Social activist S.R. Hiremath said civil society should launch a collective struggle against forces engaged in the plundering of natural resources in the name of economic development.
Mr. Hiremath was speaking after releasing the book Swargakke moore maili at a programme held at the premises of Shivamogga Press Trust on Saturday.
The book is a compilation of articles written by English author Jeremy Seabrook translated to Kannada by renowned journalist Sugata Srinivasaraju and poet Rosy D’Souza.
Socio-economic disparity
Mr. Hiremath said that economic liberalisation has widened the socio-economic disparity and has resulted in unabated destruction of the environment. A sizable chunk of green cover has been lost and the rivers have been polluted owing to industrialisation and illegal mining, he said.
The activist said peace and non-violence were the weapons with which Mahatma Gandhi succeeded in humbling the British and liberating the nation from the imperial rule.
Just as Gandhi mobilised the masses against the British rule, it was necessary to appraise the masses about the ill-effects of economic liberalisation, he said.
No freedom of expression
Referring to the incidents of research scholar Rohith Vemula’s suicide and the charge of sedition levelled against student leader Kanhaiya Kumar, Mr. Hiremath said that these occurrences proved that the space for freedom of expression in society was declining.
Targeting those who raise voices of dissent is uncalled for in a democracy, he stressed.
The programme was organised by Aharnishi Prakashana.
Tirthahalli MLA Kimmane Rathnakar, Mr. Srinivasaraju, Ms. D’Souza and Akshatha of Aharnishi Prakashana were present.
Targeting those who raise voices of dissent is uncalled for in a democracy.
S.R. Hiremath
activist
