THOUSANDS of activists participated in a massive joint protest march from Kotwal Garden, Dadar (West) to Chaityabhoomi in Mumbai on July 3 against hate crimes and lynching by fanatic mobs.  Subsequently, a public meeting followed by a cultural programme was held at Chaityabhoomi.

The programme was organised jointly by Bharip-Bahujan Mahasangh, CPI(M), CPI, LNP, LNP(L), CPI(ML) Lib, SUCI, trade unions belonging to Trade Unions Joint Action Committee (TUJAC), mass organisations of students, youth, women and teachers, cultural organisations of progressive writers, poets, artists and various NGOs.

The morcha was led by Prakash Ambedkar of Bharip-Bahujan Mahasangh, Mahendra Singh of CPI(M), Prakash Reddy of CPI and Vishwas Utagi of TUJAC. Activists belonging to various parties and mass organisations marched in thousands along with their banners and flags and with placards and banners. Famous documentary film maker Anand Patwardhan, writer Gerson D’Cunha and drama artist Dolly Thakore also participated in this programme.

Prakash Ambedkar, Mahendra Singh, Sukumar Damle of CPI, Shyam Gaikwad of RPI (Secular) and Vishwas Utagi addressed the gathering at the public meeting. All the speakers lambasted the ruling BJP governments at the centre and in various states and Sangh Parivar for perpetuating politics of hate and turning a blind eye towards hate crimes and incidents of lynching by fanatic mobs against dalits and Muslim and Christian minorities.

Various organisations presented their song programmes and poets recited their poems against politics of hate in the cultural programme.