AwaazNetwork 3.45

WHAT IS AWAAZ UK

Awaaz UK is a UK-based network of South Asian organizations and individuals. It was established in 2002 following the carnage in Gujarat. Awaaz members have signed up to a common platform of secularism, democracy, human rights and tolerance, and will challenge religious hatred and intolerance whichever community it comes from.

WHAT IS YOUR POLITICAL AGENDA?

Awaaz is opposed to the violence, intolerance and hate that Hindutva represents, just as Awaaz is opposed to religious hatred, intolerance and violence in any form. Awaaz is not affiliated to any political party nor does Awaaz subscribe to any single political ideology.

WHO ARE YOUR BACKERS?

Awaaz is an independent network. It receives no funds except those its members contribute out of their own pockets for specific projects. It receives no funds from any political party or government body. Awaaz itself is not affiliated to any political party or religious organisation. We welcome unconditional donations only.

AREN’T YOU ANTI-HINDU?

The RSS is a secretive, hate-driven cult inspired by Fascist and Nazi ideologies. In its branch meetings, RSS members pray to its first two leaders (who both admired Fascism) and not to Hindu deities. The HSS UK is a branch of the Indian RSS. Its members show allegiance to the ideology of the RSS and the founder and second leader of the Indian RSS. The RSS and its parivar has no right to define who is or is not a Hindu.

Many of us in Awaaz are Hindus. Being opposed to the Hindutva cult of the sangh parivar and the RSS is not the same as being anti-Hindu. We reject the RSS and VHP’s authoritarian attempt to define and prescribe who is or is not a true and genuine Hindu. We stand firmly against Hindutva, Islamism (political Islam, Islamic fundamentalism), Christian fundamentalism and other forms of religious extremism.

AREN’T YOU A BUNCH OF MARXISTS / COMMUNISTS?

Awaaz has no affiliation to a political ideology except a common platform of democracy, secularism, human rights and social justice which members and all affiliated organisations have to agree to if they want to become part of the Awaaz network. The key statements and principles to which members sign up to are the aims and objectives of Awaaz.

In reality, Awaaz is a secular network of individuals and organisations. Awaaz is concerned with issues of human rights, democracy, secularism and tolerance in South Asia. We have Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Jain and Christian members; we also have members who follow no faith. We have members who consider themselves ‘left’, ‘liberal-left’ or simply ‘liberals’, as well as members who do not use these labels. Attempts to question the motivations or undermine the credibility of organisations and individuals are attempts to deflect from addressing in detail the documented evidence, findings and allegations we have made. We are very happy for the press and media to verify in detail our credentials as secular academics, lawyers, human rights and women’s rights campaigners (as much of the press have already done).