Category: 2022

Shyamala Sanyal, Jan 13, 2022

Jan 13: Day 1 of my fast, day 689 of our chain.

I’m fasting against authoritarian elected representatives .
We must inculcate the idea of justice and democratic values in young people .
Teach citizenship from a young age
Our culture prizes obedience
Value the rebel , the dissenter .

I’m also fasting to reduce inequality in our country. The rich live lives of ease and comfort . And unfeeling thoughtlessness .
The poor are stoic and resigned to their fate
Minimum Support Prices for agricultural produce , living wages for our domestic help , shop girls , receptionists etc . I see so many poorly paid and overworked people all around .
It’s unfair , unjust and criminal.
I run a small industry . I try to do the fair thing by our employees .
But I see so many employers not even paying minimum wages , leave alone other benefits

We must improve the lot of people around us.

ChainFastingForPeace

FastingAgainstFascism

FreeSanjivBhatt

ResignAmitShah

ResignModi

Christian Frankenberg, Jan 10 – Jan 12, 2022

Jan 10: Day 1 of my fast, day 686 of our chain.

https://www.dw.com/en/india-police-probe-anti-muslim-hate-speech-by-hindu-religious-leaders/a-60251175

Fasting against hate speech. It can slowly creep into societies, disenfranchising and dehumanizing targeted minorities.

ChainFastingForPeace

FastingAgainstFascism

FreeSanjivBhatt

ResignAmitShah

ResignModi

Jan 11: Day 2 of my fast, day 687 of our chain.

Today in the morning was harder than expected, bad sleep combined with hunger. My brain was foggy and I couldn’t think straight. Fasting is a good reminder that you have to walk in someone’s shoes to truly understand situations and hardships you would otherwise not empathize with. And every fast is different, just like situations in life.

ChainFastingForPeace

FastingAgainstFascism

FreeSanjivBhatt

ResignAmitShah

ResignModi

Jan 12: Day 3 of my fast, day 688 of our chain.

This is the last day of my fast and happens to be the 12th death anniversary of my dearest friend Kai Buchholz, who worked for the UN in Haiti when the earthquake struck and collapsed the HQ building. He is the person I most looked up to, with genuine solid principles, wit and charisma. He would have made it far. I wonder what he would do now if he was still alive. I am sure he would be upset (and fighting against) the autocratic tendencies that are spreading across the world. Rest In Peace my friend, we will fight for you and keep your spirit alive.

ChainFastingForPeace

FastingAgainstFascism

FreeSanjivBhatt

ResignAmitShah

ResignModi

Suniti Sanghavi, Dec 31, 2021 – Jan 4, 2022

Dec 31: Day 1 of my fast, day 676 of our chain.

The comments made by Yati Narasimhanand and others at the inglorious “Dharma Sansad” in Haridwar reminded me of conversations with Sanghi relatives in India, one of whom was indeed rabid enough to openly bay for blood…

These conversations are always marked by ridiculous and unapologetic prejudices, unhinged accusations that never stand up to scrutiny, and – when all else fails – lamenting how victimized the poor Hindus are.

The conversations are tediously logic-defying to say the least and deeply offensive to those who keep being willfully reduced to maliciously crafted caricatures of their true selves. And now there’s the added menace of open threats of violence.

I don’t know how to offer solace or comfort to Muslim citizens of India today. I feel so raw and spent myself, I can hardly imagine how it must be to be the direct target of so much openly expressed bile.

I could ask for forgiveness. And promise to spend every free moment I find resisting this incessant injection of hate. But I know I am small and insignificant – a little David fighting a terrible Goliath. This New Year’s Eve, roughly at the halftime point of Modi’s second term, let us resolve to come together, dear fellow Davids, to make our presence felt, our voices heard, and to finally defeat the soul-sucking Goliath that is Hindutva! Aazaadi 2024!!

ChainFastingForPeace

FastingAgainstFascism

FreeSanjivBhatt

ResignAmitShah

ResignModi

Jan 1, 2022: Day 2 of my fast, day 677 of our chain.

Today I’d like to draw attention to Uttar Pradesh, ranked by the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) as the best State in the country in June 2021.

This ranking was based on the percentage of smart city projects completed in the state. Okay! I guess the point of smart cities is to attract people who will want to work and live in those cities. So how can it be that UP retains one of the highest unemployment levels in the country?

Yogi Adityanath had promised 70 lakh jobs for the youth of UP in the 2017-2022 timeframe. How is it, then, that unemployment has nearly doubled among the youth from 8.8% to 15.9%? With overall joblessness increasing from 23.1% to 31.5%?

