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:: Indian Nirman Sangh ::
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What is Nirman?
Our country, India, is today faced with some fundamental problems that threaten and endanger its ability to grow and give its citizens an acceptable quality of life.
The economic disparities in India are becoming increasingly sharper and starker. Liberalization, globalization and the growth in some sectors of the economy have resulted in better living standards and increased access to a greater range of consumer goods for the top ten percent of our population, while leaving untouched the vast majority of Indians and actually impoverishing the poorest. Further, the harsh, impersonal realities of the market economy have stripped the poor of the traditional support systems they possessed. India now has the largest number of people in the world living below the officially defined poverty line.
Corruption is a cancer that perverts the administrative system at all levels. It drastically emasculates all developmental efforts, rewards the unjust, hurts the just and spawns a parallel economy as well as a culture of greed and deceit.
India's secular fabric is increasingly under threat. Fundamentalism is rising in every community. India's historical openness, Gandhian respect for all religions and traditional, uniquely Hindu tolerance are being overshadowed by shrill cries of competing communalism. There are increasingly powerful groups that would like India to move towards a saffron hued though otherwise mirror image of other religious fundamentalist states across Asia. Where these groups win power, as in Gujarat, the machinery of the State is blatantly misused in support of narrow, communal goals and the minorities are increasingly, terrorized, alienated and ghettoized. On the other hand, the leaders of minority communities have, since Independence, competed in exploiting the secular state and democratic politics to further narrow personal and communal goals.
The state in India, both at the center and in the states, is becoming increasingly intolerant of dissent and real opposition. A tight nexus exists between the political class, most administrators, businessmen and landlords. Within it there is an apparent diversity and a permitted level of dissent. This however is a mirage and if any of the basic privileges, exploitative ability or rank greed of this ruling web is questioned or opposed the full might of the state is ranged against the questioner. The Chief Ministers of some states as well as some Union Ministers have shown how even within a framework of democracy it is possible to hound and virtually destroy all dissent through false cases, harassment and even violence.
School education continues to be be neglected. We still have the largest number of illiterates in the world. Leaving aside a privileged few, those children who do go to school, receive for the large part a patchy education with almost no vocational skills and the inculcation of little or no values to prepare them for civic life.
India presents a moral desert today. There are almost no role models. Our traditional Indian values are fast becoming extinct and are taught half heartedly by parents and teachers who are unable to convincingly articulate them in today's context. At the same time, modern democratic, scientific and civic ethics and values are nowhere emphasized, understood or taking root. Hollywood, Bollywood, Advertising agencies and the WTO have combined to popularize a vacuous, crass, consumerist vision of the world and it is this vision which is fast becoming the basic philosophy of a very large number of young Indians.
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LBut all is not gloom.
Today, across India, in villages, in slums, in academia, in the press and even in politics there are a number of individuals, groups and organizations who are working devotedly and selflessly towards a variety of progressive goals. These include economic development and employment generation, adult literacy, primary education, the creation of self help groups, women's rights, Dalit struggles, environment protection, anti corruption and ethical personal development. Many of these individuals and groups face daily harassment, ridicule, apathy and often repression and violence. Yet they soldier on and together they are beginning to have an impact in the communities they work in and on the national consciousness.
At the same time, a growing number of relatively privileged and educated Indians are becoming increasing restless and uncomfortable with India's current direction, leadership and values. They find it unacceptable that a society should have such dramatic disparities as well as a moral vacuum. They would like to support and, where possible, involve themselves in progressive actions and activities.
NIRMAN sees itself as an organization that can foster and support the many individuals and groups working towards progressive causes. At the same time it can serve as a bridge to link the activists in the field with the many who wish to support them. It sees a role for itself in disseminating information about the many progressive movements and causes, helping to make more people aware of the issues confronting us and the pressing need to confront them. This dissemination is done through newsletters, email, discussion forums and participation in projects and movements. NIRMAN sees itself as being ideologically open, non sectarian and willing to work with groups, parties or organizations with similar objectives and supporting similar causes.
NIRMAN seeks to sensitize and conscientize increasing numbers of people towards the dangers and problems facing India today. It then seeks to provide a forum for such people to support and interact with the many activists and organizations who are working in India's towns and villages towards a variety of progressive goals.
The most affected among the poor landless are the bird catchers or "hunters" who are homeless. PEARL takes care of 60 children from this community.
NIRMAN also seeks to make people look at their own lives and their own personal values, beliefs and prejudices and explore ways to live fulfilling lives in keeping with their professed ideals and goals. |
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Our Activities :
- Supporting individuals, groups and organizations which are working in any way towards one or more of the objectives of NIRMAN. This support may be financial, legal, moral or in any other appropriate form.
- Publicizing and disseminating information about activities and organizations which work towards the objectives of NIRMAN.
- Requiring and encouraging members of NIRMAN to demonstrate in their personal and professional lives commitment towards the objectives of NIRMAN.
- Requiring and encouraging members of NIRMAN to themselves initiate or be involved in activity directed towards the objectives of NIRMAN
- Directly carrying out social, developmental and any other activity directed towards the objectives of NIRMAN.
Please Visit INDIAN NIRMAN SANGH for Detailed informations
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