India has been facing an unprecedented crisis under the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre and like-minded political parties and civil society groups have to come together to defend the republic, said Yogendra Yadav, All India Coordinator of Bharat Jodo Abhiyan, here on Saturday.
Addressing the State convention of the movement, Mr. Yadav said, “The country has been facing an unprecedented crisis and in order to face it, we need immense intellectual resources and political energy. The whole of India looks up to the South as a source of political energy.”
“The three main pillars of the country – democracy, diversity and development – face simultaneous attacks, not from outside forces but from our rulers. The government has been curtailing the freedom of protest of the wrestlers in Delhi. The onus is on us [people] to come forward and defend the republic,” he said
“The proposed delimitation exercise may reduce the number of representatives from the southern States to the Parliament and the BJP is trying to gain a permanent majority through the exercise by increasing the seats from States where they have a strong presence,” he alleged and added that the BJP is trying to acquire political parties in this country, including in Tamil Nadu, like corporate takeovers.
“The kind of extraordinary situation prevailing in the country has to be countered by political parties, like-minded people, and civil society groups who are determined to defend this republic. All of them have to come together, by setting aside their ideological and past differences, to defeat the BJP in the 2024 general elections,” he added.
Representatives from various civil society groups and political parties participated in the convention.
