ANHAD

Last updated

ANHAD
FormationMarch 2003
TypeNGO
Purpose human rights, democratic rights as enshrined in the Constitution of India, secularism
HeadquartersCanning Lane, New Delhi - 1
Region served
India

ANHAD (Act Now for Harmony and Democracy) is an Indian socio-cultural organization established in March 2003, as a response to 2002 Gujarat riots. Social activist Shabnam Hashmi, sister of the slain activist Safdar Hashmi and founder of SAHMAT, Marxian historian Prof. K N Panikkar and social activist Harsh Mander are the founding members of ANHAD. Based in Delhi, ANHAD works in the field of secularism, human rights and communal harmony. [1] ANHAD's activities include secular mobilization, sensitizing people about their democratic rights as enshrined in Indian Constitution, research and publication of books and reports, welfare programs for marginalised sections of society, launching creative mass mobilization campaigns. People's tribunals. [2] It also work as a pressure group among political circle to take action against communalism. ANHAD plays a major role in Gujarat to fight against human right violations, [3] as well as in the Kashmir Valley. [4] [5]

Contents

ANHAD is registered as a trust and has six trustees as of now: They are Shabnam Hashmi, Aban Raza, Amrita Nandy, Harsh Mander, Shubha Menon and Mukhtar Shaikh.

History

The organisation works with victims of communal violence, and in 2005, ANHAD rehabilitated 25 children from the 2002 Gujarat riots in Delhi. Initially they lived in Apna Ghar hostel in Jaitpur on Delhi's outskirts, later shifted to a new hostel, Bal Sahyog, in Connaught Place, the children study at Balwant Rai Mehta School in Greater Kailash II. [6] It took the initiative in screening the film Parzania in Gujarat in April 2007. The film based on a Parsi family who lost their son during the 2002 Gujarat riots, was not screened in the state, upon its nationwide release in January, as the cinema owners feared backlash. [7] [8]

In July 2010, in a statement, ANHAD said, "“The presence of the Army and security forces dominates the (Srinagar) Valley and reinforces the deep-rooted angst of people. The reality is that democracy is under severe strain and is almost absent in many parts in the State, despite an elected government backed by the Centre holding the reigns[ sic ] of power in Srinagar". [9]

ANHAD filed a plea against the Delhi Police in Batla house encounter case.

Reports published by ANHAD

To support the proposed Women's Reservation Bill, ANHAD along with the support of various other organizations, organized a nationwide campaign called "Reservation Express" in 2009, which involved three caravans travelling through the country, apart from Campaign, public meetings, conferences and cultural programmes. [21] [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teesta Setalvad</span> Indian activist and journalist (born 1962)

Teesta Setalvad is an Indian civil rights activist and journalist. She is the secretary of Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), an organisation formed to advocate for the victims of 2002 Gujarat riots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamaat-e-Islami Hind</span> Islamic organisation in India

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind is an Islamic organisation in India, founded as an offshoot of the Jamaat-e-Islami, which split into separate independent organisations in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh following the Partition of India in 1947.

Human rights in India is an issue complicated by the country's large size and population as well as its diverse culture, despite its status as the world's largest sovereign, secular, socialist democratic republic. The Constitution of India provides for fundamental rights, which include freedom of religion. Clauses also provide for freedom of speech, as well as separation of executive and judiciary and freedom of movement within the country and abroad. The country also has an independent judiciary as well as bodies to look into issues of human rights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harsh Mander</span> Indian social activist and writer

Harsh Mander is an Indian author, columnist, researcher, teacher, and social activist who started the Karwan-e-Mohabbat campaign in solidarity with the victims of communal or religiously motivated violence. He is the Director of the Center for Equity Studies, a research organisation based in New Delhi. He also served as Special Commissioner to the Supreme Court of India in the Right to Food Campaign and was a member of the National Advisory Council of the Government of India, set up under the UPA government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2002 Gujarat riots</span> Sectarian violence in the Indian state

