South Asia Citizens Web

Presentation Ceremony Praful Bidwai Memorial Award, 2017 to Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti (MANS) [MANS, Maharashtra Blind Faith Eradication Committee] Date: June 23 (Friday), 2017 at 18.00 Hrs. Venue: Multi-Purpose Hall, Kamla Devi Complex, India International Centre, 40, Max Mueller Marg, New Delhi

The Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) is shocked and dismayed to receive the judgment of the Munsif Magistrate Court, Kishengarh, Ajmer convicting senior activists Nikhil Dey, Naurti, Ram Karan, Babulal and Chotu Lal Malakar of trespass and simple hurt under sections 323 and 451 of the IPC. The judgment comes on 13th June 2017 in an incident which took place on 6th of May 1998.

We are a group of retired officers of All India and Central services of different batches, who have worked with the Central and state governments in the course of our careers. We should make it clear that as a group, we have no affiliation with any political party but believe in the credo of impartiality, neutrality and commitment to the Indian constitution. A sense of deep disquiet at what has been happening in India has prompted us to write this open letter to chronicle our reservations and misgivings about recent developments in the body politic. What has gone wrong?

In March 2001, six months before September 11, the Taliban destroyed the famous Buddha statues in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, calling them idols and therefore unIslamic. They cared little about the heritage or culture of Afghanistan. In 2015, the soldiers of the so-called Islamic State in Syria destroyed hundreds of invaluable sculptures from Roman times in the ancient city of Palmyra, because they found them unIslamic. The world was aghast at such savagery. Is Bangladesh on the way to becoming such a country?