National chorus #NotInMyName finds echo in Chennai with rally

This was the Chennai chapter of #NotInMyName campaign that started with an FB post Saba Dewan wrote after 17-year-old Junaid was lynched in Haryana. 

‘Stop mob lynching’, ‘Not in my name’, ‘Choose peace, stop violence’ were some of the messages on the placards. Some even called the vigilantes ‘Al-Cowda’. Percussion performances, speeches, poetry and folk songs kept the participants engaged. 

“We want to live in a place where people are not targeted for what they eat. This is a voice against violence,” said Aarthi S, an IT employee and a participant. “#NotInMyName shouldn’t be about targeting any specific religion. The success of NotInMyName depends on how long they can sustain momentum,” said Nizam Md S, another participant. 

Organisers of the Chennai event said that since it takes time to get permission for an event, it got delayed. Yogesh Parmar, the event organiser, said, “The response was encouraging. We are planning a candle light vigil in Besant Nagar next week after we get permission.”