Hum Bharat Ke Log, an organisation promoting Gandhian values, has launched a national organisation with the involvement of centenarian freedom fighter Dr G G Parikh and the leadership of Tushar Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. The national organisation will focus on what they call the growing crisis of fascism and the threat that authoritarian rule poses to Indian democracy and the Constitution.
The group said the movement was started by social activists who felt the need for a national alternative as the communal and caste situation deteriorated.
In a statement issued on Monday, Tushar Gandhi, Sharad Kadam, Feroze Mithiborwala, Guddi, and Santosh Ambekar from the group said that they felt the need for a national organisation to safeguard constitutional democracy, which they felt was being weakened and demonised. In this dark hour, we believe that we need to take inspiration from our founders and be inspired by them to restore and strengthen our constitutional democracy, enshrining the values of justice, equality, compassion, and fraternity.
The group described the current situation in the country as an ‘undeclared emergency’, with withering of democratic rights and the weakening of institutions created to safeguard our constitutional democracy. They said there was a need to urgently revive the spirit of our freedom movement and win back our nation from what they alleged was the ‘divisive, hate-filled, autocratic ideology of the Sangh’.
The group said that a series of deliberations and discussions led to a day-long meeting in Mumbai on April 19, which was attended by social activists from across Maharashtra. The deliberations were focused and productive. It was unanimously decided to form ‘Hum Bharat Ke Log’, which would be committed to defending the values of the Constitution of India, which evolved from the progressive values of the freedom movement, the group added.
‘Hum Bharat Ke Log’ said they supported the values of social justice, equality, fraternity, and liberty. We are committed to building a secular, harmonious, egalitarian, peaceful, inclusive, and compassionate society. Our objective is to unite the people of India, respect our pluralism & and diversity, and break the barriers of hate that are being created to divide our hearts & minds. We are committed to fighting in a nonviolent manner to safeguard our democracy, the group said in its statement.