The 2002 Gujarat riots, also known as the 2002 Gujarat violence, was a three-day period of inter-communal violence in the western Indian state of Gujarat. The burning of a train in Godhra on 27 February 2002, which caused the deaths of 58 Hindu pilgrims and karsevaks returning from Ayodhya, is cited as having instigated the violence. Following the initial riot incidents, there were further outbreaks of violence in Ahmedabad for three months; statewide, there were further outbreaks of violence against the minority Muslim population of Gujarat for the next year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Dayal</span>

John Dayal is an Indian human rights and Christian political activist. He is a member of the National Integration Council (NIC) of India, Secretary-General of the All India Christian Council and a past president of the All India Catholic Union. He has been outspoken in opposition to communal polarisation, bigotry and the spread of hatred between religious communities.

<i>Parzania</i> 2005 Indian film

Parzania is a 2007 Indian drama film co-written and directed by Rahul Dholakia; David N. Donihue is the other co-writer. The film featured Naseeruddin Shah and Sarika in the lead roles, while Corin Nemec and Raj Zutshi played supporting roles. Made on a budget of US$700,000, the film was shot in Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.

Religious violence in India includes acts of violence by followers of one religious group against followers and institutions of another religious group, often in the form of rioting. Religious violence in India has generally involved Hindus and Muslims.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ram Puniyani</span> Indian academic, writer, and activist focusing on communal harmony and secularism.

Ram Puniyani is a former professor of biomedical engineering and former senior medical officer affiliated with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. He began his medical career in 1973 and served IIT in various capacities for 27 years, beginning in 1977. He has been involved with human rights activities and initiatives to oppose Hindu fundamentalism in India and is currently the President of the Executive Council of the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism (CSSS). He is also an advisory board member of Muslim Mirror.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angana P. Chatterji</span> Indian anthropologist, activist, and feminist historian

Angana P. Chatterji is an Indian anthropologist, activist, and feminist historian, whose research is closely related to her advocacy work and focuses mainly on India. She co-founded the International People's Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Kashmir and was a co-convener from April 2008 to December 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muslim Rashtriya Manch</span> RSS-affiliated Muslim organization

The Muslim Rashtriya Manch is a Muslim organisation in India, inspired by the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). It was formed in 2002 in the presence of the then RSS chief K.S. Sudarshan to grow dialogue with Muslim community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulbarg Society massacre</span> Massacre of a Muslim neighbourhood in Ahmedabad during the 2002 Gujarat Riots

The Gulbarg Society massacre took place on 28 February 2002, during the 2002 Gujarat riots, when a crowd started stone pelting the Gulbarg Society, a Muslim neighbourhood in the eastern part of Chamanpura, Ahmedabad in the Indian state of Gujarat. Most of the houses were burnt, and at least 35 victims, including a former Congress Member of Parliament, Ehsan Jafri, were burnt alive, while 31 others went missing after the incident, later presumed dead, bringing the total deaths to 69.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian People's Tribunal</span> Organization

The Indian People's Tribunal (IPT), also called the Indian People's Tribunal on Environmental and Human Rights or Independent People's Tribunal, was a People's Tribunal set up by the Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) on 5 June 1993. The IPT is an unofficial body led by retired judges who form a panel that conducts public enquiries into human rights and environmental abuses. It provides an alternative outlet for the victims faced with official obstruction and delays. Since being founded the IPT has conducted numerous investigations into cases of relocation of rural people to make way for dams or parks, eviction of slum dwellers, industrial pollution and communal or state-sponsored violence.

Mihir Desai is a human rights lawyer in cases of mass murders & riots, fake encounter & custodial deaths by the police, police brutality, freedom of speech & journalists, political activists & prisoners of conscience, excesses by the state, mass disappearances & deaths and genocide probes. A senior counsel, he has been practicing criminal matters in Bombay High Court, Mumbai and the Supreme Court of India.

Hosbet Suresh was a judge of the Bombay High Court who led a number of commissions that investigated violations of human rights.

