rubyjackass
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2008
- Messages
- 3,610
- Reaction score
- 0
- Country
- Location
Indians express solidarity with Pakistani marchers
By Jawed Naqvi
Sunday, 05 Apr, 2009 | 01:47 AM PST |
font-size small font-size largefont-sizeprintemail share
Human rights activists shout slogans during a protest against militants in Lahore.AFP
NEW DELHI: Groups of activists from different cities in India held meetings and rallies to express their solidarity with protesters in Lahore who staged a march in their city on Saturday against growing terrorist attacks and religious fanaticism in Pakistan.
'We are here to extend solidarity with the Pakistani people, as our neighbour bleeds and falls victim to one terror attack after another, even as US extends its stranglehold in the region, said Radhika Menon of the Delhi-based Forum for Democratic Initiatives during a march at Jantar Mantar, near the parliament.
Saajhi Duniya, a group of gender rights activists in Lucknow, passed a resolution to voice concern at the scourge of religious bigots and terror groups gaining strength in Pakistan.
The groups representative Ms Rooprekha Verma, a former vice chancellor of Lucknow University, sent a message of solidarity to Ms Salima Hashmi, a key organiser of the march in Lahore.
We join the voice of activists of Pakistan against terrorism, Ms Verma said.
Legal rights activist and gender rights campaigner Teesta Setalvad sent a message on behalf of her Mumbai-based group, Sabrang Communications.
She voiced concern at the reported flogging of a young girl by the so-called good Taliban in Swat.
'All the more reason that we must join hands to work harder to check the rising power of barbarism and terrorism.
Dozens of citizens staged a rally in the Indian capital to demonstrate the peoples will to resist and defeat the terrorists.
A statement at the rally said: While Pakistani people have had no respite from terror attacks, the American drone strikes are on in North West Pakistan, clearly violating the countrys territorial sovereignty and bringing grist to terror mills.
The statement slammed the Indian government for having turned down the request of early resumption of the composite dialogue process that was stalled at Indias instance after the terror attack on Mumbai.
Instead, New Delhi has welcomed the new US strategy to fight terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan and sought a role in the US campaign as a responsible power with a stake in defeating extremism.
While the BJP continues on its hard state plank, drumming up communal hatred before elections, the Congress-led government refuses to talk to a bleeding neighbour which is also a victim of terror attacks.
'It also does not wish to let go the opportunity to further harden the hard state and trample democracy on Indian soil on the pretext of fighting Pakistani-inspired terror. But the people of India cannot allow this to go on.
By Jawed Naqvi
Sunday, 05 Apr, 2009 | 01:47 AM PST |
font-size small font-size largefont-sizeprintemail share
Human rights activists shout slogans during a protest against militants in Lahore.AFP
NEW DELHI: Groups of activists from different cities in India held meetings and rallies to express their solidarity with protesters in Lahore who staged a march in their city on Saturday against growing terrorist attacks and religious fanaticism in Pakistan.
'We are here to extend solidarity with the Pakistani people, as our neighbour bleeds and falls victim to one terror attack after another, even as US extends its stranglehold in the region, said Radhika Menon of the Delhi-based Forum for Democratic Initiatives during a march at Jantar Mantar, near the parliament.
Saajhi Duniya, a group of gender rights activists in Lucknow, passed a resolution to voice concern at the scourge of religious bigots and terror groups gaining strength in Pakistan.
The groups representative Ms Rooprekha Verma, a former vice chancellor of Lucknow University, sent a message of solidarity to Ms Salima Hashmi, a key organiser of the march in Lahore.
We join the voice of activists of Pakistan against terrorism, Ms Verma said.
Legal rights activist and gender rights campaigner Teesta Setalvad sent a message on behalf of her Mumbai-based group, Sabrang Communications.
She voiced concern at the reported flogging of a young girl by the so-called good Taliban in Swat.
'All the more reason that we must join hands to work harder to check the rising power of barbarism and terrorism.
Dozens of citizens staged a rally in the Indian capital to demonstrate the peoples will to resist and defeat the terrorists.
A statement at the rally said: While Pakistani people have had no respite from terror attacks, the American drone strikes are on in North West Pakistan, clearly violating the countrys territorial sovereignty and bringing grist to terror mills.
The statement slammed the Indian government for having turned down the request of early resumption of the composite dialogue process that was stalled at Indias instance after the terror attack on Mumbai.
Instead, New Delhi has welcomed the new US strategy to fight terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan and sought a role in the US campaign as a responsible power with a stake in defeating extremism.
While the BJP continues on its hard state plank, drumming up communal hatred before elections, the Congress-led government refuses to talk to a bleeding neighbour which is also a victim of terror attacks.
'It also does not wish to let go the opportunity to further harden the hard state and trample democracy on Indian soil on the pretext of fighting Pakistani-inspired terror. But the people of India cannot allow this to go on.
