Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi (SHP)

New Delhi, Jul 24: Mob lynching taking place in the name of ‘Jai Shree Ram' has created severe tension in the country. An open letter to the Prime Minister of India, was signed by over 49 celebrities. It included people like Adoor Gopalkrishnan, Mani Ratnam, Anurag Kashyap, Binayak Sen, Soumitro Chatterjee, Aparna Sen, Konkana Sen Sharma, Revathy, Shyam Benegal, Shubha Mudgal, Rupam Islam, Anupam Roy, Parambrata, Riddhi Sen to name a few.

The letter asked for putting a stop to mob lynching in the name of Lord Ram as the acts defiled the sole value of the Lord’s name. The letter also mentioned data and statistics of the number of hate-crimes committed in the past few years and also pointed out the atrocities faced by Dalits in 2016.

Further, the letter expressed deep concerns over the inhuman activities carried out by the guilty in the lynching cases. The 49 celebrities who signed the letter demanded non-bailable, exemplary punishment for the accused.

Celebrities like Binayak Sen, director Anjan Dutta and Gautam Ghosh, who signed the letter, also considered it an unfortunate situation where an individual speaking against the ruling government is termed an 'anti-national' or 'urban-naxal.’ The letter also pointed out that interrogation of an individual for opposing the ruling party goes against the constitutional right of freedom of speech. Therefore, it should be noted that dissent for a government does not make an individual anti-national.

The letter ended with a statement which reads, 'We hope our suggestions will be taken in the spirit that they are meant - as Indians are genuinely concerned with, and anxious about, the fate of our nation'.