This statement is republished from Secularism Is A Women's Issue
The Hindu-Right government of India identifies the nation with its Hindu majority and imposes the domination of Hinduism over all citizens of other denominations and “lower” castes.
Over the past few years, the Hindu-Right has curtailed free speech at universities, banned books, and falsified history.
Students protesting against the oppression of non-Hindu citizens and “lower” castes have been fiercely repressed and police has been called within the premises of the university in Delhi.
In protest, university teachers now organize lectures in the open to freely discuss nation, nationalism, and the politics of the Hindu-Right.
A protest march to the Parliament in New Delhi is being organized on March 2, and on this occasion Delhi students call for international solidarity.
We the undersigned, fully aware of the dangers of all fundamentalist extreme-Rights, wholeheartedly support the protest movement of students and teachers at JNU - Delhi University and protestors against the Hindu-Right government in India.
Signed
Amel Grami, professor at the University of Manouba, Tunisia
Ariane Brunet, Centre for Secular Space
Fariborz Pooya, Host of Bread and Roses TV
Homa Arjomand, Coordinator of the International Campaign against Sharia Court in Canada and One Secular School System for All
Imad Iddine Habib, Council of Ex-Muslims of Morocco/Britain
Inna Schevchenko, FEMEN Leader
Kate Smurthwaite, Comedian and Activist
Lila Ghobady, Writer & Documentarymaker
Marieme Helie Lucas, Algerian Sociologist, former faculty member Algiers University and Founder of Secularism is a Woman’s Issue
Maryam Namazie, Spokesperson of One Law for All and Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain and Producer of Bread and Roses TV
Meredith Tax, Chair, Centre for Secular Space
Nadia El Fani, Tunisian Filmmaker
Nina Sankari, Polish Feminist and Secularist
Pervez Hoodbhoy, Pakistani nuclear physicist, mathematician and academic
Peter Tatchell, Human Rights Campaigner
Rayhana Sultan, Spokesperson of Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
Rina Nissim, Espace Femmes International, Geneva
Sultana Kamal, Bangladeshi Lawyer and Human Rights Activist
Terry Sanderson, President of the National Secular Society
Yasmin Rehman, Women’s Rights Campaigner
Please send new signatures to: maryamnamazie@googlemail.com