2021 Chairman’S Message
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
2021 Chairman’s Message For a diverse nation like India, to thrive and progress the most essential values required are freedom, justice, and equality before the law, and tolerance towards those who are dierent from us in terms of faith, culture, language, or customs. Immediately after we were relieved of the brunt of colonial occupation, our ancestors envisioned making our country a secular, democratic republic with a constitution that guarantees fundamental rights and equality before the law regardless of all these dierences. Though we were a struggling democracy all through, we had the hope that striving together, we could create a bright future. However, it is no secret anymore that we have long abandoned what our ancestors had envisaged and have embarked on a journey in the opposite direction. The idea of O. M. A. Salam hatred that designated fellow citizens as aliens or Chairman, Popular Front Of India enemies was not something unexpected or instantaneous. But whoever preached such ideas were kept at bay in the early days of our republic. Later on, in their pathetic attempt to preserve their power and privileges, the so-called secular leaders who ruled us colluded with the right-wing Hindutva forces and allowed them to make inroads into the system. There were times, as a citizen, you could fearlessly criticize the government, which now gets termed as ‘anti-national’. You go to jail for the jokes you cracked and even for the ones you didn’t. Laws hang over our heads that say people might lose their citizenship on account of their religion. People get killed on allegations of eating the food they want, jailed for reading the book they like or falling in love with a person from another community. When you seek help from the police in the face of a racially motivated attack and then somehow manages to survive it despite the police apathy, there are chances of yourself getting send behind bars on draconian charges. Here you will see the ones who unleashed the violence go scot-free, and again the ‘religion’ decides it. We saw this happening recently in North East Delhi and this continued in various Muslim localities during the ongoing Ram mandir fundraising rallies, reminding us of the traumatic Ratha Yatras of the past. Needless to say, fascist forces have destroyed us in more ways than one. The hatred they created has_crippled us from working collectively towards our greater national goals. The crony capitalist policies of the BJP government have drained our country economically and bankrupted us to the extent of having to use the reserve money, and created mass-scale Fascist Terrorism getting free hand unemployment unprecedented in Indian history. Our mainstream parties have all proved themselves ineectual in checking the onslaught of fascism and Indians are now For a diverse nation like India, to thrive and progress slowly waking up to that reality. Only a new the most essential values required are freedom, movement that is neither tempted nor justice, and equality before the law, and tolerance intimidated by Sangh-Parivar can resist this towards those who are dierent from us in terms of tyranny. Proudly, Popular Front is the social faith, culture, language, or customs. Immediately movement that stood rm and tall before the after we were relieved of the brunt of colonial RSS-led Modi regime and the BJP ruled state occupation, our ancestors envisioned making our governments, who were hell-bent on country a secular, democratic republic with a strangling us by all means possible. In the constitution that guarantees fundamental rights and Fascist Terrorism against marginized society following pages, we will take you through our equality before the law regardless of all these credentials of the past year, to which your dierences. Though we were a struggling democracy support and love have been invaluable. Insha Allah, forward we will walk with the grace of almighty. all through, we had the hope that striving together, Alhamdulillah. we could create a bright future. However, it is no secret anymore that we have long abandoned what our ancestors had envisaged and have embarked on a journey in the opposite direction. The idea of hatred that designated fellow citizens as aliens or enemies was not something unexpected or instantaneous. But whoever preached such ideas were kept at bay in the early days of our republic. Later on, in their pathetic attempt to preserve their power and privileges, the so-called secular leaders who ruled us colluded with the right-wing Hindutva forces and allowed them to make inroads into the system. Popular Front Of India: There were times, as a citizen, you could fearlessly criticize the government, which now gets termed as Cadre Based Mass Movement ‘anti-national’. You go to jail for the jokes you cracked and even for the ones you didn’t. Laws hang over our heads that say people might lose their citizenship on account of their religion. People get killed on allegations of eating Popular Front Of India (PFI) is a social movement which strives for the total empowerment of the food they want, jailed for reading the book they like or falling in love with a person from another community. the marginalised sections of the society. As a people's movement, Popular Front of India When you seek help from the police in the face of a racially motivated attack and then somehow manages to rmly believes that the issues before the Indian masses are very complex. Popular Front survive it despite the police apathy, there are chances of yourself getting send behind bars on draconian focuses on various areas through programmes, projects and campaign. charges. Here you will see the ones who unleashed the violence go scot-free, and again the ‘religion’ decides it. We saw this happening recently in North East Delhi and this continued in various Muslim localities during the This movement is based on dedicated cadres and masses that support and promote social ongoing Ram mandir fundraising rallies, reminding us cause. Discipline is the main characteristic of this cadre based network that enables this of the traumatic Ratha Yatras of the past. Needless to movement to be more eective in any intervenion that we take up. The success of our say, fascist forces have destroyed us in more ways intervention is also because of our clear understanding of people's problems. PFI enjoys an than one. The hatred they created has_crippled us impressive support among masses who are not merely passive supporters but they also from working collectively towards our greater actively collaborate and partner with us on various campaigns and programmes. The national goals. The crony capitalist policies of the BJP amazing blend of disciplined, committed cadres and collaborative people's support has government have drained our country economically enabled us to quickly become one of the most prominent social movement in India. and bankrupted us to the extent of having to use the reserve money, and created mass-scale unemployment unprecedented in Indian history. Our Focus Areas Legal Defence Corona Hate Propaganda: Legal interventions While the country was struggling to survive the deadly pandemic, forces of hate found it an opportunity to open the ood gates of disinformation against Muslims. Soon the right-wing media and Sangh Fascist media were lled with propaganda that Muslims were the disease carriers. Intending to combat the rising tide of Islamophobia in the country, the Popular Front of India started ling cases against hate-peddlers resulting in the arrest of 19 people including few prominent people belonging to the Hindutva fold. The organization has so far led 1376 complaints against hate-mongers, propagators of fake news, a few “mainstream” media outlets and social media accounts in eight states across the country. 82 Total Complaints Memorandum against hate speech Memorandum submitted to Memorandum submitted to 06 DM / DC 04 Police CP / SP During Lockdown 2020 Legal Awareness Programme Popular Front through its cadre network is trying to nurture a culture of legal defence among masses. Our organization conducts Legal Awareness Workshops for ordinary people to make them aware of their constitutional rights and equip them for legal defence. We have been conducting such workshops in various districts of Maharashtra. Protection of Civil Rights Solidarity with Hathras Victim We stood rm in the face of the witch-hunt carried out against us while seeking justice for our Dalit sister in Hathras, who was raped, brutally murdered and was even denied a proper funeral by the Yogi government. The UP Police went on to the extent of cremating her body overnight, away from her family, to bury any pieces of evidence left behind that would incriminate the upper caste Thakur men aliated to Sangh-Parivar. Protest Against ED The year 2020 saw the BJP government using agencies like Enforcement Directorate (ED) to witch hunt Popular Front of India, by raiding its oces and homes of its leaders across the country. Outraged at the politically motivated ED raids on the oces and houses of its leaders, members and supporters of Popular Front of India took out massive rallies at various parts of the country. Protest for Babari Masjid This year Popular Front held protest against Babri Masjid Demolition Case Verdict. Popular Front declared it a Shameful Act, A Challenge to the idea of India. Protest were held across many districts of Maharashtra. Protest Against Delhi Riots There were riots in Delhi before its assembly election. These riots happened from 23rd Feb to 1st Mar 2020. During investigation, Delhi & UP police proved their bias by targeting student activists, leaders and groups which were actively involved in anti-CAA protests. Many of these peaceful and at times even pregnant women protestors were charged under drawnian laws like UAPA and sedition.