Former Union Minister P. Chidambaram on Saturday said it was time for people to introspect as to how belief in religion has, over a period of time, changed to religious bias, religious exceptionalism, religious arrogance, religious anger, and finally religious intolerance and hatred.
Speaking at an event organised by the Tamil Nadu Platform for People’s Unity Conference here, he said that there were three reasons for religious intolerance among Indians and explained that the Mughal rule, the Partition in 1947 and the Indo-Pak War had had an impact on citizens, especially those in the north. The country had also allowed religion to enter the government, he said.
N. Ram, Director, The Hindu Publishing Group, said that instances of serious violations of police authority had happened with direction from political authority. “Today we expect more from the judiciary,” he added. He spoke about the contrast in the way cases pertaining to journalist Mohammed Zubair and former BJP party spokesperson Nupur Sharma were dealt with.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol. Thirumavalavan said that there was a need to bring together the democratic powers. The Bharathiya Janata Party, he said was not against the Congress but against the entire country. “They don’t want to win elections to serve the people, but want to change the country’s name to Hindustan or Hindu Rashtram. What is stopping them from doing this is the Constitution,” he said.
CPI (M) Polit Bureau member G. Ramakrishnan too urged all political parties to come together to defeat the fascist forces. He then went onto say that fascism was not a force that cannot be won and reminded the audience of how Hitler was defeated.
DMK MLA Inigo Irudayaraj said that democracy was under danger with the fascist government ruling the country in the Centre. “They first told us what not to eat then what not to wear and now what not to speak.” He called for unity among opposition parties, with the aim to save the country, it’s diversity, Constitution and democracy.
An organiser said that those who managed the hall told them to change the name of the event from ‘Stop Hindutva’s March on India’s Secular Fabric’ to ‘Dangers of Communal politics’ since the police had instructed them to do so.
