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Rally and Public Meeting to Save Secularism and Democracy, Bangalore 6 October 2008

by karnataka komu souharda vedike, 5 October 2008

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Dear Friends,

• 25th November, 2007: In Balupette village, Hassan district three Christians severely beaten by Hindu fundamentalists. About twenty Hindu extremists stormed a worship service at Christ Vision Church in Balupette village. They threatened the congregants and chased them away. After burning the Bibles, the extremists then dragged out two pastors, C.J. Joemon and C.J. Jojo, and another congregant, G. Anil, to the junction half a kilometer away. They stripped them, tied them to a pole and beat them. When police arrived, they took the three victims to the police station and charged them with ’forcible conversions’. They were also initially refused medical aid. The two pastors were later released on bail. No action is known to have been taken against the attackers.

• January to March 2008: Arbitrary arrests and illegal detention of around 100 muslim youth in Hubli, Hampi, Bangalore and many other parts without any bases whatsoever followed by custodial violence unleashed on them. Even after the arrests, no due process of law was followed causing severe mental and physical harm to these individuals and their families.

• 14th September, 2008: 14 churches attacked in one day in Dakshina Kannada, Udipi and Chikmangalur districts. Planned and almost simultaneous attacks resulting in injuries to pastors and believers as well as damage to church property including desecration of statues of Jesus.

We urge all those who inhabit this state to stand up against these unconstitutional violent attacks meted out in the name of religion. It is only by coming together as citizens that we can assert pressure on the central and state governments to take relevant action at the earliest to punish the propagators of violence, maintain law and order and protect communities whose everyday lives are threatened. It is only by coming together can we resist the attempts at infusing hatred into all our faiths and breaking down the very spirit of peace in all of these religions and in the spirit of this nation.

Come together to

  • Condemn communal violence!
  • Oppose propagation of hatred in the name of religion!
  • Urge the governments to take requisite action NOW!

Medha Patakar, Brinda Karat, Shabnam Hashmi, Ghirish Karnad, Ravivarma Kumar many other dignitaries Accepted to join us and addressing the rally.

Date :-06-10-08, Time :- 1-30 afternoon, Rally Inagurate
- Public Meeting: Jakkaraayana Kere, Bangalore at 3.p.m
- Place: Govt Arts College Grounds, Near Mysor Bank Circle. Bangalore

Please come and join a rally and public meeting to show our strength and to Show our unity against growing communalism.