Bengaluru, (DHNS): Citizens of various groups and students gathered at the Institute of Agricultural Technologists on Queen’s Road on Sunday to keep the conversation going, after the city held a campaign earlier this month entitled ‘#Notinmyname’ to protest lynching incidents in the country.

Members of various organisations such as the NGO Vimochana, Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha, senior activists, artists and students took part in the convention entitled ‘Save Humanity-Save Democracy’.

Prof Babu Mathew, former registrar and faculty of National Law School of India University, was one of the main speakers at the discussion. Prof Mathew stressed the need for common people to have better knowledge of the Indian Constitution, especially the preamble and fundamental duties. “We should take up the task of popularising the Constitution, though it is late as it has been seven decades since we gained Independence,” he said.

Prof Mathew said that since the Constitution came from the people’s struggle for freedom, only citizens could defend and uphold it. Referring to the upcoming presidential election, he said, “The oath of office of the President of India is given in the Constitution. In it, the President has to swear to protect, preserve and defend the constitution. Since our constitution says we are a secular nation, how can a candidate of the RSS be the President without being a hypocrite?”

Dr Corinne Kumar, founder of Vimochana, said that the incidents of lynching reminded her of the Civil Rights Movement in the USA, when many black activists were attacked and killed. “The violence of vigilantes in the name of justice is disturbing and we have to be witnesses who listen and remember,” she said.

Students from ‘Kavya Sanje’ and artists read poems with messages of peace. Theatre artist Zafer Mohiuddin, along with his group ‘Kathputliyaan’, recited Urdu poems which talked of the destruction caused by wars and bloodshed.