Support & Strengthen Democracy
We are diverse, we are united
Our aim is to uphold the principles enshrined in the democratic Constitution of India and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
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The Blame Game
A documentary on the scapegoating of minorities during pandemics in world history, with a particular focus on the Tablighi Jamaat community in India during the Covid-19 national lockdown. For more information, click here
Our Silence, India’s Shame
A repository of stories of discrimination and violence within our communities. For more information visit the campaign homepage.
About I.N.D.I.A
International Network of Democratic Indians Abroad is a secular, non-profit, independent non-governmental organisation working to support and strengthen democratic and secular values in India and among people of Indian origin abroad.
We aim to uphold the principles enshrined in the preamble of the Constitution of India and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
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Our Mission
International Network of Democratic Indians Abroad, in the light of the UN’s Charter for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a guiding standard, will address the violations of human rights and crimes against humanity within the Indian subcontinent region. Using tactical lobbying, pressure methods, national campaigns and other such methods, I.N.D.I.A will address these issues and generate greater awareness through its working channels while offering real solutions to these globally and nationally through grassroots and government engagement.
International Network of Democratic Indians Abroad seeks to collaborate with political and civic organisations to promote citizen participation in democratic processes, and will lobby governments guilty of human rights abuses and aim to hold them to account using awareness campaigns through their work.
International Network of Democratic Indians seeks to promote social and community cohesion, intrafaith and interfaith dialogue and tolerance, social justice and respect of individual human rights irrespective of caste, creed, ethnicity, gender, religious beliefs or sexual orientation are the key values I.N.D.I.A will be promoting through our platform. This will also serve as a reminder of the preamble of the Constitution of India and its founding principles.
Meet the Team
Dr. Janice Manisha Maganji
President
Dr. Shabuddin Khan
Director
Our Journey so Far
Drinking water for 200 families in Chattisgarh
Actions in 2020
- Filed the first Public Interest Litigation from abroad at the Supreme Court of India against CAA/NRC.
- At a meeting attended by 16 members of parliament of UK in the Houses of Parliament in London, raised our concerns over the use of communal hatred in India for political gains and amplification of human rights violation in India.
- Met the High Commissioner of India (HCI), UK (in London), Her Excellency Mrs Ruchi Ghanshyam, to raise concern over the Delhi pogrom, and presented a fact checked, evidence backed memorandum. We took a delegation of 15 representatives from diverse backgrounds from all over the UK.
- Members of I.N.D.I.A. attended anti CAA protests all over UK in great numbers.
- Covid 19 Blame Game: Made a documentary film on how minorities around the world are oppressed in world history during pandemics, with a focus on Covid-19 pandemic in India. https://blame-game.com/. The world needs to remember the suffering of the Tablighi Jamaatis, migrants of India, Dalits and Christians who were denied their right to safety and health. They were blamed and suffered loss of life and peace.
- Collaborated with local BLM activists for project ‘Our Silence India’s Shame’, to highlight that people are murdered in India because they are Muslim or Christian or Dalit or woman etc. Those non-resident Indians who find the murder of George Floyd deplorable, must also speak up for the people killed in India due to their identity.
- Successfully screened the film- Covid-19 Blame Game, online with impressive attendance. The guest speakers were Teesta Setalvad and Ram Puniyani.
- Wrote a letter to Rt. Hon. Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour party in UK, to draw his attention to the diverse Indian population, refuting the claims of representation of Indian diaspora by British Forum of Hindus.
- Participated in many radio talks and Youtube discussions on subjects of concern about India.
- Made a fun film, responding to BJP supporters’ very intelligent questions.
- Wrote the Christian leaders of UK about the oppression of the Christian community in India and urged them to speak up for their human rights.
- Supported the Rape Free India Campaign, banners put up in three London underground train stations.
- Brought together 200 plus members and many more supporters (individuals and organisations). Please join us by filling the membership form here.
Actions in 2021
- Supplied and distributed 175 woollen kits (containing hats, mufflers, gloves, and socks) to the farmers at Shahjehanabad border of Delhi who are protesting against the oppressive farms laws imposed on the farmers and labourers of India with any consultation with them. These laws set the farmers to be exploited by private businesses and takes away protected minimum cost of their produce.
- Raised our concern over a letter from anonymous claiming representation of Indian diaspora and demanding a ban on visas to India for 36 named MPs of UK in a letter to HCI, UK, Her Excellency Mrs Gaitri Issar Kumar.
What are the highlights of our plan for 2021?
- The projects on Communal Harmony that were kickstarted last year continue to gain strength in our 2 ambitious projects this year. One will focus on highlighting the disruptive elements based in the UK that continue their agenda to spread communal hatred in UK and India. We recognize that such forces must be identified and stopped in their tracks. The other project is to develop an app to report hate speech. This is a very ambitious project that will have an immediate impact on the people who suffer from communal hatred and those who cause the suffering.
- This year we have picked up projects for gender equality in India. In the first project we are making a series of short films that will answer the questions such as- does social fabric and culture impact a child’s thinking about gender equality (or inequality)?; if yes, then how can those cultural gaps be bridged?; and what are the composite factors impacting the minds of the children in India regarding gender inequality? These films will form the basis of the second project in which we are developing an educational module to impart gender equality in 16year old students. This will form a pilot programme in a few schools in India. After its success, it will be rolled out to other schools, age and community groups.
We will be happy to receive support in any form for the work we have undertaken on your behalf. You can see that the projects this year are more complex and proactive. It takes skills and time of many volunteers we are short of. Please contact me directly if you are interested in taking part in any of the projects mentioned.
We also need lot of funds to successfully complete these projects. Although the volunteers work charitably for these projects, we still need funds to build the App, education module, training the trainers for the gender equality projects, editing of the films putting reports together to raise issues about the communal elements. We are not registered as a charity to keep on speaking on political matters on behalf of secular Indians. This also means that we are not eligible for charitable funds. We solely depend on funds coming from well-wishers like you. Therefore, please support us by donating funds to us here. You can also set up a monthly direct debit.
I close with reminding you to be the change you want to see in the world. We have taken steps towards that. But we can’t do it without your support. Please continue to remember us in your prayers. Let’s make the world a better place to live. And say Inshallah to it!