Bengaluru, Jan 29: Varthabharathi Editor-in-Chief Abdussalam Puthige said that “the democracy has been hijacked by rich in the country and it should be taken back. Our problems will be solved only through establishing the democratic system in the country”.
Speaking at the screening of documentary ‘Ammi’ and a special lecture in memory of Gauri Lankesh, organized by the Gauri Memorial Trust at the St. Joseph College here on Tuesday, he said that “most of the progressive thinkers and rationalists have been insisting that the government should be dethroned. We are disappointed due to communal government. But is there any alternative to this government? The leaders who identify themselves as the leaders of the secular political parties are not speaking about communalism and fundamentalism anywhere. They are not using the term ‘fascism’.
Those who worship Nathuram Godse are offering floral tributes to Gandhi and give lecture about the Father of the nation. Today we are observing Gauri Lankesh day who was killed by the same Pariwar. We have been celebrating the Republic Day on January 26. But unfortunately, the day remind us of the killing of the hope of an Independent India”, he said.
“The present system and the media have been representing the slavery as boss and covering up the reality. The people are kept under illusion with matters like Ram Mandir, mosque and talaq. We will not fight against the system till we assume ourselves as leaders. Without conflict we will not get freedom and justice very easily. Only conflict would ensure justice and it could be possible only through sacrifice. The justice we get at free of cost would not get implemented”, he said.
In India, just 1 per cent of people have control over 74 per cent of wealth. The number of people who die due to hunger in Somalia, Sudan and Uganda equals the number of deaths in one state in our country. Every day, 19 crore people sleep without food in the country. “Manu Smriti and casteism are the real problems in the country. Till day, untouchability is existing in the society as more than 60-70 per cent people are still practicing it. Around six months back, the first citizen of the country Ramnath Kovind and his wife have also experienced the wrath of casteism. Unfortunately, the government has initiated inquiry into it after three months, which shows the intensity of casteism” he said.
In India, media has not remained as an independent entity. Globally, India is in 138th position in terms of independent media sector. The media which was supposed to be the mirror to the society has been shattered. Those who have control over the Parliament, Constitutional system and political parties have been controlling the media sector too. They do not want to make money out of it. But they want to control the entire society, he said.
Rationalists Prof Babu Mathew and Nagaragere Ramesh, Trust member VS Sridhar, advocate Balan, JNU student Najeeb’s mother Fatima, Gauri Lankesh's sister Kavitha Lankesh and others were present.
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New Delhi (PTI): Multiple layers of barricades have been set up and a large number of police personnel deployed on roads leading to the BJP headquarters here in view of opposition INDIA bloc's protest on Friday against the arrest of AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Besides police personnel, those of paramilitary forces have also been stationed at many places in Central Delhi, including on the DDU Marg and around the ITO area.
Kejriwal, who is in the Enforcement Directorate's custody, was arrested by the agency on March 21 in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday had said members of the bloc will demonstrate against Kejriwal's arrest as well as on the electoral bonds issue at the BJP headquarters on DDU Marg.
The INDIA bloc has been formed by some opposition parties, including the AAP, the TMC, the Congress, the DMK and the SP, to counter the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls.
The Delhi Police said prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which bars large gatherings, have been imposed at the DDU Marg and its nearby areas.
"Barricades have been put up and security personnel will stop protestors from going towards the DDU Marg," a police officer said.
The AAP has been holding protests for the past week following the arrest of its convener.
Police said the road leading to the BJP headquarters from ITO and Minto Road is open but if required it will be closed.
The INDIA bloc has also announced a mega rally at Ramleela Maidan on March 31.