THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The air was charged with a youthful vigour, folk songs resonated across and the students danced in joyous abandon. It resembled a festival jamboree, although in a sense it was. The meet up in the University College campus held on Thursday morning was one conceived for celebrating and upholding the ideals of the Constitution.
It was the launch of the ‘we the people’ campaign, more of a clarion call to join in the crusade to save the Constitution.
Members of the Manaveeyam Theruvorakkoottam rendered folk songs and the students were being exhorted to join in the campaign, which the organisers say is an attempt to show the other side of the populi, the progressive bunch which upholds the values of the Constitution.
A group of citizens have launched a campaign ‘we the people’, whereby they intend to protect the ideals of the Constitution. The campaign attempts to bring together people who value the Constitution under one umbrella and to stay united in the fight to preserve the fundamental ideas on which the Constitution is founded upon.
As part of this, a mega meet up will be held at the Central Stadium on Tuesday. Replete with a slew of cultural programmes, the one-day event intends to be a show of strength, showcasing the other spectrum which intends to protect the constitution. Ahead of the mega event, the programmes launched on Thursday was intended to take forth the message to the public.
“We can’t be silent and passive anymore. It is a crime. We have to come forward to take the message across, of the need to join to protect the Constitution. We are trying to reach out to the student community by using art as the medium,” says D Reghoothaman, a member of Manaveeyam Theruvorakkoottam.
As part of this, a group of artists is journeying through various colleges in the city. As many as 30 colleges in the city, including the professional colleges, will be covered. To reach out to the general public, a group of artists has started an artistic campaign right in front of the Secretariat whereby they create cartoons and caricatures. They will continue this until November 12.
“Constitution is paramount. But it is under threat. A minority has been on the streets campaigning against the Constitution,” says V S Syamlal, one of the members of the collective.
The ‘we the people’ collective was formed after discussions in the social media with the idea being mooted by the organisation ‘Humans’. Soon many organisations joined together.
“We are trying to represent the other voice, that of the progressive and literate Kerala, which upholds the ideals of the Constitution. We should not be silent, we have to let our voices heard,” says Syamlal. The group has chosen magenta as their colour and hopes to mobililse more than one lakh people as a show of strength on Tuesday.
“Everything will be peaceful. There will be songs, street plays, dance, Ottanthullal and such. It will be akin to a festival. We will also have a ritual to mark the occasion,” he adds.
‘No custom is above the constitution’
The campaign came about in the backdrop of the vociferous protest by a section against the Supreme Court verdict which allowed entry to the Sabarimala temple for women between the ages of 10 and 50.
“Our constitution is under threat from various quarters. The current threat is in the name of customs and beliefs. No custom is above the constitution. We have to rally in support of the Constitution,” said Geetha Nazeer, social activist.