Those trying to subvert the unity of India should understand that the Indian is secular by instinct, said former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi.
Speaking at the launch of the Tamil Nadu Platform for Peoples’ Unity and Chennai Citizens’ Forum, Mr. Gandhi said some sections were promoting religious fundamentalism because they had failed to solve the problems of poverty and unemployment.
“Money and violence are used to keep the poor in fear. We have to defeat violence and money power. Election is a leveller,” said Mr. Gandhi.
Carnatic musician T.M. Krishna said the ideology that promoted religious fundamentalism had started spreading in schools and colleges. Pointing to the attempts made by religious fundamentalists to create polarisation in Tamil Nadu over the past few years, Mr. Krishna said it was a cause for concern.
Writer S. Ramakrishnan said the target of religious fundamentalists was to mislead the educated people in the country. “Such ideologies have been spread in towns and cities,” said Mr. Ramakrishnan.
Frontline Editor R. Vijaya Sankar noted that many journalists had been threatened by religious fundamentalists. “They are scared of the written word,” said Mr. Vijaya Sankar.
Participants stressed the need for promoting unity among all the sections of society.
The Tamil Nadu Platform for Peoples’ Unity has been launched to create awareness among all sections of society on the problems of religious fundamentalism and the need for freedom of expression.
