Protest against hate and violence to resonate in Gurgaon

A citizens’ group will take out a protest in Gurgaon on August 27

A series of 100 events under the banner ‘Nafrat ke Khilaf’ will kick off across Delhi, NCR from August 26. The events will be a follow-up to the ‘Not In My Name’ campaign, which was a citizens’ protest against alleged mob lynchings across the country recently.

On June 28, thousands of people gathered in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to protest against the alleged mob lynchings across the country. (Ajay Aggarwal/HT FILE PHOTO)

The citizens’ group will protest at Leisure Valley Park, Gurgaon on August 27.

Residents would register their protest against the alleged hate crimes through art, song, music, theatre, and poetry.

“We are calling on all citizens to come together and say that we believe in our constitutional values. We, as citizens of India, will protest against such incidents that threaten to divide the country,” Radha Khan, one of the organisers of the campaign, said.

More than 400 people are expected to take part in the event. Apart from several areas in and around the national capital, protests will also be staged in Gurgaon. With Gurgaon a home to settlers from across the country, the movement is expected find resonance in the city.

“This movement is meant to oppose communalism. We have to raise our voice in the interest of safeguarding our Constitution. We have to rise against such incidents and condemn lynchings and violence in any form. We will spread the message of tolerance and peace.We are one and would not allow anyone to sow seeds of hate and negativity in our minds,” Dr Parul Sharma, head of the department , Max Hospital who is also spearheading the campaign, said.

“We have to distance ourselves from those who propagate hate,” she said.

The organisers claimed that on the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned such incidents and exhorted citizens across faiths to unite for the cause of development, a fresh incident was reported.They said people want to rise against this violence.

On June 28, thousands of people gathered outside Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to protest against the spread of hate and rise in incidents that claimed innocent lives and threatened to split people on communal lines.

The protest grew and spread to 32 cities and towns across the country. Residents from all sections of the society came out to register their protest against such attacks.

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“As a follow-up to the campaign, we now propose to observe August 27 as a day to categorically Say No to Hatred and violence. The campaign speaks for citizens of India irrespective of religion, caste, gender or sexual orientation,” Khan said.

Among the artistes, who will perform at the Leisure Valley ground during the protest, are Rabbi Shergill, Rashmi Agarwal, Madan Gopal Singh, Trippy Sama (music band), Navtej Johar (dancer) and Fouzia. There will also be poetry recitation by Salima Raza.