Not many of us are really surprised at these recent attacks on citizens' democratic right to express themselves against violence and hate. People who use hate propaganda as a means to acquiring power will always feel threatened by dissent. However, as concerned citizens if we do not respond to such muzzling today, if we do not get together in different forums and speak out against these attempts, we stand to lose our democratic space and the fundamental right to express our opinion freely. Rath yatras and hate propaganda is freely allowed, but the voice of sanity and peace is openly stifled.

In the announcement below, a few instances of such assaults on free expression have been listed. However, this muzzling is being attempted far more extensively using different tactics. All these issues can be discussed at the meeting.

We have to be together to speak out in defence of our rights and for peace.

We hope you will be there on Monday.

‘For Freedom’ - Insaaniyat Public Meeting

Monday 29th July, 5 p.m., YWCA hall, Colaba

Speakers include: Javed Akhtar, Anand Patwardhan, Teesta Setalvad, and Nikhil Wagle

Insaaniyat, a forum for communal harmony and democracy, has organised “For Freedom”, a public meeting to defend the freedom of expression on Monday, July 29, at 5p.m. at the YWCA Hall, Colaba.

The meeting will be addressed by ‘Mahanagar’ editor Nikhil Wagle, filmmaker Anand Patwardhan, ‘Commmunalism Combat’ editor Teesta Setalvad and scriptwriter Javed Akhtar. After that there will be a public discussion on the issue.

The meeting has been called in the wake of increasing attacks on the rights of citizens to speak out and organise public opinion against obscurantist and fascist forces that threaten the secular and democratic polity of the country. Several voices of conscience have spoken up against the horrifying genocide in Gujarat. However, there is an attempt to muzzle such dissent under the guise of maintaining law and order!

n On July 13-14,2002, the Mumbai police prevented the display of posters condemning the violence in Gujarat put up by the Satyashodak Vidyarthi Sanghatana at a national convention on peace, secularism and democracy.

n On July 20,2002, the Mumbai police seized copies and cassettes of two documentary films made on the violence in Gujarat which were to be screened at DAV College, Bhandup.

n For the last two months, filmmaker Anand Patwardhan’s award-winning documentary ‘War and Peace’, has not been certified for public viewing by the Censor Board, which is demanding that vital portions of the film be cut.

n In Goa, distribution of copies of ‘Communalism Combat’ was stopped as it featured detailed reports on the genocide in Gujarat.

Insaaniyat denounces these attempts to curtail our freedom of expression and resolves to defend it at all costs.