Terming progressive reform movements, right from the Vachanakaras led by Basaveshwara in the 12th century to B.R. Ambedkar’s self-respect and equality in the 20th century, as India’s revolutionary tradition, State president of Karnataka Janashakti Noor Sridhar said that India entered into a counter-revolutionary stage with the BJP assuming power in 2014.
Addressing a media conference here on Tuesday, he said that what was done by the revolutionary tradition in 800 years to achieve equality and self-respect is being undone under what he called the “fascist rule” of the BJP.
“The transfer of power from British to Indians in 1947 was also a partial revolution. The aspirations of the Indian freedom movement were enshrined in the Constitution drafted by Ambedkar. Though the aspirations have not been completely fulfilled, the focus on welfare state persisted till India saw a paradigm shift in its economic policies with the introduction of liberalisation, globalisation and privatisation in the early 1990s. The process of undoing positive changes achieved in the revolutionary tradition right from Basaveshwara to Ambedkar gathered momentum with the BJP assuming power at the Centre,” Mr. Sridhar said.
Terming the BJP as a representative of communal and big bourgeois forces and its rule as “fascist”, Mr. Sridhar said that hard-earned equality, democracy and the Constitution are in danger under the BJP rule.
“Communal and corporate forces have joined hands to forge a ‘fascist’ front and take control of India through the BJP which is their parliamentary political arm. These ‘fascist’ forces began to rule in 2014 with the BJP assuming power at the Centre and consolidated their power in 2019 with the BJP returning to rule the country. They are taking the country on the path of political, economic and moral degeneration. If they return to power in 2024, India will have to see turbulent and violent upheavals with a vast majority of people being subjected to ruthless oppression,” Mr. Sridhar said.
Conference
General secretary of Janashakti Mallige Sirimane said that the third State conference of the organisation will be held in Raichur on July 3 and 4 where the current socio-political situation will be discussed and the future course of action for safeguarding hard-earned equality, democracy and civil rights chalked out.
“It will not just be a conference of a single organisation where only organisational matters are discussed but a conglomerate of several like-minded organisations where the political situation in the country will be deliberated and the future course of action will be chalked out. Over 200 leaders from different parts of the country, including former IAS officer Sasikanth Senthil, anti-communal activist Teesta Setalvad, senior writers Rahmat Tarikere and Purushottama Bilimale and rights activist S. Balan, will participate in the event,” she said.
