PANAJI
The Goa Chapter of the National Confederation of Human Rights (NCHRO) has stated that the recent conference of Hindu Jan Jagruthi Samithi (HJJS) has defied the secular credentials of the country by calling for Hindutva to become law and practice by 2025.
The NCHRO expressed concern after claiming that the State government sat back in silence while this anti-national talk happened within the State.
“The HJJS has, by its words, disregarded the Constitution of India which declared unequivocally that India is a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic which assures its citizens' justice, equality, and liberty, and endeavours to promote fraternity,” stated NCHRO Goa President Fr Savio Fernandes and General Secretary Iftiyaz Sayed in a joint press statement.
“The NCHRO-Goa Chapter urges the government to reject groups and people who build divisions and support harmony and co-existence. Fringe elements, whichever religion they belong to, should not be permitted to organise conferences which disturb the peace and harmony which tends to depict Goa.”
“Hate speech should prompt swift and tough action by the government. The HJJS made a series of statements that vitiated the political and social atmosphere.”
“NCHRO stands irreversibly committed to secularism, and inclusive society, and justice in governance. Hence, we call on the government to protect minorities, and not tolerate bigoted words from any source. Dialogue, not confrontation, is the only way to retain harmony and peace,” they stated.
The NCHRO Goa said statements from the HJJS conference violate the letter and spirit of the Constitution.
“At a rough estimate, India’s religious minorities constitute close to 250 million people. India is unique because of its mosaic of cultures and religions and languages. To call for demolition of the multi-cultural and multi-religious is to call for the destruction of a painstakingly built secular and pluralistic nation.”
“There are occasional tensions between religious communities and these tensions are always prompted by provocations such as the ones that HJJS has recently made. Pluralism in India has enough takers and mind-space to large numbers of Indians,” the NCHRO Goa added.