Republic Day – Defend India’s Constitution
Republic Day – Defend India's Constitution
Remarks prepared to be delivered on behalf of Rep. Doggett at Austin City Hall, 1/26/20
As a longtime member of the India Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, since I am not in Texas today, I join you in spirit—the spirit celebrating the Indian heritage of diversity, resilience, liberty, and democracy. But today, cherished freedoms are being severely endangered in both India and the United States.
The threats to these constitutional guarantees come not from outside, but from inside, by those who wrap themselves and their autocratic aspirations in beloved flags, patriotic symbols, and religion. Some of those who loudly claim to love democracy seek to undermine it with old "divide and conquer" tricks designed to break us apart.
Those who can neither justify the power of their own ideas nor deliver on their promises choose instead to pit neighbor against neighbor—to keep "we the people" from uniting to uphold the very freedoms for which our respective nations stand.
Today, people of goodwill, who love both America and India, join to reject tyranny. Let us defend what is most beautiful about India's democracy: the enduring promise of "justice," "liberty," "equality," and "fraternity." Its bold assurance of equality before the law. Its prohibition of discrimination for religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth.
The new citizenship bill, the threat of NRC expansion, unilateral revocation of the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir, troubling talk of Kashmiri "deradicalization camps," provide ample reason to push back, right here. Across India, powerful and clear voices have come to the forefront; let us particularly honor Aishe Ghosh, the courageous student in New Delhi, who refused to be silenced by a violent Hindu nationalist assault.
We can also draw inspiration from a 20-year-old Hindi literature student, Chandra Yadav, who helped an unarmed male student being beaten by police during a protest. As a Hindu, she told the New York Times: "This fight is not about Ram or Allah…As much as this country belongs to me, it belongs to Muslims."
Only the exercise of our freedoms under the most difficult circumstances can preserve our freedoms.
At the Ellora Caves, I have personally seen monasteries carved with the symbols of Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism. Built side-by-side, these caves housed monks from all three faiths. For more than a thousand years, they have stood as a testament to the deep roots of pluralism in Indian culture. And no symbol of India is better known than the Taj Mahal—a structure build by a Muslim.
The chief architect of the constitution we are celebrating today, BR Ambedkar, a Dalit himself, tirelessly helped write a constitution to formally protect diversity and establish equality as the cornerstone of India's constitution.
As we mark this Republic Day, let us urge recommitment to its principles. For all Indian-Texan citizens, please ensure you are registered to vote where you currently reside and that you vote in the approaching March 3rd Texas Primary election. This is the next vital step in ridding America of the hate, division, and anti-immigrant hysteria that is Donald Trump and his manipulative Congressional enablers.
For universal human rights and valued democracy in both India and America, let us never give up, never give in!
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