Bengaluru: A high-level panel of legal, human rights and social activists; researchers and journalists will be discussing on topic ‘Threat to Freedom of Religion – A Case of Karnataka’ in a national seminar on Zoom on December 9 at 5 pm.
Their observations are also a matter of high concern for the status of secular India.
The zoom meeting will be from 5 pm to 7 pm on December 9, 2021. Please find the Zoom link for the Webinar:
Time: Dec 9, 2021, 05:00 PM Mumbai, Kolkata, New Delhi
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81839146668?pwd=WEFManZlRDRpV00waHNQeTl0S3BFQT09
Meeting ID: 818 3914 6668; Passcode: NSF123
Dr. Ram Puniyani, Convenor, National Solidarity Forum will moderate the session. Dr Puniyani is a former professor of biomedical engineering and former senior medical officer affiliated with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. He began his medical career in 1973 and served IIT in various capacities for 27 years, beginning 1977. He has been involved with human rights activities and initiatives to oppose Hindu fundamentalism in India and is currently the President of the Executive Council of the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism (CSSS).
Designate Senior Advocate, Supreme Court, Dr. Colin Gonsalves who is also is the Founder of Human Rights Law Network will deliver the inaugural address. A graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, he started his professional life as a civil engineer but was drawn into the field of law through his work with the unions in Bombay. He commenced formal legal study in 1979 and litigated his first case, while still in law school, on behalf of 5,000 workers locked out of their jobs.
Dr. Gonsalves has written, edited and co-edited copious number of articles and books on a range of human rights law issues. For such inspiring work, he was presented with the “International Human Rights Award” by the American Bar Association in 2005. In 2010, he has been conferred a Doctorate of the University, honoris causa, by the University of Middlesex, UK. He was also given the “Mother Teresa Memorial Award” for Social Justice “in recognition of remarkable contribution in legal services addressing human rights” in 2010. In 2017, he was awarded the Right Livelihood Award.
The panelists for discussion are:
Dr Peter Machado, Archbishop of Bengaluru. Dr Machado holds a doctorate in Canon Law from Pontifical Urban University, Rome, Italy and serves as procurator, judicial vicar, consultor and secretary of the Karnataka Regional Bishops’ Laity Commission, based in Bangalore. As the Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangalore, he is also the President of Karnataka Regional Catholic Bishops Council (KRCBC) and All Karnataka United Forum for Christian Human Rights.
Tehmina Arora, a lawyer practicing in the area of constitutional law and human rights with a special emphasis on minority rights and religious freedom. Arora also serves as legal consultant for Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International in New Delhi. In addition, she is the General Secretary of the Christian Legal Association in India.
Advocate BT Venkatesh Bubberjung, Former State Public Prosecutor, Senior Lawyer, Karnataka High Court. In a career spanning three decades, his body of work has involved many roles ranging from acting as lead internal counsel for a multinational construction firm to being an independent Advocate with a diverse body of litigation experience. He has a significant passion for pro bono work and has advanced the cause of vulnerable populations such as sexual minorities, indigenous tribes, women and children against human rights abuses and violations. His work has inspired numerous documentaries and short films, the prominent ones being “Purple Skies” by Sridhar Rangayan and “Let the Butterflies Fly” by Gopal Menon.
Javed Anand, a journalist, and civil rights activist who founded the Mumbai-based Sabrang Communications. He also the general secretary, Muslims for Secular Democracy, and co-editor, ‘Communalism Combat’.
Vidya Dinkar is a well-known city based social activist. She is the coordinator, Citizens Forum for Mangalore Development.
Fr. Ajaya Kumar Singh, Social Activist, Conferred with Minority Rights Day Award by the National Commission for Minorities
Cyntia Stephen, Dalit Rights Activist, writer, social policy researcher, and an independent journalist. She works in the areas of Dalit studies, affirmative action and educational policy. She has written many articles and contributed chapters for books on issues of Dalit women, Brahmanical patriarchy, caste discrimination, girl child issues, womanism, theological perspectives in the Indian context including on gender, minority identity, Indian nation etc in national and international journals and reviews including Journal of Dharma, Religion and Society, and Integral Liberation. She is the President of the Training, Editorial and Development Services Trust (TEDS) and lives in Bangalore, India.
Rajasekharan, Bureau Chief, Lankesh Patrika, and Director, Vidya Liberation Through Cultural Action, Karnataka.
Dr. John Dayal, Senior Journalist, and Human Rights Activist will deliver the Valedictory Speech. He has been outspoken in opposition to the spread of hatred between religious communities. He is secretary-general of the All India Christian Council and a past president of the All India Catholic Union.
God bless the discussions for the glory of God