Teesta addresses students at Roshni Nilaya College of Social Work

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jan 30, 2016 : Interacting with students and general public at Roshni Nilaya College of Social Work in Valencia, controversial Human Rights activist Teesta Setalvad on Friday January 29, said that the Modi government does not believe sufficiently in the constitution but more in a Hindu nation.

She stressed  "We should not be a religion-based nation. Everybody has an equal share of citizenship. But, there are forces which do not believe in the Constitution."

 

 

Setalvad said that the Indian political system does not entertain fascism but majority of people in power are fascists. Expressing displeasure over the leaders in the union cabinet, she said that 383 out of 543 were billionaires and that is the reason why issues such as poverty and drought were not catered to as the billionaires have never experienced such crunch situations in their lives.

Setalvad also said that Indian democracy has just remained as a formality adding that no common citizen can contest polls and win it. “Money and caste are the two important criteria that decide the fate of a candidate.”

Speaking about the education system in the country, she said that it has been highly commercialized and that there is no country in the world which has surrendered education to private sectors like us. She lamented that the Indian politicians wanted just skilled prototypes who would invest their time in jobs at the call centres adding that it is now in the hands of the youth to take the country forward in the right direction.

She gave a call to the youth to fight for their rights by holding morchas and protests until they get it. However, Setalvad said she is happy that the youth of the country have been bringing about a much needed revolution.  Citing the youth movements against the FTII and the UGC scam, she said that the youth showed fearlessness and that they have the potential to change the dimension of any given institution.

Citizens Forum for Mangalore Development Convener Vidya Dinker organised the interaction.