India: Marches organized to protest violence on Muslims

By APD writer Rishika Chauhan

NEW DELHI, June 29 (APD) - Meetings and marches were organized in many cities across India on Wednesday, to protest against the instances of violence against peopling belonging to the Muslim community.

The protestors gathered in major cities of New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kolkata, to stress on the secular spirit of the country. In many cities the protesters called their movement “ Not In My Name ”, stressing that they desist violence against Muslims, perpetuated by right-wing Hindu groups and cow-protection vigilantes.

Many people from Delhi’s neighboring provinces of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh also joined the on-going protests in Delhi.

Speaking to those gathered, Saba Dewan, a filmmaker who helped in spreading the message that helped in organizing the protests said, “We are laying our claim as Indian citizens upon this country. We are outraged at the attacks on human life, human dignity at the systemic violence unleashed on minorities.” She stressed, “This is not the India we want.”

In Delhi more than 2,000 people gathered at Jantar Mantar, even as it rained heavily. Meanwhile Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has been criticized for not speaking sternly against violence on Muslims, also took a firm stand.

Speaking at Sabarmati Ashram in the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat province, he said “Killing people in the name of cow is unacceptable. No one has the right to take law into his/her hands. We belong to a land of non-violence. Violence is not the solution to any problem.” He added that Mahatma Gandhi, who is considered as the Father of the Nation, would be saddened about such instances.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)