A Call for Action

Apart from a plethora of think tanks, research and analysis agencies, go green groups, etc., the NGO sector is today flooded with organizations seemingly undertaking some or the other humanitarian activities. There has been a long-standing general perception amongst our people that those undertaking spiritual, charitable and humanitarian activities belong to a special breed of selfless and dedicated human beings, and that their motives and actions should never be questioned. And, our blind adherence to this perception has, during the last few decades, aided many crooked and cunning ones to invade the field and pollute it, making things tougher for the really good and honest ones out there, making things tougher for the people to distinguish the good ones from the bad. Misappropriations, mismanagement of resources, violations of law and justice, etc., now being perceived in the sector are all the fallout of some grievous flaws in the system, the consequences of the lack of appropriate checks and balances.

There is also a general feeling amongst the people, amongst especially those outside the social service sector that we should give some charity, volunteer some help and there our duty ends. The unfortunate fact is that we never bother to see if our money and help has reached the really deserving ones. Even our governments can't say with conviction if the crores of rupees it spends each year under various welfare schemes is reaching the really deserving ones, if it’s really creating the desired impacts. A lot of duplication of efforts; wastage of money and other resources; unplanned, misguided, politically-motivated launch of schemes; corruption-encouraging execution processes; etc., have ruled and ruined our social service sector all these years. All these situations need to change. Social workers, activists and NGOs (apart from the Government) have a great role to play in the reconstruction and growth of our country, in alleviating poverty and miseries of the people, in fighting corruption and social injustices. But they can do all these meaningfully and successfully only by getting to clean first their own organizations and their own fields of activity.

It is under such circumstances that Mission AHIMSA becomes of undeniable relevance. Mission AHIMSA is basically a mass awareness generation program because it’s from mass awareness that appropriate socio-political actions originate and get implemented. This is the time for all our intellectuals, writers, artists and socially committed celebrities to come out of the confines of party politics and religious/spiritual inclinations, and do some real, liberal and constructive thinking for the welfare of suffering humanity. It is the enlightenment, enthusiasm and energy of such persons that can lend more force to the Mission. It’s such persons who can prompt and equip the educated and enlightened masses, especially the students and youth, to give our country a sane, strong and sensitive social service sector. Mission AHIMSA intends to use social media platforms, especially FaceBook to set up an organized network of solidarity groups across the country. The Mission intends to make students and youths use at least a bit of their social media time and contacts for meaningful and responsible social action. Mission AHIMSA needs honesty, social commitment and balanced approaches. Mission AHIMSA needs cooperation, not confrontation; reformation, not revolution; unification, not separatism. The Mission aims to work in an environment of harmony between the Central Government, State Governments, NGOs and the people of our country.

It doesn’t matter if one is a VIP or an ordinary citizen, a teacher or a student, an employer or an employee, a writer or an artist, a person belonging to this or that political party… if he or she is somebody who loves honesty and cares to see that our social service sector stays corruption-free, Mission AHIMSA needs such persons. Are you one who would love to be a part of Mission AHIMSA? Think about that and try to find it out by yourself. You are the only one who can answer that question honestly. And if the answer is "Yes", then you are going to enrich, empower and make more meaningful, not only Mission AHIMSA, not only the millions who will be favored by its success, but your own life too.