Peace rally preaches for tolerance

GUWAHATI, Aug 12: A peace rally and cultural congregation, followed by semir on the prevailing intolerance in the State, has felt it that it is high time the people of the State raised their voice against powers that be in the State and at the Centre.   

The speakers at the rally and the semir said that at a time when the State was reeling under unemployment, sky-rocketing prices of essential commodities and problems being faced by farmers, the government was interfering into matters as to what the people should eat and put on. “Didn’t the powers that be at the Centre promise to put an end to all such problems? Leaving all those issues to the back burner, what have got prominence now are some issues relating to minorities like protecting cows, the faith of minorities, and the like. Some Hindu fundamentalists are very vocal on such issues, which is a direct threat to the secular fabric of the tion,” a number of the speakers said in unison. 

They said that very hope of the people of the country soon after attaining independence was under a question mark. Leaving burning issues like floods and erosion in the State, issues like Hindu Bagladeshis, foreigners issue etc., have been doing rounds in the State, they said, and appealed to Dispur not to lay importance on faiths of foreigners while dealing with the issue of detection and deportation of foreigners from the State.    The prominent speakers at the rally were Dr. Hiren Gohain, Nilomoni Phukan, Radhika Mohan Bhagawati, Nirupama Borgohain, Harekrish Deka and others.