Dalits, Lingayats and others come together to condemn burning of the Constitution

Speakers hold right-wing organisations, led by RSS, responsible for the act

Activists belonging to different organisations protesting against the Sangh Parivar at Jagat Circle in Kalaburagi on Sunday.

Members of different Dalit, Lingayat, women and cultural organisations that came united under the banner of Forum of Progressive Organisations staged a demonstration at the Jagat Circle here on Sunday condemning the burning of a copy of the Constitution at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. The leaders who spoke at the agitation site squarely held right-wing organisations, led by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), responsible for the miscreant act. They also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “deliberate silence” over the incident “as usual”.

“It was the Constitution that created space and opportunity for ordinary people such as Mr. Modi to become Prime Minister. After assuming power, he is now keeping silent even when his own party and its supporters are making attempts to destroy the Constitution. He should break his silence and speak up against such vandalism,” State vice-president of Janwadi Mahila Sanghatan K. Neela said, during the agitation.

Unleashing a fierce verbal attack against right-wing forces for their attempts to “impose singular Hindutva culture over India’s multi-cultural society”, she asserted that India belonged to everybody cutting across religious, political, ethnic, linguistic and other cultural identities.

“We don’t allow RSS-led Sangh Parivar’s efforts to destroy India’s harmonious social fabric and impose Manuvadi hegemony over the vast majority of the toiling masses,” she said.

Recalling right-wing organisations long tradition of opposing the Constitution, Vittal Doddamani, a senior Dalit leader, called upon the masses to pose a stiff resistance to the Sangh Parivar’s efforts to replace the equality-based Constitution with inequality-based Manusmriti.

“The major reason for the Sangh Parivar’s repulsive opposition to the Constitution is that it is aimed at achieving equality, harmony and social justice, the values that the Sangh Parivar is opposed to. Their previous attempts to change the Constitution failed thanks to the powerful resistance by the oppressed masses and progressive thinkers. Their similar future attempts will also meet the same fate as the people have now become more aware. However, the sword of Damocles will hang over India’s head as long as these regressive forces are active. The only way to get rid of the threat is to get united and fight them democratically,” he said.

Malleshi Sajjan, Nagesh Kolli, Mustan Biradar and other leaders were present.