The Hindu : National : Dignity Forum to hold rally on December 5

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Thursday, Dec 02, 2004

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Dignity Forum to hold rally on December 5

By Our Staff Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 1 . The World Dignity Forum, an organisation working against casteism and racism, is organising a rally on December 5 to assert dignity as a universal concern without any distinction of caste and creed. Several social groups have extended support to it.

The World Dignity Forum was officially launched as one of the key international events in the World Social Forum in January this year when it was decided to observe December 5 as World Dignity Day and International Day of Dalits Struggle.

There are reasons for the World Dignity Forum and its constituents to forge a broad alliance. "First, the second half of 2004 is a time for some significant changes and some new beginnings in India. The last one-decade has been marked by the domination of the conservative and rightist political forces and the unleashing of neo-liberal economic policies. All of us who believe in democracy and protecting our rights have to intervene in shaping our polity, to put pressure to implement the common minimum programme,'' Mukul Sharma, forum convener, told The Hindu .

Second, December 6 also marks the death anniversary of B.R.Ambedkar and the demolition of the Babri Masjid , underlining the importance of the struggle for secularism and for the dignified existence of the minorities, especially Muslims in India.

The International Day of Dalit Struggle will also be observed in South Asia, the United States , Europe and Latin America, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, U.K., and Germany, where country-specific programmes will mark the day.

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