Ideological change can bring communal harmony: seminar

(Ahmedabad Newsline
July 23, 2006)

Ideological change can bring communal harmony: seminar
Express News Service

Ahmedabad, July 22: AN ideological change among people is what is needed to bring in communal harmony and peace in society, said speakers at a seminar held at Gujarat Vidyapeeth on Saturday. The seminar was organised by volunatry body ANHAD (Act Now for Harmony And Democracy) to observe the 60th year of martyrdom of Vasant-Rajab, the Hindu-Muslim duo.

Vasant and Rajab were killed on July 1, 1946 in a communal riot that had flared up during that year’s Rath Yatra. They were trying to save Hindu, Muslim and Dalit families when they lost their lives.

Advertisement
ANHAD, which works to promote democracy, secularism, justice and peace, is also planning other programmes this year to commemorate the 60th year of the duo’s martyrdom. At the seminar, the speakers spoke on topics like communalism, communal harmony, intolerance and secularism.

Shabnam Hashmi, an activist with ANHAD, said: ‘‘This programme is our effort to bring in an ideological change among people about not only what happened in 2002 but also about universal hatred and intolerance. There is no magic wand to do that; the change will come only over a period of time, say a decade or two.’’ In his speech, Father Cedric Prakash, of NGO Prashant, said that people need to stop pestering each other over their religious identities and should instead recommit themselves to communal harmony. ‘‘Reclamation and reforms should be demanded and protected from the fascist leaders,’’ he said.

Hiren Gandhi, another speaker, said that the fight was now not only against communalism but also against fascism.

‘‘The freedom of expression has been literally snatched from us by government. If Aamir Khan says nothing about dam’s height and only on rehabilitation of the villagers, what wrong is he doing? If a celebrity like him is tried by banning his film, a layman stands nowhere,’’ said Rakesh Sharma, a film-maker.