Pics: Meryick D'Silva
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (MD)
Mangalore, Jan 31: The district unit of Campus Front of India (CFI) observed Anti-Fascist Day on Thursday January 30 with a candlelight march from MG Road to Mahatma Gandhi statue at Lalbagh.
The CFI demanded that the union government remove the portrait of V D Savarkar hung opposite to that of Mahatma Gandhi in the Parliament.
“Fascism is a belief that the state is more important than the individual. A totalitarian government, through violence and intimidation, will control the people. Information control and censorship are endemic to a fascist state. Indian fascism adopted vicious methods such as riots, authority of caste, religion, national security, and extreme nationalism to remain in power or capture power.
The series of bomb attacks in Makkah Masjid, Malegoan, and many more are game plans fashioned for political gain. Venomous hatred between the Hindus and the Muslims and other communities is the only weapon they have to establish fascistic dictatorship in India. The principle of building society on the pillars of justice, equality, peace, harmony, ethical, and social values poses a great threat to upper caste hegemony in India,” said Mohammed Imran, general secretary, Campus Front of India, D K district.
"It is a shame to the people of India and to this country to have a portrait of a man known for his virulent Hindutva ideology in the Parliament. He was one of the accused in the Mahatma Gandhi assassination case. He never participated in the freedom struggle in the true sense. He led a comfortable life when thousands of freedom fighters were giving up their lives for Indian independence. Godse was his follower," he added.
"But regrettably today fascist agenda has already gained entry in every totalitarian government through violence and intimidation to control the people. Post independence history is replete with systematic attacks on all kinds of religious people and OBCs from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Gujarat to Assam, from Kandhamal to Karavali and from MuzaffarNagar to Coimbatore. Fascist forces and Sangh Parivar want to divide this country again, hence Campus Front of India invitees all and everyone to fight fascism and defend the republic. It must be borne in mind that fascism can never be defeated only through strategy or by political bargaining. Its defeat can be achieved only by isolating it through mass struggle, through proper education and by dismantling the existing system of exploitation and replacing it with a more decent, humane and egalitarian democracy. There can be no short cuts. It is time yet again we buckle up for another freedom struggle, for a new revolution, which, for sure will need sacrifice," stated a press release from CFI.