Fundamental rights under threat in country: Oppn parties

Opposition parties, which attended the 'save composite culture' meeting here, today alleged that fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution were in "danger".
The save composite culture meet was earlier held in Delhi on August 17.
The second edition of the meeting here saw the participation of leaders of eight political parties, including the Congress's Anand Sharma and Digvijay Singh, the CPM's Sitaram Yechury, the CPI's D Raja and the NCP's Tariq Anwar.
Rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, who led the meeting, said, "Efforts are on to divide the multi-linguistic and multi-cultural country. The composite legacy of thousands of years is in danger."

Referring to killings on the suspicion of beef transportation, he said, "The government is duty bound to protect the weaker section of the society and prosecute the offenders."
He dubbed the violence after the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim recently as an example of "civil anarchy".

"I welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement that violence in the name of faith would not be tolerated. But if violence takes place after this, I will be deeply hurt," Yadav said.
"The meet is not against anybody but for commoners and the Constitution," he told reporters, who asked if the exercise was aimed at uniting the non-BJP parties to take on the NDA in the 2019 general elections.

He parried a query on whether the meet was a prelude to stitch an alliance of different political outfits for the general elections.
The opposition leaders underlined the need of protecting the rights enshrined in the Constitution.
They alleged "the communal harmony is being disturbed for electoral gains".
The leaders also touched upon the killing of five farmers in police firing during the cultivators' unrest in Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur district in June and castigated the BJP state government over it.
Yadav has plans to hold such meets in other BJP ruled states as well.