Chennai: Calling upon the government and citizens to break silence on the culture of mob violence and lynching by cow vigilantes, more than 300 Chennaiites gathered at Valluvar Kottam on Saturday to protest against the issue.
Having placards that read: “Break the Silence”, “Coward Regime” and “No more violence” among others, they protested against the victimisation of Dalits and Muslims.
The nation-wide #Notinmyname protests, as they are called, are triggered by the latest case of lynching where 16-year-old Hafiz Junaid was publicly murdered in a crowded train when he was returning after Ramzan shopping.
“The state has to act on the issue and provide public with a right to choice of food. It is imagined illegality as there is fear and prejudice here,” said 70-year-old Tara Murali, one of the protesters.
The organisers said that silence on the issue will usher an authoritarian rule with its embedded patriarchy. Also, the Indian Constitution views the act of encroaching on human rights as crime against the legal body.
“Dalits are the worst affected as the Muslim community know how to defend themselves as they have been facing hassles right from Independence. Lately, even Christians are being victimised. In a country where different social groups and religions exist, democratic values need to be upheld,” Mohammad Ibrahim, an agitator said.
The campaign asked the governments in power to condemn those indulged in vigilante acts of violence and lynching, a legal and punitive action against those going against law and democratically confront the politics of hatred.
