Press Release, photos and facebook video from People's March in defence of the republic - 30 Jan 2016 in New Delhi

PRESS RELEASE

March in Defence of Democracy

New Delhi, 30 January 2016:

Thousands of people from diverse backgrounds marched from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar giving a clear indication that their voices cannot be throttled. On the 68th death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, over 67 organizations, campaigns and movements representing youth, Dalits and Adivasis ,religious minorities, sexual minorities, Dalits, the homeless, disability groups and others came together to speak in one voice against the growing attacks on the Indian republic incidence of caste and religious discrimination, farmer’s suicides , attacks on freedom of expression, saffronisation of education, attacks on adivasi women by security forces , article 377, religious intolerance and abolition of dissent.
This is a first time such a diverse set of people’s groups and associations had marched together, shoulder to shoulder to honor the spirit and letter of the Constitution and assert the solidarity across class, caste, gender and disability. And more importantly to expressing collective concern on the many assaults we are witnessing on the basic values of our Constitution; of freedom, justice, equality and fraternity, and our resolve to defend our republic.
While the Dalits led the march, farmers from Mewat led by Ramzan Choudhry carried a huge banner of Rohith Vemula.
Justice Sachar, Purshottam Aggarwal, Ramsharan Joshi, Dilip Simeon, Harsh Mander, Apoorvanand, Annie Raja, Seema Mustafa, Noor Zaheer, Amit Sengupta, Rituparna Borah, Anil Panikkar, Navaid Hamid, Aditya Narayan Misra, Achin Vanaik, Pamela Philipose, Minakshi Singh, Iqbal Ahmad, Shabnam Hashmi among many others were present at the march.

The march culminated in a vibrant cultural programme at Jantar Mantar, celebrating and representing diversity. .
A statement signed by over 400 people was released.
For more information please contact Shabnam Hashmi 011-41670722/ 9811807558

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see signed statement calling for this People's March at: http://www.sacw.net/article12331.html

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Photos from the People’s March in Defence of the Republic (New Delhi 30 Jan 2016)

http://www.sacw.net/article12344.html

see Facebook video:

https://www.facebook.com/vishrut.aggarwal/videos/1120797077972985/