In a bid to reclaim the poll narrative post-Pulwama, major civil society networks have joined hands to launch a nationwide campaign on March 23, the death anniversary of Bhagat Singh, which is commemorated as Shaheed Diwas or Martyrs’ Day.
The “Desh Mera, Vote Mera, Mudda Mera” campaign will aim to move the focus away from nationalism to “real issues” such as farm distress, unemployment, education, hate crimes and growing inequality, said leaders of the coalition.
They blamed Opposition parties for being passive and unable to reverse the “hijacking of the election agenda”.
‘BJP playing politics’
“The BJP is playing politics with martyrs and we want to question that and recall the full vision of those martyrs. What was Bhagat Singh’s vision for the country? It went beyond national security,” said Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav.
“One month ago, it felt like Modi could do nothing right, with questions arising on farmers, jobs, the economy…But just when substantive and inconvenient issues had begun to surface, the government response to the Pulwama attack and the fact that the Opposition was caught on the wrong foot has changed the narrative,” he added. “Pulwama has had an impact, especially in the northern States. It has made people forget their grievances and the real issues that affect them,” admitted Madhuresh Kumar, convener of the National Alliance of People’s Movements.
He explained that the campaign would include at least a thousand rallies, marches, agitations and jan sabhas (where local politicians will face questions on various issues) across the country.
Democratic balance
“At a time when the whole narrative of elections is being hijacked under the garb of nationalism, it has become imperative that civil society organisations, social movements and groups who share a commitment to constitutional values coordinate their energies to restore democratic balance,” said social activist Harsh Mander.
Major networks
Major networks involved in the campaign include NAPM, farmers groups such as the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Coordination Committee, All India Kisan Sabha, youth unemployment movement Yuva Halla Bol, and rights movements such as the National Campaign for People’s Right to Information, Right to Food Campaign, Ekta Parishad, Pension Parishad and the Right to Education Forum. They represent more than 600 separate organisations and movements.