ANHAD (Act Now for Harmony and Democracy) is a socio-cultural organization established in March 2003, as a response to

2002 Gujarat riots The 2002 Gujarat riots, also known as the 2002 Gujarat violence or the Gujarat pogrom, was a three-day period of inter-communal violence in the western Indian state of Gujarat. The Godhra train burning, burning of a train in Godhra on 27 Fe ...

Social activist Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make Social change, changes in society toward a perceived common good. Forms of activism range from ...

Shabnam Hashmi, sister of the slain activist

Safdar Hashmi Safdar Hashmi (12 April 1954 – 2 January 1989) was an Indian communist playwright and director, best known for his work with street theatre in India. He was also an actor, lyricist, and theorist, and he is still considered an important voice i ...

and founder of SAHMAT, Marxian

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...

Prof. K N Panikkar and social activist

Harsh Mander Harsh Mander (born 17 April 1955) 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 Dir ...

are the founding members of ANHAD. Based in

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...

, ANHAD works in the field of

secularism Secularism is the principle of seeking to conduct human affairs based on naturalistic considerations, uninvolved with religion. It is most commonly thought of as the separation of religion from civil affairs and the state and may be broadened ...

human rights Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...

and communal harmony. ANHAD's activities include secular mobilization, sensitizing people about their

democratic rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of ...

as enshrined in

Indian Constitution The Constitution of India is the supreme legal document of India, and the longest written national constitution in the world. The document lays down the framework that demarcates fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and ...

, research and publication of books and reports, welfare programs for marginalised sections of society, launching creative

mass mobilization Mass mobilization (also known as social mobilization or popular mobilization) refers to mobilization of civilian population as part of contentious politics. Mass mobilization is defined as a process that engages and motivates a wide range of partne ...

campaigns. People's tribunals. It also work as a

pressure group Advocacy groups, also known as lobby groups, interest groups, special interest groups, pressure groups, or public associations, use various forms of advocacy or lobbying to influence public opinion and ultimately public policy. They play an impor ...

among political circle to take action against

communalism Communalism may refer to: * African communalism, a system of interdependence in rural Africa * Christian communism, form of religious communism based on Christianity * Communalism (Bookchin), a theory of government in which autonomous communities ...

. ANHAD plays a major role in

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

to fight against

human right Human rights are universally recognized moral principles or norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both national and international laws. These rights are considered inherent and inalienable, meaning t ...

violations, as well as in the

Kashmir Valley The Kashmir Valley, also known as the Vale of Kashmir, is an intermontane valley in northern Jammu and Kashmir, a region in Indian-administered Kashmir.(a) (subscription required) Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcont ...

. 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 Communal violence is a form of violence that is perpetrated across ethnic or communal lines, where the violent parties feel solidarity for their respective groups and victims are chosen based upon group membership. The term includes conflicts, ri ...

, 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 Greater Kailash (often referred to as GK) is a residential area in South Delhi consisting of several neighborhoods and multiple markets. It is divided into three zones, namely part 1, 2, and 3, located around a section of the Outer Ring Road. ...

II. It took the initiative in screening the film ''

Parzania ''Parzania'' (translation: ''Heaven and hell on earth'') 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 ...

'' in Gujarat in April 2007. The film based on a

Parsi The Parsis or Parsees () are a Zoroastrian ethnic group in the Indian subcontinent. They are descended from Persian refugees who migrated to the Indian subcontinent during and after the Arab-Islamic conquest of Iran in the 7th century, w ...

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. 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 of power in Srinagar". ANHAD filed a plea against the

Delhi Police The Delhi Police (DP) is the law enforcement agency for the National Capital Territory of Delhi. Delhi Police falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. In 2024, the sanctioned strength of Delhi Police w ...

in Batla house encounter case.

Reports published by ANHAD

*Interim Report of Independent People's Tribunal on Human Rights Violations in Kashmir * Systematic discrimination oozing out of the pores in Gujarat * National Meet on Status of Muslims: Summary of Findings and Recommendations *

26/11 The 2008 Mumbai attacks, also referred to as 26/11 attacks, were a series of coordinated Islamic terrorism, Islamist terrorist attacks that took place in November 2008, when 10 members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based Islamist terrorist o ...

Mumbai * 5 Years of ANHAD: 2003-2008 * Visit to Orissa * ANHAD in Kashmir * State Ka Order Hai * Interim Observations - Tribunal On Atrocities Against Minorities * Selected Testimonies: Tribunal on the Atrocities against Minorities in the Name of Fighting Terrorism *Citizen's Fact Finding Report on Dhule Riots To support the proposed

Women's Reservation Bill The Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, popularly known as the Women's Reservation Bill, 2023 (ISO 15919: ''Nārī Śakti Vandan Adhiniyam''), was introduced in Lok Sabha on 19 September 2023 during the special session of Par ...

, 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.Nationwide campaign for Women Reservation Bill
''

Hindustan Times ''Hindustan Times'' is an Indian English language, English-language daily newspaper based in Delhi. It is the flagship publication of HT Media Limited, an entity controlled by the Birla family, and is owned by Shobhana Bhartia, the daughter o ...

'' (PTI), 29 May 2010.

References

External links

BJP lifts now ANHAD’s photo for its "Kashmir Bachao Divas" ad
- TCN News
Reservation Express (Pass the Women's Reservation Bill now!), website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anhad Organisations based in Delhi Human rights organisations based in India Organizations established in 2003 Political advocacy groups in India Secularist organizations Secularism in India

History

Reports published by ANHAD

See also

References

External links