Appeal of Citizens For Democracy to UP electorates
Your state is in the midst of an important
election of our time. The forces of communalism and authoritarianism are at
work to destabilize the country and destroy the secular fabric of the country.
If these forces led by Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh and Bhariya Janata Party
win the elections, they will be
emboldened to take such steps which may grievously injure the Indian democracy.
The Citizens for Democracy, which was founded
by esteemed Jaipraksah Narayan and led by late Justice VM Tarkunde in a recent
meeting presided over by eminent journalist Kuldip Nayar and attended by
Justice Rajinder Sachar, Professor Arun Kumar and journalist Shastri Ramchandran
observed that kind of politics being practiced in Uttar Pradesh is the
extension of what is being done at the centre. The BJP-led government has been
systemically destroying democratic institutions by such steps like abolition of
Planning Commission, appointment of RSS activists at premier academic
institutions, enactment of anti-workers’
legislations and encouragement of anti-minority discourse on issues like
cow-protection and triple talaq.
The BJP has not made it secret of
advancing its communal agenda by giving
tickets to those who are facing criminal charges in cases of violence against minorities.
The meeting observed that recent
steps of the governments also points to a grave political situation leading to fascism.
The meeting resolved that demonetization of the old currency notes of
rupees 500 and 1000 value was taken resort to flouting all rules of
procedure resulting into large scale of loss of jobs and immense economic
hardship to vast sections of poor and marginalized sections. It is
obvious to all that this decision was the figment of imagination of one man.
Corruption and black market continue to grow. The so called
‘surgical strikes’ have failed to achieve the professed objectives.
The Prime Minister appears to have no qualm in replacing the image of the
Father of the Nation with his own image in Khadi calendars. The chief of
the Army has been appointed by passing the time- honored rule of seniority
to suit the design of the ruling dispensation. The Prime Minister has
been repeatedly voicing his desire to amend electoral laws so that
elections to the States and the Centre could be held simultaneously, a
dangerous move, to which there seems to be no response. Principles
of secularism are ridiculed and rabid Hindu outfits are
marching with more determination to achieve their objective of
imposing an Hindu Rashtra on the people. Minorities and
dalits are living under fear. Many other dark clouds seem to be in the
offing. There appears to be no one in the ruling party to have the
courage to stand up and point out to the Prime Minister that his
whims and fancies are in contrast to the democratic ethos of the Indian
Constitution.
The CFD appeals to the people of Uttar Pradesh to vote
against such forces so that the country could be saved from the imminent disaster.
