Lok Sabha polls 2014: Artists, intellectuals, activists meet at Varanasi to oppose Narendra Modi

KABIRMATH, VARANASI: A broad coalition of artists, intellectuals and activists, including Teesta Setalvad, met here on Sunday to campaign against the BJP and its prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi.

Hosting talks with noted public personalities including economist Jean Dreze, activist Setalvad, filmmaker Anusha Rizvi, writer Hemant Shah and others, the coalition, which aims to resist communal fascism, warned against the imminent "threat to India's plural culture" from "fascist" forces.

The daylong meet discussed topics including the Gujarat Model—which it alleged, "protects corporate interests" at the cost of farmers, dalits, adivasis, fisherfolk—and the "communal politics" of the Sangh Parivar.

Most speakers at the meet were unanimous in their view that the "development plank" is designed to mislead people from the "fascist face of Modi and the Sangh Parivar".

The talks were followed by a protest march and then a 'Dastangoi' performance by theatre artist Mahmood Farooqui and Danish Hussain.

Interestingly, the convention refused to project any particular candidate while opposing Modi.

Kashinath Singh, noted Hindi writer and organiser of the event, said the convention sought to be a platform for those opposed to fascist forces and voters were free to choose whichever candidate they saw fit to represent them.