By Matters India Reporter
Gorakhpur, Nov 27, 2022: Cultural activists working for peace in northern India have organized a rally on harmony and reconciliation amid hate messages and violence against Christians, Muslims, Dalits, Tribals and women.
The five-day rally that covered the eastern region of Uttar Pradesh state concluded November 26, the Constitution Day, in Purvanchal Gramin Seva Samiti, the social service coordination center of the Catholic diocese of Gorakhpur.
The participants recited the Preamble of the Indian constitution and promised to protect the constitutional values and to fight against all odds to assure that fundamental human rights enshrined in the constitution are enjoyed by all.
They also promised to live and practice the fundamental duties of the citizens.
The rally was organized by the Vishwa Jyoti Communications, the media wing of the Indian Missionary Society, its theater wing Prerana Kala Manch and activists. It began November 22 at Gorakhpur, a major town in Uttar Pradesh, under the banner of Buddh Se Kabir Tak (BSKT, From Buddha to Kabir).
The rally was led by Indian Missionary Society Father Anand Mathew, director of Vishwa Jyoti Communications, and Vinod Mall, a retired director general of police of Gujarat, a western Indian state.
Around 40 peace activists from Gorakhpur and neighboring towns and villages joined the peace really. BSKT Music Band joined the cultural activists of Vishwa Jyoti to sing songs of harmony, peace, love, forgiveness, reconciliation, unity and composite cultural diversity.
The rally covered the region where Lord Buddha preached his message of peace and love following a middle path and condemned religious superstitions.
It was the same region where 15th century Sufi saint Kabir Das sang songs of mystical and social love and condemned fundamentalism, superstition and sectarianism of both Hindus and Muslims of that time.
The highlight of the rally was a stage drama titled “Kabira Khada Bazar Mein” (Kabir stands in the market) written by renowned playwright Bhishm Sahni and directed by Father Mathew and Mukesh.
The drama, enacted by the artistes of Prerna Kala Manch, revolved around Kabir who through his satsang (prayer meetings), tried to build an egalitarian society where Hindus of all castes and Muslims give away their ritual filled idolatry and seek and worship God, not in human made idols but in the hearts of each other, Father Mathew said.
Such a rally was earlier held in 2018 by the initiative of Mall, a proponent of composite and inclusive Indian culture. The rally in its fifth year, has toured Barhalganj, Maharajganj, Deoria, Salempur and nearby areas giving programs in schools, colleges, public libraries, temples, parks and market places.
Mall, who addressed students gathered in St Joseph’s School, Barhalganj, on November 23., urged them not to be carried away by social media as well as electronic and print media who as agents of those in power, spread lies to polarize society in the name of religion, so as to reap a harvest of votes during the elections.
The following day, Father Mathew told teachers, students and the civil society members gathered in St Joseph’s School, Maharajganj, about the need to build an inclusive society and to give justice to all marginalized communities by bringing them to the mainstream society. He spoke about the injustice being meted out to Muslims and Dalits by depriving them of their livelihood, and the persecution of Christians by imprisoning pastors and evangelists on false allegation of forced conversion.
The Catholic priest also stressed the need for close collaboration with people of all religions to help build up a nation where Dalits, tribals, minorities and women and enjoy justice and care.
Since 2018, the annual five day long BSKT rallies have been organized with programs in Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha in Nepal, Magahar and Kushi Nagar where Kabir and Buddha respectively attained eternal life, and Gorakhpur where the 11th century seer saint Gorakhnath preached Sufism and inclusive human values. Mall said that the rally will continue every year also in in other regions of UP as well as in other neighboring states.
The Vishwa Jyoti Communications had in collaboration with civil society groups in Varanasi organized a similar peace rally from October 28 to November 5, covering a distance of 200 km on foot through almost 110 villages in all the eight developmental blocks of Varanasi district.