49 celebrities write to PM on lynching

Mumbai: Eminent filmmakers and actors such as Adoor Gopalkrishnan, Mani Ratnam, Anurag Kashyap, Aparna Sen, Konkona Sensharma, Soumita Chatterjee have written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing concern over the growing the cases of lynching.

A total of 49 celebrities have signed the letter expressing regret that 'Jai Shree Ram' has become a war cry today. The letter also states, "Ram is sacred for the majority community, stop defiling the name of Ram."

Talking about the number of lynching cases witnessed in the country, the celebrities have said, "Over 254 religious identity-based hate crimes. 840 incidents of atrocities against the Dalits. Dear Prime Minister, what action has been taken?"

The letter expresses deep concern over the growing trend of lynching by a mob in this country. They also demanded non-bailable, exemplary punishment for those found guilty of the crime.

People like Binayak Sen, director Anjan Dutta and Gautam Ghosh, who have signed the letter, also expressed the tendency of those in power of tagging someone an 'anti-national' or 'urban Naxal' whenever he or she tries to show dissent against the ruling government.

Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy weighs in on the letter written by 49 celebrities voicing concern over lynching and saying that Jai Shri Ram has been reduced to a provocative war cry.

Roy tweeted, "I have nothing against their holding such a view and petitioning the Prime Minister. All I ask is, have they said the same thing about 'Allahu Akbar'? I'm sure they haven't; and that is proof of their hypocrisy, their malafide intentions, their #DespicableDoubleStandards."