Civil Society Groups Launch Month-Long Campaign to Promote Communal Harmony

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 3rd Jan. Civil society groups, united under the umbrella of ‘Bharat Jodo Abhiyan’, have announced a month-long campaign to promote communal harmony. In a statement released on Tuesday, these organizations, which have come together ahead of the Congress’ ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, stated that they will organize various events to revitalise citizens who take pride in India’s rich, diverse, and plural cultural heritage. Their aim is to work towards a society based on constitutional values.

The announcement of the ‘Jana Gana Mana Abhiyaan’ campaign comes just before the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, on January 22.

“The country is currently witnessing an organized wave of communalism that has nothing to do with dignity, faith, or religion. Instead, it is a blatant attempt to polarize voters along religious lines in preparation for the critical 2024 national elections,” stated the Bharat Jodo Abhiyan in a joint statement.

“At this crucial juncture, civil society, represented by Bharat Jodo Abhiyan (BJA), would like to remind Indian citizens and society of the nation’s strengths and assets: its immortal founders, incomparable heritage, diverse peoples, and their varied cultures,” the group added.

The month-long campaign, which will include both online and offline events, was launched at a press conference attended by Convenors of Bharat Jodo Abhiyan, Yogendra Yadav and Vijay Mahajan, National Secretary Kavitha Kuruganti, and National Working Group member Kamayani Swami.

The group has called upon like-minded citizens to express their solidarity by giving a missed call to 7877722353.

“We invite them to join us as co-travelers in this mission of unity and progress, for a healthy, inclusive, truth-seeking, forward-looking, and compassionate society. We urge them to join this vital mission to reclaim the republic,” they stated.

Bharat Jodo Abhiyan (BJA) is a civil society platform that encompasses numerous people’s organizations across 15 states of India. Its objective is to protect India’s diverse social fabric, highlight issues of social, economic, and political justice, and strive for equality and fraternity among all citizens.

“Jana Gana Mana Abhiyaan is rooted in our conviction that the current wave of organized communal frenzy must not overshadow our civilizational heritage of coexistence and the constitutional design of our democratic, secular republic. We believe that an overwhelming silent majority of Indians desire peaceful and harmonious coexistence, but in the present climate, they are denied the opportunity to express their convictions. Therefore, in this critical year for our nation’s destiny, this campaign aims to connect all such citizens so that the public sphere can be reclaimed,” they explained.

The campaign will take place from January 3rd to January 30th, 2024, and will include events and activities to celebrate iconic heroes of India such as Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekanand, Savitribai Phule, Babasaheb Ambedkar, and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. It will also celebrate festivals like Lohri and Sankranti.