Social Groups Form Human Chain In Delhi to Condemn Religious Extremism

New Delhi, July 14, IRNA -- A number of social groups gathered to form a human chain Friday at Hazrat Nizamuddin, Delhi, on Malala Day - the birthday of Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, to express solidarity with women empowerment and to condemn all forms of religious extremism. Khudai Khidmatgar was the main force behind the human chain, supported by NGOs, Asha Parivar, Nav Jagriti and Sadbhav Mission. Arbab Muhammad Tahir Khan Khalil, General Secretary of the Awami National Partyˈs Khyber Pakhtunwala provincial unit, who is in town on personal visit also became a part of the chain. He said that he personally knows Malala and her father, who has been working for education and women empowerment in SWAT for long, tcn reported. He said, “Because of the people’s reverence for the religion, the reactionary forces use the garb of religion to further their reactionary ideology. But, in reality, they stand in opposition to the positive values of equality, democracy and justice.” Sharing his experiences Arbab Muhammad hoped that sane voices prevail and that his society move towards empowerment and progress. V K Tripathy, founder of Sadbhav Mission, compared the attack on Malala with the fake encounter of Ishrat Jahan in India’s Gujarat state. He said that some insane people in all religions are using the name of religion for their own selfish means. He said that education should be given to all whether boys or girls, and irrespective of caste or creed. Condemning the fundamentalists and and extremists from all religions, Faisal Khan of Khudai Khidmatgar said, “Extremists are enemies of religions, who destroy the basic fabric.” He added, “Malala and Ishrat Jahan have become the powerful symbols of the discriminated and disadvantaged fairer sex. These were innocent girls, who became the target of extreme reactionary forces for no fault of theirs.” Karamat Ali, Executive Director of Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) was also present. At the end of the vigil children of Nav Jagriti Collective sang a song in solidarity with Malala and her cause. The 16th birthday of Malala is being celebrated as ˈMalala Dayˈ across the world July 11-12. She was shot in the head October 9, 2012, after she became a spokesperson for girlsˈ education and boldly opposed the Talibanˈs moves to ban girls from schools. She underwent treatment in Britain, and continues to live there after her father was appointed to a diplomatic post at Pakistanˈs consulate in Birmingham, which he can hold for up to five years./end