Message from Tehmina Arora, Director, ADF India

The Constitution of India holds a promise for the liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship for all. Yet, across the country, thousands of people are targeted for their faith. The hopes and dreams of families are shattered due to the senseless loss of lives, livelihood, and property.

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This is not the promise of the Constitution, and this is not the ethos of India. India’s history is replete with examples of religious traditions finding space to flourish and grow. India is a garden of many flowers, the sweet fragrance of which fills our culture.

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At ADF India, we believe in the constitutional promise that No One Should Be Targeted for Their Faith. We invite you to follow this campaign through our social media channels (links given below) and hear from survivors. You will feel their pain, but you will also rejoice in their courage and resilience. They are not different from us. They have similar aspirations, and their stories offer hope and lessons for all of us.

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This campaign will also bring together religious leaders from different faiths endorsing the importance of interfaith harmony.

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The campaign launched on July 31, 2021 and culminated with a webinar on August 22, 2021, a day designated by the United Nations as the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. Dr. Fernand de Varennes, UN Special Rapporteur on Minority, and Prof. Faizan Mustafa, Vice-Chancellor of NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad will be the speakers at the webinar. Watch the recording of the webinar here.