Indian Religious congregations collaborate with secular forums to promote "democratic values"

The President of the Tamil Nadu Conference of Religious India (TNCRI) has urged Indian religious people to work with the secular forum "Naattai Kaappom" (Save the Nation) to launch a cultural campaign to raise awareness about life's insecurity, which appears to violate the nation's constitution.

Sister Maria Philomi, Superior General of the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Bon Secours (FBS) and President of TNCRI, implored religious people to "create awareness among people" about "growing insecurities in society and the dangers" they "encounter in the Indian Constitution."

She observes that it is obligatory for the nation to support secular organizations that promote "democratic values."

"I invite you all, fathers, sisters, and brothers, to participate in large numbers to show our solidarity,” Philomi said.

The "Naatai Kaapon" federation is a collection of civil society organizations working to defend people across multiple platforms. It was established in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, South India, in 2020 in order to safeguard the architecture of the Republic of India.

Over the past three years, Saving the Nation has taken proactive measures toward achieving its paramount objective of upholding the Indian constitution, its values, and its principles.

Through seminars, protest gatherings, campaigns, and press releases, it encourages citizens to take action on national issues.

The Federation, which transcends all contradictions, coordinated these activities with various civil and social organizations, people's movements, and political and secularism as the true and solid basis of Indian nationhood.

The Cultural Campaign Yatra

The Indian Constitution has 22 parts, 12 schedules, and nearly 500 articles, making it the world's longest and biggest constitution.

As stated in the preamble, the Constitution upholds the highest democratic principles and values, ensuring equality, freedom of speech, personal liberty, and economic and political justice.

The Dr. Ambedkar-drafted Indian Constitution, a socialist, secular, democratic, and sovereign republic since its inception as a union of states, is currently in danger and under attack by Brahminical fascists.

The constitution guarantees that the marginalized people of India—Dalits, women, children, Adivasis, and other oppressed sections of society—have access to their fundamental rights.

The Cultural Campaign Yatra aims to create awareness among people about constitutional values to protect our rights to life, freedom, equality, justice, and equity.

State-level political conference

Nattai Kaappom and civil society organizations are organizing a state-level political conference on October 17, 2023.

In this conference, leaders and human rights advocates from civil society organizations and political parties at the national and state levels will voice the urgent need of the hour by fulfilling the livelihood needs of the people, affirming their dignity and citizenship rights, protecting their democracy, protecting minority communities, manifesting accountability and transparency, ensuring active participation of the people in government, and upholding the constitution.

In the statement, the Nattai Kaappom Federation said, “It is an opportune moment and a very urgent need that we go beyond all differences and contradictions related to caste and religion, views, and opinions.”

Nattai Kappom has invited all the people to join hands to protect and preserve the single noble vision of a democratic, pluralistic, and secular India.

“Let’s join hands to awaken, arise, and act in order to preserve, propagate, and hand over the legacy of a prosperous and progressive, just and equitable, peaceful, and harmonious India to our future generations,” the statement read. - RVA Tamil News Service