Hinsamukth
Samaj Bharat Andolan
The Himsamukth Bharat Andolan
(Violence-free Society Campaign), launched in 2004 under the
auspices of Indian Council of Gandhian Studies, New Delhi and
a host of other Gandhian and service organizations, was a
creative response of Radhakrishnan to educate and organize
civil society to become aware of the dangerous situation
developing in this country and help them initiate appropriate
activities to counter the menace of violence and terror. The
campaign had the advice and patronage of such national leaders
as former President of India Sri R. Venkataraman and Sri Sadiq
Ali. Quite a few activities were undertaken in different parts
of India since the inception of the campaign and the most
outstanding among them are:
|
Three-month long public campaign to enlist One Lakh families to nonviolence. |
|
Youth camps on the problem of
violence in 17 states of India and in 43 Universities and
colleges.
|
|
Essay and elocution competitions
to school children in about 600 Educational Institutions.
|
|
Padayatras
(in 4 states) and discussion sessions (in 12 states).
|
|
Six Regional Meetings involving
senior Gandhian activists, Parliamentarians, Journalists,
writers, academics and social activists.
|
|
99 Satyagraha Centenary Special
Lectures / Seminars on the Contemporary Relevance of
Satyagraha particularly in the context of the growing menace
of violence and terror in
India and abroad.
|
National
Awareness programs on the theme, Challenge from Terrorism: Citizen’sresponsibility to counter
the menace:
|
As part of a major National
Awareness Program on the theme, Challenge from Terrorism:
Citizen’s responsibility to counter the menace, two
national level and four regional level conferences and
dialogues were held in such places as (i) IGNOU, New Delhi
(ii) Anuvrat Bhavan, New Delhi, Jaipur, Kolkata, Chandigarh,
Chennai, and Trivandrum.
These initiatives are major
steps in which around eight hundred social activists, Gandhian
constructive workers, academics, political leaders, spiritual
heads, youth leaders and others prepared an action program to
involve civil society in short-term and long-term programs to
combat violence and terror.
Ahimsa Samvaay Kendras and
Training in Nonviolence on a regular basis
A major development in 2006-07
was the steps taken by Radhakrishnan in association with the
Jain Viswabharati (Ladnun) under the benign spiritual
leadership of His Holiness Acharya Mahapragya undertook to
carry forward regular training in nonviolence through Ahimsa
Samvaay Kendras. Regular short-term and long-term training
programs in Nonviolence to combat terrorism and violence are
being imparted at five places in India such as Delhi,
Rajsamand, Jaipur, Madurai & Trivandrum. During the last one
year itself 62 short-term programs in these five places were
organized under the general guidance and supervision of Dr.
Radhakrishnan.
Gandhi
through films
In a very innovative program,
six select films on Gandhi have been identified and on the
basis of a brief curriculum built around them, a program of
KNOW GANDHI THROUGH FILMS has been designed by
Radhakrishnan and in over 60 educational institutions in
different parts of India they were screened and discussions on
them held.
60 Youth Assemblies
against Violence and Terror in different parts of India
In a land-mark development,
Radhakrishnan designed in association with Rajiv Gandhi
National institute for Youth Development, Nehru Yuvak Kendra
Sanghatan, Ahimsa Samvaay Kendras, the Indian Council of
Gandhian Studies and Ekta Parishad a national program
called Youth Assemblies in order to take the message of
nonviolent conflict management and problem solving, fostering
of communal harmony and involving youth in nation building
initiatives. This program which began on 30th
January 2008 would conclude in January 2009 at a national
Youth Assembly in Delhi. Until March 2008 Youth Assemblies
were held in 38 places and an estimated number of 8000 Youth
have so far participated in these Youth Assemblies.
Community Peace Centers (CPCs)
Efforts are on to establish
over 140 Community Peace Centers (CPCs) in educational
institutions in association with Indira Gandhi National Open
University (IGNOU).
100 lectures and seminars on the Contemporary Relevance of
Satyagraha in the UN-Decade of Nonviolence
An
ambitious program of 100 special lectures and discussions by
Radhakrishnan on contemporary issues, analyzed from a Gandhian
perspective to commemorate the Centenary of the Satyagraha
Campaign under Gandhi and the UN-Decade of Nonviolence,
was launched on October 14, 2006 and until now 99 lectures
were delivered in various parts of India and abroad. 99
lectures in this series have been delivered until April 2008.