KOCHI: In a rare show of unity, leaders from rival political fronts — including the Congress, CPI, CPM and Indian Union Muslim League — will share the stage in Kochi on Sunday to protest what they term the Modi government’s “black laws” undermining democracy.
The convention, organised by the Indian Human Rights Movement (IHRM), will be held at Sahodara Soudham, MG Road. Organisers said the meeting is being convened to oppose the Central government’s growing control over democratic institutions, particularly the Election Commission, which they allege has been reduced to a “puppet” of the ruling dispensation.
They alleged that the Election Commission’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters’ lists is being misused to manipulate electoral rolls and silence dissenting voices.
Supreme Court advocate Kaleeswaram Raj will inaugurate the event, which will be presided over by veteran journalist N Madhavan Kutty. The convention will feature K Muraleedharan (Congress), V S Sunil Kumar (CPI), K Chandran Pillai (CPM), MP Jebi Mather, and Ahmed Kabeer (IUML), among others.
Speakers such as Prof K Aravindakshan, Brahmachari Soorya Shankar (Sivagiri Mutt), and Seetha Lakshmi T P (Karnataka Jagratha) will address the gathering. Representatives from the CPM, CPI (ML), RMP, KCYM, RMP(I), AAP, RJD, Trinamool Congress, and Gandhi Peace Foundation, along with writers and social activists, are expected to attend.
The event will also adopt a declaration of solidarity with Palestine and host an open-mic session for participants to voice their concerns on the erosion of democratic and constitutional values.