CITIZENS’ CONCLAVE
25-27 May, 2018
CONSTITUTION CLUB
NEW DELHI
Highly
perturbed by the growing violence, attacks on women and girls,
atmosphere of hatred across the nation, attacks on dissent, further
marginalization of Dalits and minorities, attacks on educational
institutions; realizing the danger to our shared heritage, pluralism and
diversity, a few friends got together and constituted a group ‘ India Inclusive’
to safeguard not only the shared heritage, collective consciousness but
also to protect the idea of an inclusive India. This India of our
dreams is forward looking and free of fear. This inclusive India has
existed for many centuries; it welcomed diversity with open arms. This
India has encouraged and produced diversity of religion, ethnicity,
language, habits, practices and ideas, by building a compassionate,
peaceful and nonviolent cultural ethos.
Today
we very strongly feel that the idea of this inclusive India is under
sever threat. The divisive forces have contaminated all spaces of
thought and expression. Hate and fear looms large. The democratic
structures through which a common citizen expresses
her/his aspirations and fulfills her/his dreams are under intense
attack. We have learnt from the experience of neighboring countries,
once these structures are allowed to crumble, nations pay huge prices to
rebuild build them. We cannot be complacent and allow the forces of
hate to grow on our soil and convert the subcontinent into a cauldron of
intolerance.
There
is no dearth of examples, where countries build on hatred towards,
ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities, economically and socially
weaker sections have been torn apart. We fear that fascist forces today
are pushing this land on that path. With a sense of urgency we rise to
call upon all peace loving citizens of the country to come together and resist the onslaught on the Idea of inclusive India.
India Inclusive is an informal open platform; it will network with citizens ,
who want to preserve the constitutional values and it will strive to
build resistance against the forces of hatred. India Inclusive strongly
believes in safeguarding our Constitution in its letter and spirit. At
the present political juncture, the attack on the democratic rights is
vehement. Rise of hatred and revenge crimes have been fanned by well
designed and motivated right –wing forces.
Citizens Conclave is
guided by the vision of reclaiming and realizing the idea of an
inclusive India: an India that necessarily includes and respects all of
our country's immense diversity of cultures, faiths, languages, peoples
and communities - all held together, and mediated, by the core
constitutional idea and values of citizenship, the touchstone of democracy.
It’s
time to realize that the might of organized political forces of
prejudice and hatred must now be confronted by the sovereign rights and
might of democratic citizenship enshrin
Taking forward the deliberations, India Inclusive plans to organize similar conclaves in many other cities in the coming months. We also urge the fraternal organizations to organize similar conclaves in other parts of the country on their own initiative.
The Citizens’ Conclave is non- funded and is being organized on contributions from individuals.
