Aakar Patel calls Hindutva a departure from core constitutional values

Author, political commentator and chair of the Board at Amnesty International India Aakar Patel said political endorsement of the country’s economic and social trajectory since 2014, needs resistance from society and pressure for change of course.

Speaking on the topic ‘Save Democracy - Resist Fascism’ in the inaugural session of the two-day Ninth biennial conference of the Human Rights Forum in Nizamabad on Saturday, Mr. Aakar Patel said the economy had fallen behind Bangladesh in terms of per capita GDP for the first time ever, unemployment had been over six per cent, and labour force participation was the worst in South Asia.

He also spoke about exclusion of Muslims from politics and criminalisation of aspects of the lives of Indian Muslims, and said Hindutva was a “stark and dangerous” departure from the core constitutional values.

“The political endorsement of this record means that this trajectory on both the side of the economy and the social fabric will continue unless there is resistance from society and pressure to change course,” he said.

Member of the faculty at the Asian College of Journalism Akash Poyam spoke about ‘Destruction of Adivasi Culture’ and pointed out that various arms of RSS such as Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram have become strong in Adivasi areas. Also speaking about resource alienation and the Adivasi resistance against industries and mining, Mr.Akash Poyam said Adivasi culture and religion, intertwined with nature, need deeper understanding for countering Hindutva and capitalism.

Researcher and activist Usha Seethalakshmi spoke about post-bifurcation land issues in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.