Chandigah : Association For Democratic Rights Punjab, unit Chandigarh/Mohali today organised a seminar on Democratic Movement of Punjab: History, Roll and Challenges at Ajay Bhawan in sector 21 A, Chandigarh. Dr Parminder Singh former professor Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar and state Committee member of Association for Democratic Rights Punjab presented his views about the importance of democratic rights movement in the growing threat of fascism and religious fundamentalism in India.
Issuing the press note AFDR unit president Advocate Mandeep and press secretary Advocate Amandeep said that the growing threat of fascist and fundamentalist trends, increased attacks on press, democratic intellectuals, tribals and religious minorities all over India present a dire need of strengthening the democratic movement all over the country.
The current attacks on the News Click media channel, imposition of UAPA against press reporters show that the Modi led BJP government is intolerant to any opposition or voice of dissent against it. Addressing the gathering Dr Parminder Singh said that Punjab’s democratic movement has a glorious history of fighting against the oppression of state and fundamentalist forces.
The growing crisis of the state pushes it to resort more and more on fascist and fundamentalist tactics to divide and suppress the growing people’s unity and struggle. In Punjab, the Modi government is trying to create the threat of Khalistan to strengthen its Hindu vote bank all over India and to break the unity of people especially of Punjab and Harayana which was achieved during the great farmer’s agitation against three black laws.
The growing attacks on tribals, Muslim religious minority and democratic movement intellectuals demands a strong opposition from the democratic forces. He gave a call to all the democratic forces and people to unite to protect democratic rights of people and to defeat the fundamentalist and fascist forces.
The gathering passed resolution to condemn the violence in Manipur and demanded the dismissal of Manipur government and to punish the real culprits of this violence. The gathering also condemned the fundamentalist violence in Mewat and Harayana state government’s partial approach to target Muslim community, raids,arrests and implication of UAPA against News Click media channel owners and reporters.
The gathering passed resolution to condemn the Israel attack on Palestine people and to support the struggle of Palestinian people for the protection of their homeland. Professor Manjit Sharma, teacher’s activist Yashpal, advocate Amarjit Singh, AFDR state Committee member MasterTarsem, and professor Ravindera Nath Sharma also addressed the gathering. AFDR general secretary Manpreet Jas conducted the stage during the seminar.
