Come One, Come All

Please join in large numbers to register a strong protest against the government’s clampdown on peaceful demonstrators in the wee hours of 5 June, reminiscent of the Jallianwala Bagh incident of 13 April 1919 when British troops had opened fire on innocent citizens. The difference this time was the use of lathis instead of bullets, but the intention of the authority was no different. In either case, there was neither provocation nor a sound threat perception.

Even otherwise the government has been using repression to curb dissent and muzzle the voice of civil societies demanding change and a better system of governance. Demanding a strong Lokpal Act or retrieval of black money from tax haven countries cannot be deemed provocation in a country that prides of its democratic traditions. We seize this opportunity also to take strong exception to some ministers’ resorting to slander to malign the movement of India Against Corruption, and their effort to stupefy civil society members of the Lokpal Bill Drafting Committee and finally deliver nothing.

Betraying total lack of sincerity to improve the state of the nation, the government, instead of redressing grievances and trying to meet people’s legitimate demands, has preferred to run down civil societies employing devious means.

Such attempts include the attempts to malign the messengers of change and not allowing people to protest by imposing Section 144 at vantage points in the city.  Let us march silently, holding placards, with our mouths tied in black cloth, from Rajghat to the office of the National Human Rights Commission this 18 June.

Route: Rajghat, Ambedkar Stadium, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Tilak Marg, India Gate, Copernicus Marg.

Time: 5 pm

This is a call to all thinkers, artists, athletes, scientists, writers, poets, journalists, teachers, corporate sector heads, actors, activists and other eminent citizens of the country to stand by the side of the hapless, distraught, oppressed and brutally suppressed lot that is looking up to you for moral support in this dark hour of India’s democracy.

Come one! Come all!