All this while legitimate jobs lie vacant, with 69000 vacancies in just teaching jobs. Why? Because the Yogi government wants to deny constitutionally guaranteed reservations to nearly 15000-20000 students from the OBC and SC communities, whose seats were transferred to general category candidates.

Not surprising, when the CM and the PM belong to an ideology that worships the abominable Manusmriti and wants to dismantle the constitution of India in favor of it.

Please reach out to AISA leaders Adarsh Shahi, Ayush Shrivastava, and Ayush Jatav if you are able to offer support or are looking for more information.
I will continue on this subject tomorrow.

(Sources: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/uttar-pradesh-ranked-best-state-under-smart-cities-mission/article34977287.ece
http://www.firstpost.com/india/yogi-adityanath-govt-to-provide-70-lakh-jobs-in-five-years-with-youth-skill-development-education-3818075.html
https://dailyindia.net/teacher-recruitment-the-decision-of-the-yogi-government-was-rejected-by-the-youth-agitating-for-teacher-recruitment/65232/
https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/uttar-pradesh-jobs-india-unemployment-explainspeaking-7658103/
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/employment-rate-falls-to-37-3-in-october/articleshow/87512470.cms)

Aazaadi 2024!!

ChainFastingForPeace

FastingAgainstFascism

FreeSanjivBhatt

ResignAmitShah

ResignModi

Jan 2: Day 3 of my fast, day 678 of our chain.

Continuing the conversation I began yesterday on Uttar Pradesh, its unemployment and its caste biases, I come back to the issue of denying OBC/SC candidates their constitutional rights to employment. In the recent scam involving job assignments for primary teachers’, the Yogi government allowed only ~6000 out of ~18000 reserved seats to be allotted to their rightful beneficiaries, allowing general category candidates to avail of the rest.

This is understandably traumatic for impoverished, first-generation students who overcome unfathomable (for most caste privileged people) odds to attain the qualifications required for these jobs. To them, it is not merely a matter of employment, but a critical step towards ensuring a dignified life for themselves and for their progeny. Denying them these jobs amounts to intentionally keeping them “in their place” as prescribed by the abominable Manusmriti.

The attack is multi-pronged – another front faced by the children of OBC/SC communities is examination paper leakages. Adarsh Shahi informs me that around 16 out of 24-25 exam papers were leaked within 4.5 years of the Yogi government. The casual amusement I used to feel at such news transformed into horror and shame as I finally recognized the caste calculus that hides behind such leaks: they not only make merit and hard work immaterial to success, but they ensure that those who can afford to pay for the papers have unrestricted access to lucrative careers, while those who cannot – disproportionately more likely to be the caste oppressed – are kept our regardless of their abilities.

We are failing our youth in the sickest way possible… destroying impoverished lives, ripping apart our social fabric, and miring everyone in vicious cycles that only bring despair and desperation.

Please reach out to AISA leaders Adarsh Shahi, Ayush Shrivastava, and Ayush Jatav if you are able to offer support or are looking for more information.

(Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/congress-seeks-sc-monitored-probe-into-jee-exam-paper-leak/articleshow/85923251.cms)

Aazaadi 2024!!

ChainFastingForPeace

FastingAgainstFascism

FreeSanjivBhatt

ResignAmitShah

ResignModi

Jan 3: Day 4 of my fast, day 679 of our chain.

How can India grow if there is no space for young idealists to make their mistakes, learn from them and grow?

How can a respectable political party thrive and win trust if its followers have become zealots who insist on quashing all competition?

Can mood-driven, cannibalistic witch-hunts really symbolize a mature, evolved democracy?

Aazaadi 2024!!

ChainFastingForPeace

FastingAgainstFascism

FreeSanjivBhatt

ResignAmitShah

ResignModi

Jan 4: Day 5 of my fast, day 680 of our chain.

Today, as on all 5 days of my fast, I have felt the slow burn of the Dharm Sansad in Haridwar, Sulli deals, Bulli bai (replete with the fake use of Sikh user names by Hindutva zealots to incite Sikh-Muslim animosity), and how closely they align with unguarded conversations in middle class Hindu families these days.

I couldn’t say it better than Deepa Khadar, who writes:

“ 21-year-old Vishal Jha.
18-year-old Shweta Singh.
Products of an ecosystem that worships the likes of Modi, Shah & Yogi. What else did you think those Muslim-hating uncles & aunts in your family WhatsApp groups would create?”

Aazaadi 2024!!

