HYDERABAD: Journalists, academics, former judges and politicians, who addressed a roundtable meeting here on Tuesday, expressed concern on what they called the threats posed by communal forces to the social fabric of the nation. They also aired their fears on the threat posed to the Constitution.
Speaking at a roundtable meeting organised by Telangana Journalists Adhyayana Vedika on ‘Indian Constitution — Rights and Reservations’ at the Somajiguda Press Club on Tuesday, Prof. Haragopal said, “Whether the Constitution would be in vogue or not is the moot question as the RSS, the parent organisation of the BJP, has been opposed to it.”
“In the process of creating wealth, care should be taken to see that jobs are not lost. The idea of welfare is being given a go by and privatisation is taking primacy and reservations are becoming a casualty. The role of the state in welfare is reducing and defence is taking precedence over it. What can be done if the Constitution that the rulers are seeking to implement is implemented,” he asked.
The nation is in dire straits and democracy is in crisis. If there is no dissent, the nation will quickly descend into an autocracy. Only after the Mandal Commission was implemented, did the backward communities start securing jobs, opined Prof. Kasim.
Senior journalist Ramachandra Murthy on his part said that the RSS doesn’t believe in the Constitution. “Only minor changes have been made to the Constitution so far, it has not been changed. To save the constitutional bodies, BJP has to be defeated.”
Retired Justice Chandra Kumar opined that it was those who bat for Manusmriti who divided the country. “The system of contract and outsourcing was brought into picture to evade reservations. BJP leaders are trying to implement the ideals of their founders. The release of Bilkis Bano is something which puts Modi and Shah to shame,” he said.
BC leader Jajula Srinivas Goud, senior journalist Jayasaradhi Reddy, Congress leader Sangisetty Jagadish and Janam Sakshi editor Rahman also spoke at the meeting.
