HYDERABAD: Actress and social activist Nandita Das addressed FLO members here in the city today at The Park hotel. Addressing a press conference prior to her session with FLO members, she commented, “we are meeting in unusual times”. She added, “The difficult times have highlighted many discriminations.”
Nandita spoke to 100 members on ‘An Unequal World - The Uncomfortable Truth of Discrimination’. It was the first ground event of FLO post-lock down. Dr Rukmini Rao, the city’s women’s rights activist also participated in the event.
Welcoming the gathering, the chairperson of FLO Hyderabad, Usharani Manne said today’s interaction with Nandita Das stemmed out of the need that we felt to make discrimination a conversation agenda because human survival depends on the elimination of discriminatory practices. “Why do we fear and recoil from those who we perceive as different from us? Isn’t this unfortunate and potentially dangerous for the human race as a whole?” she questioned.
Nandita said the exodus of migrant workers is one such discrimination. “They were our guest workers, but see how they were treated by society. The cities where they worked couldn’t take care of them. Instead, we have caused outrage by spraying them with disinfectant, fearing that they might have been carriers of the Coronavirus,” she said.
Domestic violence has also gone up during this time. “Home is where peace is supposed to prevail, but WFH lead to another public health crisis adding to the toll of the coronavirus,” added Nandita. Speaking about her connection with the city, Nandita said “The people are friendly and I love the food here.”