ChainFastingForPeace

FastingAgainstFascism

FreeSanjivBhatt

ResignAmitShah

ResignModi

Kiran Tandon, Nov 1, 2022

Nov 1:

Day 1 of my fast, day 979 of our chain

Today is the last day I will fast before the #chainfastingforpeace ends on November 22nd.

The realisation has made me pause and reflect over the 16 odd months one has been connected with these wonderfully idealistic, humane and compassionate people who made it their mission, back on February 25th 2020, to offer a peaceful non-violent protest against the violence that happened and against authoritarian repressive measures that have occurred in so many regions of our world.

Most fasters were fasting for 5 days non-stop, living on water, black tea/coffee while working a full day. Senior citizens like me just about managed it through for 24 hours, but were able to link up with other seniors to complete a 5-day stretch. Recently this has come down to 3 days of fasting.

The amazing thing about this community fasting is that so many of us have become friends without ever meeting, we regularly cheer each day that someone is fasting, read what they write, and so the pool of compassionate understanding grows and ripples outwards. Equally amazing is that despite zero press coverage, our fasting group has grown in size right around the world, specially since it started out with just a few people.

So today I fast to acknowledge and offer out the unstinting love and support and encouragement one has received throughout this period. May our wellsprings of love, compassion and humanity stretch out across all our worlds.

#ChainFastingForPeace

#FastingAgainstFascism

#ResignAmitShah

#ReleaseSanjivBhatt

#ResignModi

Christian Frankenberg, Nov 2, 2022

Nov 2:

Day 1 of my fast, day 980 of our chain

Similar to Kiran Tandon yesterday, today is the last day I will fast before the #chainfasting ends on November 22nd. I wasn’t sure anymore whether I would get a chance, esp. as I took a break from Facebook. However, Suniti Sanghavi got a bit sick — luckily not COVID — and has to write a research proposal, so I gladly took one day.

This fast has been a long journey and I admire Suniti Sanghavi‘s perseverance in keeping it running, organizing, and supporting fasters despite a heavy workload. I remember some of the 5-day fasts, which have been a lot easier than I thought, esp. as your body gets used to it rather quickly (so days 1-2 are the hardest). Every fast was different, yet it always sharpened the mind and I (mostly) enjoyed them. The defeat of Bolsanaro in Brazil also gives hope that things can change.

However, some things make me less upbeat. Suniti Sanghavi, having a knack for torturing herself, is often listening to Modi or Shah speeches. If I just hear them in the background, my stomach churns, these speeches sound just as Hitler and Goebbels did in the 3rd Reich (I don’t need to be able to understand a word to get that feeling). Intonation and aggressiveness are almost identical, it is scary.

I can only hope that a multitude of grassroots efforts, like this fasting chain, will persevere and get the upper hand, overcoming evil and malice.

To conclude with Kiran Tandon‘s words, “may our wellsprings of love, compassion and humanity stretch out across all our worlds.”

#ChainFastingForPeace

#FastingAgainstFascism

#ResignAmitShah

#ReleaseSanjivBhatt

#ResignModi

Suniti Sanghavi, Nov 3, 2022

Nov 3: Day 2 of my fast, day 981 of our chain.

As Christian lamented yesterday, I follow Modi on Facebook now, and let his hideousness pervade our home.

It’s a devil’s bargain, really, and my only consolation is that I get daily proof of him being what I think he is. There are no surprises, other than that he flaunts his hideous vacuousness like a trophy.

Everyday for Modi is a new chance to play dress up and strut around, like a peacock of Hindutva pride. No tragedy can cast a pall on this world of perpetual blue skies, rainbows, and unicorns.

While 135 people died in Morbi in the aftermath of the collapsed newly repaired (by a clock manufacturing company!!) pedestrian bridge, Mr. Modi held election rallies in Gujarat (for the upcoming Legislative Assembly polls in December) the very next morning – sporting a jaunty hat of all things!

At long last, he did manage to visit “patients” at a Morbi hospital. But not before slick new roads were paved for his photo shoots, and the humble hospital in Morbi was spruced up for his press entourage. No one knows if the patients he visited were real. Appearances are everything to him, because his core is cold and dead as a stone.

Gujarat made this man its Chief Minister for 13 consecutive years, and he still calls the shots as a de facto “ruler” of the state. It must take a lot of ignorance, apathy, and moral rot to willingly “give one’s heart” to someone as heartless as Modi.

As a child of Gujarati ancestors, I am ashamed. Perhaps, I am one of a dwindling tribe still capable of feeling that very important emotion.

#ChainFastingForPeace

#FastingAgainstFascism

#ResignAmitShah

#ReleaseSanjivBhatt

#ResignModi