A broad coalition of intellectuals, artists and activists, including Teesta Setalvad, met here on Sunday to campaign against the BJP and its prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi.
Hosting talks with noted public personalities including economist Jean Dreze, activist Setalvad, filmmaker Anusha Rizvi, writer Hemant Shah and others, the coalition, whose aims is to resist communal fascism, informed against the forthcoming t “threat to India’s plural culture” from “fascist” forces.
The daylong meet discussed topics including the Gujarat Model—which it alleged, “protects corporate interests” at the cost of farmers, adivasis, dalits, fisherfolk—and the “communal politics” of the Sangh Parivar.
Good number speakers at the meet were agreed in their view that the “development plank” is designed to mislead people from the “fascist face of Modi and the Sangh Parivar”.
The talks were followed by a protest march and then a ‘Dastangoi’ performance by theatre artist Mahmood Farooqui and Danish Hussain.
It is interested to note that the convention refused to project any particular candidate while opposing Modi.
According to Kashinath Singh noted Hindi writer and organiser of the event, the convention sought to be a platform for those opposed to fascist forces and voters were free to choose whichever candidate they