Over 40 human rights groups and civil society organisations in Jharkhand ideologically against communal hatred spreading in the country and have undertaken a Loktantra Bachao 2024 campaign to oust BJP both in Lok Sabha and Assembly polls have gone for crowdfunding for the success of their objective.

“We have been holding meetings and workshops in different Parliamentary constituencies (14 in Jharkhand) of the state but that is basically through contribution of individuals. However, to attain our objective we need to undertake padyatras at least in every block (260) in 24 districts of Jharkhand and also organise polling booth-level training sessions of volunteers ahead of the general elections in order to inform the masses about wrong policies of the Narendra Modi-led Centre and the anti-tribal laws of the BJP government,” said the campaign fundraising convener Ambika Yadav.

He informed that the fund collection which began this week will continue till Lok Sabha polls and subsequent Assembly polls scheduled in 2024.

“Loktantra Bachao 2024 campaign requests everyone, who believes in democratic rights and constitutional values, for financial support to make this campaign a success,” appealed Yadav.

“The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are very important for the country. Citizens have to decide in this election with full political conscience to save their rights, the country’s democratic structure and above all the constitution. The Loktantra Bachao 2024 campaign aims to make the people of Jharkhand aware and organise them towards their democratic rights, constitutional values and impending threats. This campaign is also associated with the ongoing nationwide campaign ‘Loktantrik Rashtra Nirman Abhiyan’,” said Yadav.

He also informed that apart from padyatras, yatras, there will be meetings and volunteer training programmes over the next six months. The campaign will be funded entirely by public donations from those who align with the goals of the campaign.

The training sessions against hate speeches have also been carried out by Loktantra Bachao (save democracy) campaign organised jointly by Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha (a coalition of human rights and tribal rights groups) and Loktantrik Rashtra Nirman Abhiyan (democratic nation building campaign) in several parts of Jharkhand and is trying to make people aware of right-wing political outfits polarising society for electoral gains using hate speeches.

Significantly, Loktantrik Rashtra Nirman Abhiyan began in October 2022 with a meeting in Delhi comprising individuals and organisations who were ideologically against the BJP concept of Hindu Rashtra and spreading communal hatred in society.

The members as part of the Loktantra Bachao campaign have already in their meetings given a call to the non-BJP parties to select a consensus candidate for each of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand and avoid a split in anti-BJP votes to ensure defeat of the BJP in the 2024 polls. In 2019, BJP and its ally AJSU won 12 out of 14 seats while the Congress and the JMM bagged one seat each.