Anhad's Organisational Aims, Vision and Mission

2007-09-25T07:35:00Z

The urgency to intervene in defence of democracy, secularism and justice has never been more pressing than in the conditions prevailing in the country today. There is a recognizable change in the general tenor of public discourse; unlike in the past, it is informed more by the communal than by secular ethos. In the face of concerted social mobilisation mounted by communal organisations by invoking religious symbols and sentiments, liberal civil society has come under a siege. Nevertheless, it is evident from the large number of secular democratic initiatives by political parties, voluntary organisations and individuals that society is seized of the need for sustained and constructive action for strengthening secularism and democracy and for realising justice and peace. Their numbers and strength are not inconsequential. Yet, there are moments when the communal ideologies and social and political organisations appear to be poised to conquer. While it regroups, the secular parties remain weak-kneed, defensive and indecisive.

It is therefore necessary to energize the secular forces by a conscious regrouping and co-operation. ANHAD is intended to be one modest attempt among many in this direction.

Like any other progressive voluntary organisation the work of ANHAD is also evolving with experience. Yet, some areas were identified for initial focus These are cultural action, social mobilisation, defence of civil liberties and work in the diaspora. The cultural action is conceived as intervention in daily life practices through popular and folk culture, syncretic and tolerance systems of faith and the building of communities invested in pluralism, while challenging hatred, obscurantism and superstition.

ANHAD undertakes grass root level activities, with the support and collaboration of the existing organisations wherever possible and if not, by initiating work on its own through volunteers. The emphasis is on constructive and continuous activity, which would create and sustain secular and democratic consciousness.

ANHAD means without limits. We envisage it as an inclusive institution in which every one who stands for democracy, secularism, justice and peace can participate.

The Origin , Structure, Constitution of Governing Board of Anhad

2007-09-25T00:03:59Z

Some of us who have been involved in the anti-communal movement in India for over 15 years, were totally shaken by the Gujarat carnage 2002. After spending over a year in Gujarat and witnessing the brutalities we realised that it was not possible to counter the communal violence without a concerted effort to counter the hate ideology itself. Initially three senior activists Prof. KN Panikkar, Harsh Mander and Shabnam Hashmi came together to form ANHAD (Act Now for Harmony and Democracy) in the first week of March 2003.

ANHAD was conceived less as an organisation and more as a platform and a very loose absolutely action oriented movement. ANHAD is neither a structured and highly resourced organisation nor a centralised movement capable of large-scale popular mobilisation. It, however, tries to combine the elements of both by collaborating with existing organisations and movements and by undertaking local level activities. The former enables ANHAD to develop creative co-operation with people's organisations and social movements working in different areas of social, cultural and political concerns, the latter opens up for secular mobilisation the space hitherto uncolonised by communalism.

Anhad is registered as a trust and has six trustees.

K N Panikkar, historian and social commentator, Founding Trustee
Harsh Mander, activist and writer, Founding Trustee
Shubha Mudgal, musician, Trustee
Kamla Bhasin, activist and writer, Trustee
Saeed Akhtar Mirza, film maker and writer, Trustee
Shabnam Hashmi, social and political activist, Founding and Managing Trustee