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home > Community Response  > Hinsa Roko Padyatra (Halt Violence March):


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Stepping Up Civic Dissent: Gandhian and Other Approaches to Non-Violent Resistance
Hinsa Roko Padyatra (Halt Violence March)
May 29th – June 8th, 2002 from Gwalior (MP) to Delhi

Having just finished a two-week Chambal padyatra to mobilize the farmers against state and national policies, I have come to learn that the situation in Gujarat continues to remain grave and serious. We can no longer avoid action.

Some people have suggested that Ekta Parishad should respond to this situation, as many other organizations have in recent days, and see how to make combating communal violence a major agenda. We see the need to create more public opinion throughout the country to pressurize the central government to punish the perpetrators of violence.

Recently Ekta Parishad in collaboration with Partner’s Council of India organized a meeting on “Approaches to Non-Violent Action” in Gwalior in which the Gujarat situation was discussed. Fifty people from around the country put together the Gwalior Declaration. It is in light of this Gwalior declaration that it is time to act using Gandhian methods.

It has been decided therefore, that a Hinsa Roko Padyatra (Halt Violence March) should be called, involving people from all parts of the country. The padayatra symbolizes people’s demand for some political parties to give up their intolerance and ideology of violence. Although it is one of the most painfully hot periods of the year, people feel that their response cannot wait especially in light of the human rights violations in Gujarat. We are deeply concerned that the situation in India not decline to a level as we had during the dark days of Emergency.

This Hinsa Roko Padyatra will begin in the last week of May from Gwalior, and traverse to Delhi’s Gandhi Darshan. It is scheduled to begin on Monday, the 29th of May and continue until Wednesday, the 8th of June. It will cover about 300 kilometers through five states including MP, Rajasthan, UP, Haryana and Delhi.

Let us join hands to make this Hinsa Roko Padyatra a success by putting a halt to all kinds of violence.

We will look forward to meeting you in Gwalior on the 29th May morning. Or you can join at any point along the way. The route chart will be posted on http://www.ekta-parishad.org/

In solidarity,

P.V. Rajgopal

Posted by: "Anwer Sehjo" on Aman Ekta Manch : Action Updates-I , May 17 2002