Supreme Court lawyer and human rights activist Prashant Bhushan came down heavily on the BJP government at the Centre for its “blatant denial of the secular nature of the country.”
Delivering the M.P. Veerendrakumar commemoration address on the topic ‘Majoritarianism and secular state: compatible concepts’ in Kozhikode on Sunday, Mr. Bhushan said the Central government was sabotaging the very founding principles of the nation by supporting one particular religion and promoting communalism.
“The BJP claims that this is a Hindu nation where Muslims have no right to live or vote. Churches and mosques are burned down regularly, and the minorities are suppressed through claims of Love Jihad and fake encounters,” he alleged, adding that the government was open in its hatred and bias against Muslims even while granting citizenships.
“Equality, liberty, justice, and fraternity, all are in danger. So are scientific temperament and free thinking,” Mr. Bhushan said, pointing out the changes made in school curriculum.
He alleged that the judiciary, media, police, investigation agencies, universities, and even the Election Commission have been compromised in different ways by those in power. “They are interfering with the appointment of judges so that independent judges are not posted. The media has been brought under control by not giving them government advertisements, luring them with money, and harassing them to the extent of submission. Thus many have turned into ‘Godi Media’ [lap dogs]“, he alleged.
Mr. Bhushan said India was going behind in all developmental indices including poverty and media freedom. All fundamental values mentioned in the Preamble of the Constitution had been sabotaged, he said, urging the youth of the nation to enter the fray to retain the life and livelihood of the nation.
“The BJP may lose 200 seats in the next Lok Sabha polls, but they have been successful in spreading toxicity in the minds of a majority of people,” he said.
