The National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) has decided to observe December 10, 2018 as Jashn-e-Samvidhan in order to "celebrate" dissent and resistance. Giving reason, NAPM, calling for widest possible support for the event, says, "Our country is currently being ruled by an extremely conservative and communal government."
Planned on the occasion of 70 years of International Human Rights at Parliament Street, New Delhi, it adds, "Institutions of governance are being weakened systematically and independent institutions are under stress from the ruling government to bend their laws in their favour."
Pointing out that 70 years ago, on December 10, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted and initiated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), NAPM statement says, "However, human rights are being threatened and violated across all countries, at a time when rapidly developing nations should have aided welfare instead of destroying it."
It adds, Water bodies, forests and land are now battlegrounds where the state fights its citizens to death. Industrial corridors and unplanned real estate transactions have created a forced migration crisis within the country, fueling xenophobia and triggering massive pogroms against specific communities."
NAPM further says, "The Constitution declares India as a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic, it assures its citizens justice, equality and liberty and promotes fraternity. The entire emotion behind the drafting of this constitution is being attacked today, with specific outrage against the secularism and freedom that it offers to its citizens."
"Hence", it says, it becomes even "more important to remember the tone of the very first UDHR, recall its inception and to celebrate the resistance of those who have fought to maintain it since then."
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