Date:30/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/30/stories/2008103055530800.htm

New Delhi

Resolution against fascist forces

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: As part of the national convention on “Countering Fascist Forces: Defending the Idea of India”, a 14-point political resolution outlining the demands of over 50 participating non-government organisations from across the country has been released here .

Speakers at the convention comprised activists and intellectuals including Prof. K. N. Panikkar, Kuldip Nayar and Shabnam Hashmi among others. Some of the demands in the resolution included a call for the resignation of Home Minister Shivraj Patil for his failure to prevent terror attackes, prosecution of members of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Party who have links with Hindutva terrorist organisations and setting up of a time-bound judicial enquiry into the Jamia Nagar “encounter”.

Enactment of the Communal Violence Bill, provision of immediate relief and compensation to victims of communal terrorism in Orissa and other States, setting up of a national commission to enquire into the misuse of special security laws were among other demands included in the resolution.

Noted journalist and former Rajya Sabha member Kuldip Nayar said: “Given the current scenario of bigotism and separatism in our country, there is an urgency to intervene in defence of democracy, secularism and welfare state and form an alternative forum or platform which can help in defeating the fascist forces operating in our country today.”