Now, a 'secular' answer to BJP's hate CD

Even as a hot debate is on over the 'hate-Muslims' CD released by the Bhartiya Janata party as a part of its poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh , a group of social activists have brought out a 'secular' CD to counter the 'hate' campaign.

Led by well known social activist Shabnam Hashmi , 'ANHAD' has brought out a 'secular' disc carrying the message of communal harmony , which was being released in Lucknow Wednesday afternoon.

"We will circulate this CD all over this state, where communalism has dug its roots deep", Hashmi told this scribe. Titled, 'Secular Voices', the CD carries 'stop hate' messages from 27 celebrities.

Prominent among these were actors, Nandita Das, Nafisa Aliand Zohra Sehgal, cultural artists Malika Sarabhai, Aditi Mangaldas and Sharon Lowen, journalists Rajdeep Sardesai , Barkha Dutt , Pankaj Pachauri, Tarun Tejpal, cartoonist Sudhir Tailang, poll analyst Yogendra Yadav and billiards champion Geet Sethi.

Earlier, BJP had released a VCD containing "objectionable anti-Muslim communal material" as a part if its election campaign.

Though BJP bigwigs have been trying to dissociate themselves with the CD after the Election commission of India took exception to it, the issue has triggered a sharp communal divide in the country's most populous state, where a seven-phased state assembly poll was underway.

Expressing concern over the "unabated rise in communalism in society", Hashmi hopes to do her bit by countering it through an appeal to the youth.

She admits, "There is no magic wand that can overnight eradicate this poison from the minds of people; but one could surely make a beginning."

She goes on add, "I feel it is time to educate and give direction to the youth of this country, so that the venom of communalism is nipped in the bud at least by the new generation."