People's Democracy

ORGANISED by Lok Morcha at Bari Chaupar in Jaipur, May 30, a huge rally emphatically declared: No Gujarat in Rajasthan! Thousands of people from across the state including the border district of Ganganagar, and belonging to Lok Morcha parties like the CPI(M), CPI, Samajwadi Party, Janata Dal (Secular) and Jan Kranti Manch, participated in the rally. The attendance of women and the minority people in large numbers was noteworthy. Adivasis rendered unemployed by Gujarat riots and women rendered homeless in border districts also came in strength.

Dressed in their traditional attires representing the composite culture of Rajasthan, the rallyists held aloft flags and carried placards and banners with slogans against communalism.

Addressing, Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh blamed both the BJP and Congress for the deteriorating situation in the country. He said the Congress played a dubious role in the Babri demolition. The opportunistic alliances forged by the BJP at the centre and in UP have led to severe decline in morality in public life.

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury launched a scathing attack on the BJP and Congress. He said while fighting against terrorism backed by outside forces, a struggle had to be fought against the enemies within, a struggle against communalism. He accused the central government of creating war hysteria and communal frenzy. It was speaking in different voices on issues concerning national security. He said the Sangh Parivar activists had murdered thousands of minority people and indulged in loot and arson. The BJP-led union government had created a war-like situation in South Asia in order to achieve its narrow objectives. Yechury said the events in Gujarat were no communal riot but a war against the minorities. The administration not only remained inactive but also openly aided and abetted the rioters. He demanded immediate dismissal of Narendra Modi.

Yechury said the BJP that had promised freedom from fear, hunger and corruption had miserably failed to govern the country. It had created fear amongst the minorities, people even from the majority community were going to bed hungry while government godowns are full of foodgrains, and there is corruption at every level of government. He said the NDA government must be ousted in order to save the country. But the people are fed with the Congress also, as it had failed to fulfil the people’s aspirations or stand up to the challenge of communalism. On the contrary, Congress governments were implementing anti-people policies. The Gehlot government in Rajasthan was unable to undo the saffronisation of education carried out by the BJP.

CPI national secretary Atul Anjan said there is no place for terrorism in a democratic, civilised society, adding that no single religious community could thwart the dangers of communalism, fundamentalism and terrorism. He accused the BJP government of distorting history and said that a third alternative based on a positive programme was the need of the hour.

Other leaders to address the rally included state CPI(M) secretary Vasudev, state SP president Pandit Ram Kishan, state CPI secretary Tara Singh, CPI(M) MLA Amra Ram, Arjun Detha (Jan Kranti Manch), Ram Avtar Ghuja (JD-S) and Kori Moinuddin (Rajasthan Muslim Front).

The rally urged the people to strengthen the third alternative so as to save the nation from the BJP and the Congress. It said the formation of Lok Morcha was a beginning in this direction. It is not a mere electoral alliance but will organise struggles against communalism and also against the anti-people liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation policies.

On this occasion, Yechury released three posters published by the SFI’s Rajasthan state committee and also an audio cassette for sale.