Over 500 organizations to commemorate Gauri Lankesh on Sept 5, mark third anniversary of her murder
'If We Do Not Rise' campaign to protest against injustice, attacks on Constitutional rights
Bengaluru: Over 500 organizations that include women’s groups, civil rights organizations, and others from across the country will come together and launch a national campaign to commemorate slain journalist Gauri Lankesh on September 5, which marks the third anniversary of her murder.
The campaign will be launched against injustice and targeted attacks on people’s constitutional rights. The campaign has been named ‘Hum Agar Uthe Nahin Toh (If We Do Not Rise). The launch of the campaign was announced in a press conference on August 27, where activists and representatives of several organizations added that it would include both ground and online protests.
“The growth of fascist and neo-liberal forces in the country, and the resulting rise in violence in society, has deeply impacted the lives of women and members of the LGBTQIA communities. Attacks on religious minorities have created an atmosphere of fear and insecurity” the organizers of the campaign stated in a press release.
In the press release, the organizers also added that in the wake of anti-CAA protests and subsequent riots in Delhi, instead of arresting leaders who made hate speeches inciting violence, women, and people who worked for the unity and peace were being arrested and incarcerated.
“These are urgent times so we have to come together and protect India’s Constitution and democracy,” said Kavita Krishnan, secretary of the All India Progressive Women’s Association and CPI-ML senior leader.
“The government is moving fast to change the India we know. If we look at the National Education Policy, it is bringing graded inequality,” Krishnan added.
“There have been moves to dilute laws to protect women in the name of mitigating COVID-19 revealing the anti-women attitude of the regime,” the organizers stated.
Speakers observed that women and queers had been at the forefront of the movement to protect the Constitution of India. This campaign too was an initiative to safeguard constitutional principles and values.
The program will circulate videos on various issues and conduct live sessions on social media, exhibit artwork online, and also submit citizens’ memoranda to local authorities on the issues faced by the people of the country.
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Bridge portion collapses on Jammu outskirts; 3-4 labourers feared trapped, 1 rescued
Jammu (PTI): A portion of a small bridge collapsed in the Bantalab area on the outskirts of Jammu city on Friday, trapping at least three to four labourers under the debris, while one injured worker was rescued, official sources said.
Authorities have closed the road link following the collapse of the portion of the bridge.
The incident occurred when labourers were carrying out repair work on a retaining wall near the bridge that was damaged in last year's flash floods, the sources said.
According to the sources, a section of the bridge suddenly gave way, burying workers engaged at the site under the rubble.
Police, Army and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams launched rescue operations to extricate those buried under the debris. They pulled out one injured labourer and shifted him to a hospital, the sources said.
Family members of the labourers present at the site said around six workers engaged at the site at the time of the incident came under the debris when the structure collapsed. The family members said while two of the labourers managed to escape, four got trapped.
The sources said those trapped included the husband of a woman labourer, a mason, an unmarried labourer and a relative of the contractor.
There was no official confirmation on the exact number of persons trapped under the debris till the filing of this report.
The rescue operations are ongoing.
