AN Anti-Fascist Convention, organised by the Anti-Fascist Movement of Tamil Nadu (AFM), was held on July 23-24, 1988 at Erode [EPW, October 1]. the two-day convention, no doubt, was a vociferous protest against the fascist tendencies of the auto- cratic central government. It was a clear exposure of the Indian ruling classes, represented by the Indian state, unleashing repression and dismantling even that facade of democracy, which was written into the Indian constitution forty years back. It was clear that the Indian state could no longer hide behind a mask, with its oppressive acts and expansionist designs clearly exposed. Not only the multi-national, multi-ethnic and multi-communal people of India, but even those of other countries in the region, are becoming victims of the Indian government's fascist acts. There is an urgent and vital need for all peoples of the subcontinent and the region to be alert and actively oppose such developments.