Protest against killing of Mohsin Shaikh by Hindu communal forces

A protest was organized by DYFI-SFI-AIDWA (Democratic Youth Federation of India-Students’ Federation of India- All India Democratic Women’s Association), AISF (All India Secular Forum), Communalism Combat, Minorities Federation, Jan Sanskriti Manch and NAPM (National Alliance for People’s Movement) at Azad Maidan on June 5, 2014 against the gruesome killing of the innocent, visibly Muslim 28 year old IT professional, Shaikh Mohsin Sadiq, by a group of people allegedly belonging to the radical Hindu outfit called Hindu Rashtra Sena.

 

The protest witnessed around 70 activists, journalists, academics, lawyers etc along with a strong media presence. The protestors included a diverse group of men and women- Hindus, Muslims and a few Sikhs.
 

Though police permission had been denied, the groups concerned went ahead with the protest, given that the right to peacefully protest is constitutionally guaranteed to every citizen.

The idea behind the protest was to see the youth’s murder in the context of the threat that is increasingly being posed to the secular spirit of the nation. One cannot help but see the murder of the youth as a component of the larger hate propaganda of the communal forces in the country.

Though it initially appeared that the police may arrest the protestors, no such thing happened and the protest was peacefully carried out. In that sense then, the protest also became a comment on the increasingly shrinking space and freedom to protest and the ways in which the State seems to be curbing the democratic ethos that India stands for.

KPRS stages stir to solve farmers' woes

The activists of Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha (KPRS) staged a protest to urge the authorities concerned to solve various problems of farmers in Kodagu district, in front of the deputy commissioner’s office in Madikeri on Friday.

Various other organisations including CPI(M), Building Workers’ Association and District Gram Panchayat Employees’ Association supported the protesters.

Addressing mediapersons on the sidelines of the protest, CPI(M) District Secretary Durgaprasad said that they would press the government not to implement the recommendations of the Kasturirangan report.

A committee has to be formed to study the merits and demerits of the report and the next step has to be taken only after collecting opinion of the people.

“A few influential elected representatives are lobbying hard to evict the poor people who are residing in Paisari land. Even as the forest department is legalising the land in which poor people are residing, on the other hand those with vested interests including politicians and businessmen are trying to evict them,” he said.

The protesters also alleged the government of sidelining paddy cultivation.

Commercial crops like ginger and coconut are replacing paddy.

Paddy fields are being converted as sites. This would impact the cultural and social life of Kodagu, they warned.

The protesters also demanded to stop sacrificing agriculture in the name of tourism development.

Their other demands include, effective implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, surveying Paisari land, take action against those who encroach the property and give the ownership rights of trees to the farmers within their property.

A memorandum was handed over to an official from the district administration.

(Courtesy : Deccan Herald)