People's Democracy

THE all India meeting of street theatre activists strongly condemns the state sponsored genocide of Muslims in Gujarat. The genocide in Gujarat is not over. Far from the Narendra Modi government's claims of having contained the violence within 72 hours, the fact is that over a month after the Godhra killings, the carnage continues. What is crystal clear is that this carnage was pre-meditated, pin-pointed, and well-planned, and not a natural reaction to the terrible atrocity of 58 people, mostly women and children, being burnt to death on the Sabarmati Express in Godhra.

The fact that Muslims and their properties were selectively targeted, the fact that the police not only colluded in the killings but often participated in them, the fact that ministers of the state government have been seen leading the killers, the fact that a month after the carnage began neither compensation nor rehabilitation of the victims is being carried out, all this proves that the BJP government is guilty of genocide. The BJP-led central government has provided patronage to the Gujarat government and given it a clean chit. This is the true face of the sangh parivar's fascist agenda of the Hindu Rashtra. It also provides a glimpse of what is in store for the rest of the country if the fascists are not stopped.

The truth of the Gujarat genocide must be known all over the country. April 12 is National Street Theatre Day. The all India meeting of street theatre activists resolves to carry the truth about Gujarat to all parts of the country and appeals to all democratic sections of the people to join us in observing April 12-19, 2002 as 'Combat Communal Fascism Week'.

Theatre Activists to Confront Communal Fascism (click here for Report on All India Meeting of Theatre Activists)