National Solidarity Forum (NSF) Cordially Invites for National Webinar
TWELVE YEARS OF KANDHAMAL MEMORIAL
‘RECLAIMING DEMOCRACY, DEFENDING DIVERSITY’
Date: 12th September 2020
Time: 4.30 pm to 7.30 pm
Dear Friend,
The National Solidarity Forum invites you to a National Webinar ‘Twelve Years of Kandhamal – Reclaiming Democracy, Defending Diversity’ on Saturday, 12th September 2020 to mark the 12th Anniversary of the targeted violence against Dalit and Adivasi Christians in Kandhamal, Odisha, which took place in 2008.
Independent India chose to be a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic. Three quarters of a century later, there are alarming trends that challenge the very foundations of the Republic our Founding Fathers laid.
Global Peace Report 2016 ranks India among 20 most violent places in the world to live in; even less peaceful country than Burundi. India is the fourth worst in the world in safety women according, to Thomson Reuters Report. India is fourth worst country in the World for Religious Hostilities among 198 according to Pew Research Study Report in April 2015.
NDTV’s study showed that there has been a 500% increase in the last four years in the use of hateful and divisive language by high-ranking politicians. In this, 90% of the hateful comments were attributed members of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). No one was prosecuted.
It is not Christian minority, but other vulnerable groups bear the brunt of hate crimes. “Amnesty International India documented 721 such incidents between 2015 and 2018. In 2018 year, itself, it tracked 218 hate crimes, 142 of which were against Dalits, 50 against Muslims, 40 against women, and 8 each against Christians, Adivasi and transgenders”. (The Hindu; 10 July, 2019)
The very foundation of the Republic India is at stake. Esteemed citizens join us to address us
| Keynote Address on ‘Democracy’ (20 Minutes)
|
Justice Sri. V.Gopala Gowda, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India and former Chief Justice, Orissa High Court, Karnataka | |
| Launching a Book on Kandhamal Memorial | ||
| Panel Discussion | Moderator: Dr. John Dayal, Writer, Activist | |
| Challenges in Protection of Minority Rights (10 Minutes) | Shri J.D.Seelam, former Minister of State for Finance, Government of India, Andhra Pradesh | |
| Defeat Discrimination, Defend Diversity (10 Minutes) | Dr. Thol. Thirumavalavan, Member of the Parliament, Tamil Nadu | |
| Many hurdles in search of Justice for the victims of Targeted Violence (10 Minutes) | Dr. Colin Gonsalves, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India, and founder , Human Rights Law Network (HRLN), New Delhi | |
| Media: force-multiplier of Targeted Hate Inciting Violence (10 Minutes) | Ms. Pamela Philipose, Senior Journalist and Public Editor of The Wire, Senior fellow, Indian Council of Social Science Research, Maharastra | |
| Polarisation of the Indigenous Communities (10 Minutes) | Dr. Joseph Marianus Kujur, Director, XISS, Ranchi, Jharkhand | |
| Targeted hate and violence, command responsibility, reparations (10 Minutes) | Ms.Farah Naqvi, Writer, Consultant and Activist, Maharastra | |
| Communal Violence and Freedom of Religion (15 Minutes) | Dr. Angana Chatterjee, Research Anthropologist, University of California, Berkeley, USA |
The webinar will take place on Zoom platform.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87376944691?pwd=OEJDeVdGOXpwQTFuK01rWUF0N3UwUT09
Meeting ID: 873 7694 4691
Passcode: 364158
On Behalf of the National Solidarity Forum
Dr. Ram Puniyani: [email protected]
Dr. John Dayal: [email protected]
K.P. Sasi: [email protected]
William Stanley: [email protected]
Wilfred D’Costa: [email protected]
Ajaya Kumar Singh: [email protected]
Dhirendra Panda: [email protected]
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