Petition seeks support: Anti-untouchability brass coin march from Ahmedabad to Delhi

A petition co-organized by Dalit Solidarity Forum and Hindus for Human Rights has sought wide support for the anti-touchability 1,000 kg brass coin march, which begins from Dalit Shakti Kendra, Ahmedabad district, on August 1, to reach Delhi on August 7. Text of the petition, asking the President to accept the coin to be placed in the new Parliament building:

***

To:
Honorable Ram Nath Kovind, President of India
Honorable Om Birla, Speaker, Lok Sabha
Honorable Venkaiah Naidu, Chairman, Rajya Sabha
Honorable N.V. Ramana, Chief Justice of India
We, the citizens of the world from India and the diaspora, offer our solidarity with the March for an Untouchability-Free India organized by the Dalit Shakti Kendra, Navsarjan Trust, and the Dalit Foundation.
We call on the Government of India to place this one-ton brass coin in the newly-constructed Parliament Building as a reminder of the work yet to be done in order to eliminate untouchability in India.
We wholeheartedly stand in support of the complete elimination of all vestiges of untouchability in India by the year 2047 (the centenary of India’s independence.)
We further pledge to work for an end to casteism and caste discrimination in India as well as in the diaspora.

About the Bhim Rudan March:

The Bhim Rudan (Cries of Dr. Ambedkar) march is taking place from Ahmedabad to Delhi, India, from August 1-7, 2022. This march is jointly organized by the Dalit Shakti Kendra (DSK), Navsarjan Trust, and the Dalit Foundation, Ahmedabad, India.
As part of the march, a one-ton brass coin will travel to Delhi to be handed over to the Indian government to display in the new Parliament building that is under construction. The coin displays the question: “Will the 1947 dream of an untouchability-free India be a reality in 2047?”
This coin etched with the above question was a labor of love made possible by thousands of citizens across India, who contributed their household brass vessels to be melted and cast into this giant coin. The coin shows the face of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on one side and Lord Buddha on the other. Etched around the coin is the word ‘untouchability’ in multiple regional languages.
The organizers of this effort state that "Our wish is that the coin be placed in the newly constructed Parliament House to remind us of the fact that we have failed in building a nation free of untouchability even after 75 years of independence. The glory and pomp of the new house of Parliament will shine only when untouchability is abolished in reality. This was the dream of Dr. Ambedkar."

Supporting the Campaign:

A personal message from Martin Macwan, Convener of Navsarjan Trust and the spirit behind the Bhim Rudan campaign:
“I appeal to all of you to make a financial donation to the Bhim Rudan campaign and to forward this appeal for funds to friends and family. No matter how small the donation is, even if it is 1 rupee, we will appreciate the same. “We have little time to reach out personally to many people and hence, this appeal. At the end of the campaign, we will publicly release a full financial report of the campaign.
“We have with us a replica of the coin (image shown above) in copper, It weighs 72 grams and has a diameter of 60 mm. If you are in India and would like to have it, we will post the same to you for a noble contribution of Rs. 350 including postal/courier charges."
For Indian Citizens: You can donate here.

For any questions, the email ID of Navsarjan is: finance@navsarjan.org.
For Foreign Passport Holders: You may consider making a donation to Dalit Solidarity Forum or Hindus for Human Rights to support their work in the diaspora in fighting caste discrimination and all forms of bigotry.
For any questions on this petition, please contact raju@hindusforhumanrights.org
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Click here to sign the petition

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