People's Democracy

New Delhi, April 17: Thousands of workers, writers, artists, theatre personalities, singers, and social and political activists, assembled near Parliament House today, gave the call for the dismissal of the Narendra Modi government in Gujarat and announced intensification of agitation till he was removed. What was called the beginning of a long drawn battle by the People’s Front, began soon after Parliament was adjourned on the Gujarat issue for the third consecutive day.

At the rally, speaker after speaker castigated the BJP government for trying to take political mileage out of communal riots in Gujarat for electoral gains, and called for an all-out offensive against the communal and fascist forces.

The rallyists constituted a virtual microcosm of cosmopolitan Delhi and the neighbouring areas. Artists with pictures of the Gujarat carnage, students with banners and buntings, teachers, mothers carrying their children, and some factory workers marching with banners saying "Save Gujarat – "Save The Nation", and "Godse in the land of Gandhi" , "Stop Holi of Blood", "Arrest Modi and others".

Despite the heat it was a big and colourful turnout of the People’s Front. Senior Front leaders including Mulayam Singh Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Harkishan Singh Surjeet CPI(M), A B Bardhan (CPI) and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda (JD-S) accused the BJP government in Gujarat of conniving with communal and fascist forces to give a clean chit to Mr. Modi.

They also attacked prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for making ‘oscillating statements’ regarding minorities and on what had happened in Gujarat, making statements and later denying them.

The rally was part of a nationwide campaign launched by the People’s Front to mount pressure on the government for Modi’s ouster. The leaders decided to intensify their agitation and said they would meet soon to chalk out future strategy.

CPI(M) general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet came down heavily on prime minister Vajpayee and the BJP for giving a clean chit to Mr. Modi and recommending early election in Gujarat. Mr. Surjeet cautioned that the battle against communalism would not be easy or short, but could call for many sacrifices and struggle.

What has happened in Gujarat was unprecedented he said and here was a government which was actually justifying the carnage that took place for electoral benefits. He said that as recent assembly election showed the BJP has lost its base among the people, it was dividing the communal divide in the country hoping to make a political mileage out of it. In his usual style Mr. Surjeet said the People’s front will carry on the struggle for peace and communal harmony. "Even the British Government could not make us bow before it".

People’s Front convenor Mulayam Singh Yadav lambasted the BJP government for showing samples of fascism, inhumanism and barbarism in Gujarat and striving to form a government in UP unconstitutionally and targetting press persons in Gujarat too. Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav said the developments in Gujarat had put a question mark on India’s secular image at the international level. The Vajpayee government did not pay heed to even the concern expressed by the National Human Right Commission. The People’s Front, will carry the fight to the streets he said.

Janata Dal (Secular) leader Deve Gowda said it was a matter of great shame that even when the members of minority community were languishing in relief camps in Gujarat, the BJP was keen on holding elections to capitalize on the situation. He urged all secular forces in the country to join hands to throw the ‘fascist government’ at the centre out of the power. Mr. Deve Gowda said that in its national executive at Goa, the BJP had once again publicly embraced ‘Hindutva’ which had been its main plank in the past.

CPI General Secretary A.B Bardhan too called for intensification of struggle against the Modi Government. Among others who spoke were noted Gandhian Nirmala Deshpande, Forward Bloc MP Debabrata Biswas and Manoj Bhattacharya (RSP) also condemned the centre for not dismissing Modi.

A highlight of the rally was the virtual sea of red flags specially those of the CPI(M), CITU, and other mass organisations interspersed with touching pictures of the people of Gujarat.

There are reports of dharna’s and demonstrations from other parts of country too. There was a sit in demonstration in Guwahati attended by leaders of the CPI(M), CPI, JD(S), RSP demanding dismissal of the Modi government.

From India News Network (INN)