Gopal Rai, AAP Labour Leader Launches New Foundation



Desh Ki Bath Foundation Plans to Help Solve Nation's Challenges

The inspiration behind the Desh Ki Baat foundation is its President, Gopal Rai, a subtle and perceptive powerhouse of a community activist turned politician. Rai is the founder of AAP's Labour Wing, Shramik Vikas Sangathan (SVS) and been associated with various progressive causes such as the raising of Dehi State's Minimum Wage policy. That is why the name of this Foundation is best explained, not just translated: Desh Ki Bath: Ideas vital to the Indian nation. But knowing the people behind the organization and the positive politics they stand for, its clear that what they mean here is "That which is vital to the regeneration and development of the Indian Nation."

Core Ideas That Can Unify People of Good Purpose: The Foundation was registered on January 22nd, 2018, just four days before India celebrated its sixty eighth Republic Day. Desh Ki Bath has been conceived as a cultural organization designed to rally people around core ideas that attract and unify people of good purpose who want to serve their country.

Positive Nationalism: A Big Idea Whose Time Has Come: The very next year after registering the Foundation, Rai in 2019 released his vision statement for the Foundation in the form of a book titled "Sankratmak Rashtravad" or Positive Nationalism.

The Foundation's goals are lofty. They aim to awaken the spirit of patriotism. Combined with Gopal Rai's podcasts (also named "Desh Ki Baath") the Foundation is a rousing clarion call to the youth of India, offering them new tools to express and implement ideas of national regeneration.

Rai and the other iconoclastic leaders of the Delhi Government emerged out of the India Against Corruption" movement led by Anna Hazare. Hazare wanted his movement to stay clear of politics but associates like Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai felt that a new generation of "Positive Politics" was the burning need of the hour.

Calling India's Diverse Youth: So the Foundation aims to inculcate this new positive Nationalism among Indians. Especially the 65 percent of Indians who are below the age of 35. The intent is also to create a culture and a forum for constructive ideas that can bring together India's diverse cultures.

Coming together with new solutions to old problems:
Even after 70 years of independence, India faces crippling challenges like unequal distribution of wealth, corruption and communalism.

Preparing for the challenges of growth: On the one hand, the United Nations projects that India will be the #1 economy in the world by the year 2050, on the other,  the top 1 percent of India's population owns 50 percent of the nation's wealth. While the bottom 50 percent of India's population owns a paltry 2 percent of India's wealth. Only one nation (Russia) has greater wealth inequity than India.

 Apathy also kills: One of the biggest problems India faces for example is political apathy among intelligent, educated youth. 'Desh Ki Baat' seeks to reignite passion and faith in India's jaded youth, blindly adopting western consumerism because most politicians today have failed to give them something of substance to believe in.

The Desh Ki Bath Foundation's organizers clearly seek a fresh perspective that can stimulate new enthusiasm and ideas which can then be put to work in service of India.  

Nationalism and its associate Patriotism has been used the world over to fan flames of exclusion and competition. It was Lincoln who said, "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel." Nationalism for its part has been used by despots like Hitler to whip up jingoistic frenzy which in turn gives unscrupulous leaders a compliant population unified in opposition to real and imagined enemies.

Getting people to think is the right way to rally people: Presenting the concept of a more rational and positive nationalism is designed to help people think independently, yet collaboratively. It is a long overdue idea and let's hope this new Foundation can help ignite positive nationalism, thereby awakening the collective Indian spirit, breaking the chains of corruption and disdain for higher human values that has crippled India's march to future success.

Hybrid Ideas are usually stronger: The diversity that exists in the Indian culture is an incredible strength because its allows for the forging of new hybrid ideas. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, there are many languages, dialects, and faiths. Desh Ki Bath was formed to challenge the Indian nation and prepare it for the humane, Indian version of the "Great Leap Forward" when India with all its diversity learns to share and care despite the differences between people.

New Economic Vision: This coming together of ideas makes possible a new vision of India's economic future. Combining a wide array of economic visions from Village Swaraj to computerized robotics and Block Chain technology.

We live in an era of specialization. So while the big picture requires a common vision, there are multi-disciplinary challenges that have to be addressed in areas from animal cloning to nano technology. Often economic and technology issues need to be seen within a moral framework. Sometimes long held ideas may need to be questioned. One example is perhaps how we can develop a health system that promotes wellness instead of  earning revenue from treating sickness.

Retaining the values, rights duties and directive principles enshrined in the constitution: Issues need to be thought through, for example:

  • How do you balance social justice issues with the Right to Property. 
  • What does secular really mean. Should we be spending government money on religious functions? 
  • Should we continue to allow the dilution of the Nation's federal system and the inexorable encroachment on state's rights.

The Nation's Natural resources. How can we best protect them even as we use them? 
The tendency to consume excessively has put so much burden on nature that the  adverse effects it has started reflecting on our everyday life. Discussing  these issues and working towards viable solutions are need of the hour. A few examples of issues the foundation will need to address:

  • Are we pricing our mined resources correctly? Are crony capitalists unfairly making money at the people's expense?
  • Should we permit the sale of genetically modified seed?
  • Should we accelerate our use of solar power even if results in upheaval in industries that rely on fossil fuels.

Methodology
To achieve its goal, some of the methods 'Desh Ki Baat' will deploy include:

1. Seminars, discussions and conferences on social, economic, political and environmental issues.. 

2. To organise cultural programs, to instil the spirit of patriotism and positive nationalism and to expand thinking. 

3. To establish a knowledge and research center and thereby inculcate a scientific temperament.

4. Grant of fellowships to work for the country. initiating projects for education, health, environmental protection, social and national integration and skill development,  to help all sections of society progress.

5. The funding of think tanks (including public/private partnerships) to fulfill their goal of overall development of the country. 

6. Contests: The Foundation will incentivize universities and incubators to compete for funding.

In conclusion: politicians are usually known for investing their energy in activities that produce quick results. The Desh Ki Baath Foundation indicates a commendable long term understanding of the nation and its complex needs.




“Is dharti ki kasam, is ambar ki kasam,ye tana bana badlega
“ Tu khud to badal tu khud to badal, tab to ye zamana badlega”

3 comments:

  1. AAP is consistent and persistent in putting its vision into practice. I feel that this is another step towards a giant leap.

    ReplyDelete
  2. A very well written article. Gives the clear understanding from begin to end about the basic idea and the vision of "Desh Ki Bath" as the it mentioned in conclusion 'Politicians are usually known for investing their energy in activities that produce quick results. The Desh Ki Baath Foundation indicates a commendable long term understanding of the nation and its complex needs.' Jai Ho!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you for your insight. This kind of vision is why Gopal Ji will be able to draw people and challenge them in service of our country.

    Pravin JP Arapurakal
    National President
    Shramik Vikas Sangathan

    ReplyDelete

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