The Dhule riots were riots between the Hindu and Muslim community that took place in December 1992, October 2008 and January 2013 in Dhule in northern Maharashtra, India. These riots led to death of more than 18 people in the rioting as well as police firing. Hundreds of civilians and police were injured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1985 Gujarat riots</span> 1985 communal violence in Gujarat State

The 1985 Gujarat riots began in February 1985 and lasted till August, in the Indian state of Gujarat. Most of the rioting occurred in the city of Ahmedabad; some other cities, including the state capital of Gandhinagar, were also affected. Between 220 and 275 people were killed in the violence, while several thousands of others were injured, and tens of thousands were displaced. The riots also caused widespread property damage.

There have been several instances of religious violence against Muslims since the partition of India in 1947, frequently in the form of violent attacks on Muslims by Hindu nationalist mobs that form a pattern of sporadic sectarian violence between the Hindu and Muslim communities. Over 10,000 people have been killed in Hindu-Muslim communal violence since 1950 in 6,933 instances of communal violence between 1954 and 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shabnam Hashmi</span> Indian social activist and human rights campaigner

Shabnam Hashmi is an Indian social activist and human rights campaigner. She is the sister of Safdar Hashmi and Sohail Hashmi. Safdar Hashmi was a communist playwright and director, best known for his work with street theatre in India.

References

  1. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ↑ Swati Sahi, OneWorld South Asia. "In the name of fighting terror". Southasia.oneworld.net. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  3. ↑ "Anhad demands immediate ban on RSS". ummid.com. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  4. ↑ Kashmir Valley remains calm amid curfew The Hindu , 1 July 2010.
  5. ↑ Apology demanded from PM Manmohan for humiliating Indians by his irresponsible statement on Narendra Modi The Milli Gazette , 21 March 2005.
  6. ↑ CRUSADE: Midnight’s Children No More Archived 2 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine Tehelka ,Aug 13 , 2005.
  7. ↑ "Gujarat finally screens Parzania". CNN-IBN. 24 April 2007. Archived from the original on 12 October 2012.
  8. ↑ Sharma, Radha (3 February 2007). "Gujarat will see Parzania if Bajrangi says OK!". The Times of India . Archived from the original on 22 October 2012.
  9. ↑ "Democracy under severe strain in Kashmir, say civil society groups". The Hindu. 9 July 2010.
  10. ↑ "Interim Report of Independent People's Tribunal on Human Rights Violations in Kashmir - Anhad". Anhadin.net. Archived from the original on 17 April 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  11. ↑ "Systematic discrimination oozing out of the pores in Gujarat - Anhad". Anhadin.net. 10 October 2009. Archived from the original on 14 September 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  12. ↑ "National Meet on Status of Muslims: Summary of Findings and Recommendations - Anhad". Anhadin.net. Archived from the original on 17 July 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  13. ↑ "26/11 Mumbai - Anhad". Anhadin.net. 7 January 2009. Archived from the original on 14 September 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  14. ↑ "5 Years of ANHAD: 2003-2008 - Anhad". Anhadin.net. Archived from the original on 1 June 2012. Retrieved 2012-03-24.
  15. ↑ "Visit to Orissa - Anhad". Anhadin.net. Archived from the original on 14 September 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  16. ↑ "ANHAD in Kashmir - Anhad". Anhadin.net. Archived from the original on 14 September 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  17. ↑ "'State Ka Order Hai' - Anhad". Anhadin.net. Archived from the original on 28 January 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  18. ↑ "Interim Observations - Tribunal On Atrocities Against Minorities - Anhad". Anhadin.net. Archived from the original on 14 September 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  19. ↑ "Selected Testimonies: Tribunal on the Atrocities against Minorities in the Name of Fighting Terrorism - Anhad". Anhadin.net. Archived from the original on 14 September 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  20. ↑ "Citizen's Fact Finding Report on Dhule Riots" (PDF). Human Rights and Social Justice Mission. 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 November 2020.
  21. ↑ "Pass women reservation bill". Reservation Express. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  22. ↑ Nationwide campaign for Women Reservation Bill Hindustan Times (PTI), 29 May 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.