NEW DELHI, Nov 7:
Charging the ruling BJP-RSS with viciously wounding peace and freedom of expression in the country, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi today said the party would fight for the idea of India where everyone has a voice and the freedom of thought and expression.
Addressing the concluding session of the conference organized by the Rajiv Gandhi institute for contemporary studies to commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Mr Gandhi said the environment of intolerance in the country is emerging as a challenge.
The stated purpose of the RSS is to establish a theocratic and autocratic state in India. To achieve this goal, it has to destroy the current liberal, progressive, secular, social democratic Republic. As as they have demonstrated in the last eighteen months, they are prepared to use the very power of the Republic to destroy it, Mr Gandhi said.
Condemning the recent attacks on freedom of speech and expression, the Congress vice president reiterated the commitment of the party to fight for the idea of India where everyone has a voice and the freedom of thought and expression”.
We are here because both peace and freedom have been viciously wounded in our country. What brings us together is our deep concern about the assault on our liberty, on our rights and our democratic space. We have come here to fight for the idea of India where everyone has a voice and the freedom of thought and expression. We have come here to fight for the idea of India as a Sovereign,Secular, Socialist, Democratic Republic, Mr Gandhi said.
We condemn all attacks on freedom of speech and expression, faith and worship, thought and belief, he said. He also paid homage to the people killed in recent incidents of communal violence and the writers who fell victim to hate attacks.
We remember Vebav and Divia, the two young children burnt to death because they happened to be Dalit. We pay homage to Akhlaq and Mohsin Sheikh, who were martyred for nothing more than their religious beliefs. We pay homage to the memory of Mr. Dhabholkar, Mr. Pansare and Mr. Kalburgi who were martyred for nothing more than their opinions, Mr Gandhi said. (UNI)
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