Secular Organizations Come Together to Fight Communalism And Increasing Violencein Madhya Pradesh

By John Anthony
Bellevision Media Network

Bhopal, 27 March 2012: Rashtriya Secular Forum (RSF), held two days meeting at NITTTR Mani Memorial Hall, Bhopal, which roped in forty two Non- Governmental organizations working for Dalits, Women and Minorities. They have decided to fight violence let out against the weaker sections.  Isai Mahasangh and People’s Research are the main partners which collaborated with RSF to organize the meeting.

 
Forum Convener L S Herdenia said, “In the recent times incidents of rapes, violence against Women, Minorities and Dalits have increased in Madhya Pradesh. We have decided to make a core team to take up issues related to them. We have created a helpline to extend support to people who are facing troubles.”

 

 
The meeting was addressed by former senior Government officers including Director General of Police SK Dillan, Man Daima IPS, Bageerath Prasad IAS, M N Buch IAS and secular activists, Ram Puniyani, Irfan Engineer, John Antony, Yogesh Diwan,  Deepak Butt, representing faith based organization, Fr. Anand Muttungal and Dr. Mubarak presented their views along with them Dalit Rights Activist Adv. Milind, women right activists Sandhya Shaily, Dr. NB Ruhi, Safiya Akhtar etc too spoke on the occasion.

 
Fr. Anand Muttungal said, “ Isai Mahasangh has asked the RSF to organize a state wide conference on the issue of religious conversion and the accusation of forced conversion, we will also be inviting the fundamental organizations too. We will definitely expose the political agenda of these organizations. In Madhya Pradesh fundamental organizations are hand-in-glove with the police to tarnish the image of the Christian community of forced conversion. It is to be noted that they disrupt the prayer meeting and arrest people accusing attempt to convert people into Christianity.”

 
The organizers said that we have decided to launch a state core committee to monitor and help the organizations working for the rights of minorities, women and Dalits. We have brought them together under one platform. We will also associating many organizations in the coming days.

 
 We will talk to political parties with secular ideologies to come together to face the communal political organizations and their allied organizations. We will also be launching a state wide campaign to make the Central Government to bring the Communal Violence Controlling Bill which was promised in the 2004 elections by the Congress Party. The meeting also decided to hold meetings in all divisional head quarters and district head quarters.

 
One of the main organizers Deepak Butt said, “Like previous times as the election comes near more violence will be taking place in Madhya Pradesh. We are getting ready to make people aware of  the evil designs of communal forces which is against women, dalits and minorities.

 
It is the first time the secular organizations are coming together under one platform.