'India is going to see many more struggles'

The various meat bans across the country are an attempt to attack civil liberties, says civil rights activist Kavita Srivastava.

Activist turned Peoples' Union for Civil Liberties national vice president Kavita Srivastava was in Patna to deliver a lecture to mark the birth anniversary of former president of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union Chandrasekhar, who was shot dead in Bihar's Siwan district in 1997. 

M I Khan spoke to the Jaipur-based human rights activist about the state of freedoms and civil liberties in India. 

How do you evaluate the human rights situation in the country?

The human rights situation is not rosy. There are reports of substantial violation of human rights and threats of violence have also increased manifold in recent months.

What is the future of civil rights in the country?

I feel that people of India are going to fight. India is going to see many more struggles. People will fight for their rights and freedom. People have tasted democracy and they will not allow anyone to deprive them of the same.

Do you feel that civil liberties are under attack?

Of course, it is under attack. There is no right to dissent. They fear anyone questioning or challenging their stand. The legacy of (Nathuram) Godse is being resurrected to silence (rationalists like) Pansare and Kalburgi. The government is interfering with what we eat.

To push vegetarianism in mid-day meal programmes is to deprive poor children of nutrition. The various meat bans across the country are an attempt to attack civil liberties.

The government is using different tools to intimidate different NGOs. They even used different tools for un-registered organisations like PUCL and National Alliance of People's Movements. Look at the IB report that claimed that PUCL is a threat to national security. The way they used CBI against Teesta Setalvad is just abhorrent.

Are you suggesting that violation of human rights increased after the NDA came to power at the Centre?

Serious human rights violations took place under the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government. But the present government, its different agencies and bodies connected to the party in the power (the Bharatiya Janata Party) are busy suppressing people's voices.

It has shown a complete lack of humanitarian point of view in their development model. It ignored to take consent of local people and also marginalised local self-government. The Land Bill was one example of the same.

The corporate class is looking for someone who is merciless and would do every thing for them. Prime Minister Narendra Modi represents that due to his Gujarat model.

Modi is a good combination of corporate raj and Hinduvta raj. His ascendancy has given them legitimacy to go ahead with their plans. 

What will be the consequences of all this?

Soon we will be looking like our nation’s neighbours where minorities are constantly undermined.

For instance, Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma stated that former President A P J Kalam was a nationalist "despite being Muslim". They still look at Muslims as suspect or anti-nationalists.

The central government plans to include Ramayan, Gita in school textbooks but not the Bible and Quran. This is outrageous.

The BJP is bringing in people who have no experience in their respective fields to head institutions of national prestige.

The appointments for important positions in Film and Television Institute of India, the Censor Board, the Indian Council of Historical Research and Nehru Memorial Museum are examples.

In fact, the Hindu right-wing has such a stronghold over the government that the performance report card was shared with the RSS. This served to prove the supremacy of the RSS over and above a constitutionally elected body.

Human resource development minister Smriti Irani is not qualified for the job. What's worse is that while she may not from an RSS background, she can be easily manipulated to pursue their agenda.

Photograph: MI Khan