Mumbai: Human rights activist Harsh Mander on Friday expressed concern over the current social climate in the country, stating that he feels India is “going back to 1947,” recalling the pain experienced by Mahatma Gandhi during the time of Partition.
Mander was speaking at a discussion organised at the historical place, Khilafat house by the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism (CSSS) on the topic “Constitution and India Against Hatred.” During the event, he said that fear among certain minority communities has become so deep that many hesitate to speak about their rights.
According to Mander, members of minority communities often express their apprehension by saying, “Sahab, dar sa laga rehta hai” (Sir, there is always a sense of fear).
Advocating the ideology of Gandhi, Mander said that the Mahatma believed India belongs to everyone and that no individual or group has exclusive rights over the nation.
Recalling his interaction with Rajmohan Gandhi, Mander said he once asked him why some political groups, then had opposed Gandhian thought and instead support right-wing ideologies.
“Rajmohan Gandhi gave two answers. The first was that India belongs to everyone, and the second was that Ishwar and Allah are one. When these very ideas face resistance today, it makes me question whether we are truly progressing as a nation,” Mander said, adding that such developments make him feel the country is moving back towards the divisions seen in 1947.
Mander also urged citizens to raise their voices to safeguard constitutional rights and ensure equality for all communities.
“We cannot target any one community. Claiming concern for the rights of women of a particular minority while ignoring the broader issue is not right. Women suffer across religions, but the larger problem often goes unaddressed,” he said.
He added that society must collectively ensure that no group suppresses another, stressing that only then can the country remain a just and inclusive place for all.
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