Skip to main content

Youth in Bhopal say they want to vote Modi, as they "haven't heard" the secular narrative

By A Representative
Senior human rights activist Shabnam Hashmi, known for her anti-Modi slant, has regretted that youth in Bhopal have not heard the "other narrative" on why BJP shouldn't in these elections. Talking with a group outside a sweet shop, when she asked whom do they want to win, the immediate "reply was Modi".
"I spoke to them for 15 minutes. I got their attention within 2-3 minutes. They listened. I could see on their faces they had never heard another narrative", Hashmi said in a recent Facebook post. Bhopal is witnessing a keen battle between Malegaon terror accused Sadhvi Pragya Thakur from BJP and veteran Congress stalwart Digvijay Singh.
Hashmi, who is known to have campaigned against BJP, especially Modi, ever since the 2002 Gujarat riots, admitted, "I have maintained since 2002 secularism has not failed. Our reach has failed. We are too small a numger to counter RSS propaganda."
Recalling that her organization, Anhad "held camps from 2003-2014 reached out to thousands of young people, encouraging them to think to love and not to hate", Hashmi said,
"Modi and RSS knew it very well that they had to strangulate this work so the moment he came we had a Home Ministry enquiry, followed by income tax and followed by another Home Ministry enquiry."
She said, "Not able to find anything they renewed Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), only to be cancelled soon with one line.. 'your work is not in the interest of the people'." She added, "Making people think and question of course in their definition can not be in the interest of the people."
According to her, therefore, "If a new government comes the major task will be to educate a large section of the population into rational, scientific thinking, logic and teaching them to rise above hate. A movement of the size of the literacy movement is required... The struggle against hate and for peace and love must continue."

Comments

Post a Comment

TRENDING

Kutch water crisis deepens: Bhuj lost 54 of its 82 lakes; pastoralists migrate first time since 2018

By Rajiv Shah   A comprehensive new report by Homes In The City (HIC), a Bhuj-based civil society programme, has revealed that despite late monsoon rains easing Kutch's immediate drought conditions, the region faces a deepening water security crisis — with Bhuj having lost more than half of its historic lakes and pastoral communities forced to migrate for the first time since 2018.
Post a Comment
»

From a cowshed to a home: How Mangaltai's Palawi gives HIV-positive children a second life

By Dr A.V. Yadappanavar *  In a small village called Takli, not far from the temple town of Pandharpur in Maharashtra, there is a home where children who were once abandoned because of their HIV status now find food, medicine, education, and something even rarer — love without fear. The home is called Palawi, and it was founded in 2001 by Mangal Shah, affectionately known as Mangaltai, a social worker who could not look away from children rejected by their own families.
Post a Comment
»

Eva Marie Saint: One of the last survivors of Hollywood’s Golden Age

By Harsh Thakor*  Eva Marie Saint, one of the last surviving stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age of the 1940s and 1950s, died on October 6, 2026, at her home in Los Angeles, aged 102. Her life and work embodied grace, intelligence and timeless artistic sensitivity. Few performers bridged so many chapters of entertainment history while bringing such extraordinary depth to their characters.
Post a Comment
»