Sunday, Feb 22, 2004
Sunday, Feb 22, 2004 |
| New Delhi | ||||
|
News:
Front Page |
National |
Tamil Nadu |
Andhra Pradesh |
Karnataka |
Kerala |
New Delhi |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | New Delhi
By Our Staff Reporter
NEW DELHI, FEB. 21. Artists, writers, scholars and cultural ambassadors assembled at the Constitution Club here today to protest against what they called an attack on the "culture and freedom of expression by a repressive Government hell bent on stifling the creative freedom of the artist community and the media''. The protesters expressed their displeasure and disbelief at "the many modes adopted by the Government to strangulate the community which dares to speak against them''. What also came under attack were the Government's stand on several publications and their attack on institutions and individuals who did not agree with the Government's ideology and the "India Shining" campaign. "What we are witnessing today is a constitutional carnage where the Government creates a situation of fear and uncertainty as is seen in the three rogue states of India - Gujarat, Mumbai and Madhya Pradesh. In these States, as elsewhere in the country, growth and development is restricted to people who share the ideology of the Government. The message that the Babri Masjid episode sent across the country was that one can do anything in the country and still manage to escape,'' pointed out advocate Rajeev Dhawan, while addressing the gathering. Carrying posters, the protesters which included representatives from Janvadi Lekhak Sangh, Progressive Writers Association, Jan Sanskriti Manch, Sahmat, Communalism Combat, Jan Sanskriti, and Udbhavana, called for a united stand on the issue of creative freedom and insisted that the common man should be involved in the protest. Also present in the gathering were writers Namvar Singh, Geeta Hariharan, Ashok Mitra, Ram Rehman, Kamleshwar, Rajindera Yadav, Sudhir Chandra, and academician Prabhat Patnaik. Addressing the gathering, Mr. Patnaik said: "Sustaining on crumbs of self-praise, the Government has undermined itself. This is a dangerous trend where the Government engages in nothing else than self praise.''
Printer friendly
page
News:
Front Page |
National |
Tamil Nadu |
Andhra Pradesh |
Karnataka |
Kerala |
New Delhi |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
|
|
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | Business Line | The Sportstar | Frontline | The Hindu eBooks | Home |
Copyright © 2004, The
Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu
|
