being a "stalwart leader of Jan Sangh. Balraj Madhok ji's ideological commitment was strong and clarity of thought immense. He was selflessly devoted to the nation and society. I had the good fortune of interacting with Balraj Madhok ji on many occasions". The RSS also issued a formal condolence message signed by the Supremo Mohan Bhagwat on behalf of all swayamsevaks, referring to his contribution of commitment to nation and society. He was a leading RSS pracharak on whom his organization relied for initiating prominent Hindutva projects. But today nobody in the RSS-BJP top hierarchy remembers/talks about Madhok as he was an insider chronicler of the immense degeneration which was spreading as an epidemic in the high echelons of th

Central pollution watchdog sees red in Union ministry labelling waste to energy green

By Chythenyen Devika Kulasekaran*  “Destructors”, “incinerators” and “waste-to-energy (WTE) incineration” all mean the same thing – indiscriminate burning of garbage! Having a history of about one and a half centuries, WTE incinerators have seen several reboots over the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. 

First-of-its-kind? 'Eco-friendly, low cost' sewage treatment system installed in Gujarat

Counterview Desk Following the installation of the Unconventional Decentralized Multi-Stage Reactor (UDMSR) for sewage treatment, a note on what is claimed to be the  first-of-its-kind technology said, the treated sewage from this system “can be directly utilized for agricultural purposes”, even as proving to be a “saviour in the times of water crisis.”

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Indo-Bangla border: Farmers facing 'illegal obstacles' in harvesting, transporting yields

  Counterview Desk  In a representation to the chairperson, National Human Rights Commission, human rights defender Kirity Roy, who is secretary, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), has said that Border Security Force (BSF) personnel are creating "illegal obstacles" for farmers seeking to harvest their ripened yields and transport them to the market in village Jhaukuthi of Cooch Behar district.

'Flawed' argument: Gandhi had minimal role, naval mutinies alone led to Independence

Counterview Desk Reacting to a Counterview  story , "Rewiring history? Bose, not Gandhi, was real Father of Nation: British PM Attlee 'cited'" (January 26, 2016), an avid reader has forwarded  reaction  in the form of a  link , which carries the article "Did Atlee say Gandhi had minimal role in Independence? #FactCheck", published in the site satyagrahis.in. The satyagraha.in article seeks to debunk the view, reported in the Counterview story, taken by retired army officer GD Bakshi in his book, “Bose: An Indian Samurai”, which claims that Gandhiji had a minimal role to play in India's freedom struggle, and that it was Netaji who played the crucial role. We reproduce the satyagraha.in article here. Text: Nowadays it is said by many MK Gandhi critics that Clement Atlee made a statement in which he said Gandhi has ‘minimal’ role in India's independence and gave credit to naval mutinies and with this statement, they concluded the whole freedom struggle.

Wasteland, a colonial legacy, being used to 'give away' vast tracts to Ratnagiri refinery

By Fouziya Tehzeeb* William D’Souza, a 55-year old farmer from Kuthethur, Mangalore, was busy mixing cattle feed when we arrived at his doorsteps. Around 25 km from the bustling city of Mangalore, Kuthethur is a lush green village with thick vegetation. On the way to William’s house the idyllic view gets blocked by the flares and smoke arising from the Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL).

CAA disregards India's inclusive plural ethos, 'betrays' ideals of freedom struggle: PUCL

Counterview Desk    "Outraged" at the move of the Central government to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA 2019) weeks before the election, the top rights group, People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), has demanded that the law be repealed. 

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Invincible, Modi 'taller' than BJP, RSS: An opportunity for Congress beyond 2024?

By NS Venkataraman*  With the announcement of poll schedule for the 2024 parliamentary election, there is palpable excitement and expectation amongst the countrymen  about the shape of things to happen in India after the  results of the election would be announced. There is also speculation abroad about the future course of developments in India.