Fast for Peace & Dialogue with Friends
A Call for A Personal Response to Delhi Riots (MarCH 1-3)
Delhi has seen its worst riots in decades. It has also seen Muslims risking the wrath of mobs to protect Hindus and Hindus getting injured and saving lives of Muslims. It is time for each of us to take a stand. What kind of India do we want?
One where Hindus and Muslims love each other and live in equality and fraternity or where violent mobs rule and each community lives in fear of the other?
(Sign-up Responses are at the bottom of this page)
Most of us are deeply anguished by the violence and riots in Delhi. This is a Call for a Personal Response from each of us from wherever we are located. We can observe a one-day fast choosing any day between March 1st and 3rd, and reach out to friends and family.
For 3 days in Delhi, there was rioting, mobs roaming streets with impunity assaulting, killing and burning, targeted attacks based on religion, police complicity as well as attacks on police. 42 people killed, 200+ injured. Victims include both Muslims and Hindus. Violence is still continuing in some localities at lower intensity. Meanwhile, the riots are being used to deepen divisions and further spread hatred and fear about the other community.
The call is for a two-fold action. To go on a day-long fast for peace and justice, and to use the occasion to reach out and have a dialogue with your friends and family. Let us use the fasting period to spread empathy for riot victims of both religions, to agree that such hatred and violence will tear our country apart, to reflect on how to pull back from the darkness and break the walls of prejudice and propaganda about the other communities.
What you are signing up for
Doing the fast at your home or any other place, individually or with others
Communicating with at least 100 friends & family about your fast and the reasons. Have dialogue on social media groups of family, friends, classmates, etc.
By joining the fast, we agree on these common points and will communicate them:
Declare Solidarity with Delhi riot victims of both religions
Condemn mob violence and attacks on any community; and incitement by leaders
Maintain that peaceful protests by citizens should be allowed and not demonized, and that protesters shouldn't resort to violence even under provocation
Oppose the actions or inaction of the government which enabled the riots
Express deep concern about the spread of hate messages against particular religions or communities, and persuade people about the need to reach out and understand people of other communities instead of accepting propaganda
"Vaishnav jan to tene kahiye je peed parayi jaane re"
(A devotee of God is one who knows the pain of others)
