On December 6, 2023, Lok Raj Sangathan and several other organisations held a militant protest action near Parliament. The main banner at the protest bore the message: “Oppose the politics of communal division of people!” and “Advance the struggle for unity, peace and solidarity!”
The protestors held up placards carrying slogans such as: “Unite against state-organised communal violence!”, “Down with state terrorism!”, “Punish those guilty of the demolition of Babri Masjid!”, “Unite to defeat state terrorism!”, “Revoke UAPA!”, “Oppose the jailing and torture of those who raise their voices against injustice!”, “Unite against the politics of division of the people!”, etc. They raised slogans condemning the state for dividing people on communal lines and for organising communal violence and massacres.
The protestors held both the then Congress government at the centre and the BJP government in UP as responsible for the demolition of the Masjid in 1992. They demanded that those guilty of the demolition of Babri Masjid be punished. They condemned state-organised communal violence and the attacks of the state on the right to protest. They gave the call for strengthening our unity in order to defeat communal politics.
The call for the protest was given by Lok Raj Sangathan, Jamaat –e-Islami Hind, United Muslim Front, Sikh Forum, Women India Movement, Fraternity Movement of India, Purogami Mahila Sangathan, Kisan Mazdoor Mahasabha, Mazdoor Ekta Committee, Citizens for Democracy, Student Islamic Organisation of India, Hind Naujawan Ekta Sabha, Lok Paksha, Communist Ghadar Party of India, Welfare Party of India, Social Democratic Party of India and CPIML (New Proletarian). Activists of SEWA and other organisations of working people also came to express their support to the call to oppose the politics of communal division of people and take forward the struggle for unity, peace and solidarity.
The Delhi police working under the Union Home Ministry withdrew permission to hold the rally at the last minute. The police arrived in full force to prevent the rally and to arrest the protestors. Undaunted by the threats of the police, a militant protest was successfully carried out on Parliament Street. It conveyed the clear message that our people are determined to stand united, and will persist in the struggle to oppose state organised communal violence and every form of state terror.
By our correspondent
