Martin
Neimoller’s confessional poem of how he, a Protestant pastor,
did not care or ignored the rise of Hitler and Nazism in Germany , and how they
arrested or persecuted the Communists, the Socialists, the trade unionists, the
Jews and so on, one group after another till

“Then they came for me – and
there was no one left to speak out for me..”

The
Indian situation looks different, there is some protest, but it is not very
different.

There is
some, fragmented protest and resistance. But, there is no strong unified
resistance to the fascist policies of the Government in Kashmir; NRC;
detention/concentration camps in North East; JNU students; the rape and murder
of women; the total neglect of suffering farmers, unorganised labour and
starving unemployed people; discrimination, lynching and encounters of Muslims;
the intimidation of the Dalits; etc.

If India
and the Indian people are to be saved from the Fascism or an emerging Hindu
Rashtra of the Hindutva forces like BJP, RSS, VHP, ABVP, etc, there is the
greatest need today to form a strong, united front of all democratic and
secular forces to challenge and fight the onrushing Fascist forces and policies.

If we do not unite as one against
the evil, there will be no respite for any of us.

Now, please read Martin
Neimoller’s unforgettable poem.

“First they came for the communists, and I did
not speak out–

  because I was not a communist;

  Then they came for the socialists, and I did
not speak out–

  because I was not a socialist;

  Then they came for the trade unionists, and I
did not speak out–

  because I was not a trade unionist;

  Then they came for the Jews, and I did not
speak out–

  because I was not a Jew;

  Then they came for me–

  and
there was no one left to speak out for me.

 Aurobindo Ghose

Human Rights Lawyer

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