Swadeshi Jagran Manch

INTRODUCTION

The concept of Swadeshi is more than 100 years old. It was a guiding force for the Indian freedom struggle under the visionary leadership of Lokmanya Tilak, Veer Savarkar, Shri Aurobindo and Mahatama Gandhi. Even decades after independence from British Colonialism it was felt that for total economic freedom it is essential to make Swadeshi a way of life. To make people aware of the on going economic imperialism, few organizations like Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) etc. started a massive campaign for Swadeshi in 1980s. This movement helped in spreading awareness among the masses about the importance of Swadeshi as a way of life. To give this movement a concrete form, It was decided to establish Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM). Accordingly, SJM came into existence on November 22, 1991 at Nagpur. Representatives of five national level organisations including BMS, ABVP, BKS, Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP) & Sahkar Bharati took this decision in the presence of Shri Dottopant Thengdi, founder of BMS. For proper execution of movement a Central Committee was formed and Dr. M.G. Bokare (Ex Vice Chancellor, Nagpur University) was given the responsibility of convener. On 12 January 1992, Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekanand, the first massive campaign against the economic policy of central government started. People from all walks of life with distinct ideologies came together on the SJM platform to fight against economic imperialism. Subsequently literature on Swadeshi, intellectual property rights. GATT and economic imperialism of multinationals was published and distributed to popularize the cause of SJM. Later on many other organizations joined the forces for Swadeshi like Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Vidya Bharati, Rashtra Sevika Samiti, Bharatiya Sikshan Mandal etc. Today SJM has become an all-encompassing movement with more than 15 organizations associated with it and has many other dimensions to its credit. We have an all India network of sub units up to district level across the country. In some districts our units have reached up to block level. SJM is progressively reaching geographical and social spread of the country. At the same time SJM is actively coordinating with all those people and organizations that believe in Swadeshi viewpoint, and in the process has become an important link between the lowest strata of the society and policy planners and opinion makers at the national level.Promotion of Swadeshi products, arranging help in development of professionals, cultural & value oriented Indian Corporate Structure, a monthly magazine in Hindi as well as in English, intellectual support center and awards to master craftsmen & producers for excellent Swadeshi Products are some of the dimensions in which SJM has worked with marked success. In short, Swadeshi Jagran Manch has emerged as a forceful mobilization, with a vision and action plan for a truly self reliant Bharat and equitable world order, that nobody can afford to ignore.

Movement
Activities & Programmes of SJM
SJM come into existence on 22 November 1991 at Nagpur and within a short period it started its activities on a warfront. On the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand, 12 January 1992 the struggle against the economic imperialism began in the form of mass awareness programme. In this campaign the changes in the economic policies, devaluation of rupee and interference of external powers in the policy-making decisions and their collective harmful impacts on Indian economy were exposed to the public.
Around the same time primary literature on Swadeshi was circulated in the different states. Later on various related topics were covered & published on a regular basis. Among them the prominent ones are “ The Third Alternative “ by Shri Dattapant Thengdi, “ The Menace of Multinationals” by Shri Dayakrishna, “ Hindu Economics” by Dr.M.G.Boakare etc.
The first major public meeting of SJM was organised at Mumbai on 22 November 1992, which was addressed by prominent thinkers and national level workers. This meeting proved that people from different ideological backgrounds were willing to share the platform of SJM on an all-concerning issue like Swadeshi.
The first national convention was held at New Delhi on September 4- 5, 1993; which did 622 delegates attend. Before that many associate organisations of SJM like BMS, ABVP, BKS, ABGP etc. carried out their own action programmes for spreading awareness about harmful effects of Duncal’s Draft. Therefore, representatives from these organisations were also present at Delhi convention.
Thereafter on all India level a meeting of main workers was held at Nagpur on 15th November 1993. In this meeting it was decided to boycott the products of MNCs like Pepsi, Coke & Colgate. The Central Govt. was requested for not to agree on Duncal’s Draft.
The first meeting at National Council was held at Pune on April 2-3, 1994. All state conveners, representatives from associated organisations and all central committee members attended it. In this meeting it was decided to begin afresh a massive mass-awakening programme. This was a major achievement for SJM. Within a time-span of 15 days, 1,83,401 workers were organised at 5418 towns & 1,09,140 villages. In these meetings the President of India was urged upon to stop the Govt. from going ahead with Duncal’s proposals. People took vow to use Swadeshi products and thereby help India in becoming a self-sufficient nation. During this movement 372 Swadeshi Depots were opened and more than 30 million pamphlets were distributed among people. Political activities from distinct ideologies work together for SJM in its struggle for economic independence.
Second National Council meeting was held at Madras. Thereafter one-day conference was organised against the Govt. policy of giving permission to MNCs for catching fish in the Indian waters. On May 6-7, 1995 National Conference against export of cattle-meat was held at Hyderabad. A seminar was organised on the issue of power at Mumbai on 26th May 1995. A National Action Group on Power was established to fight against the irregularities in the deals with MNCs. This Action Group had its first meeting on 21st October 1995. A movement was started against Enron Corp., which had a deal with Maharashtra State Govt. to start a mega power at Dabhol. This deal violated all principles and the public was kept in total darkness about the agreements. The advice of World Bank and the central energy tribunal was ignored and the deal was overpriced by at least 2200 crore Rs. Due to strong agitation by SJM, the public & the media became aware of the issue and subsequently the newly elected state govt. was forced to withdraw the deal. It was a massive victory for Swadeshi Movement which saved thousands of crores of Rupees by forcing other power companies to down price their deals. In August 1995 another milestone was achieved when publication of Swadeshi patrika started. It was desired for long and would help the movement in long run.
The second national convention of SJM was held at Calcutta on November 4-5, 1995. Total 442 delegates from different part of country took part in it. Resolutions on ‘ Cultural Invasion through Media ‘& ‘ Economic situation of the country ‘ were passed in this convention. Action groups on Power, problems of weavers, Patent laws, livestock safety & fishing in deep sea were formed to effectively handle these issues.
Presentation of cattle wealth was the first among many issues on which the Manch launched a successful nationwide movement. The campaign started from Sewagram, Wardha on 15 th November, 1995. The cow-protection cavalcade moved out again from Bapu Kutir. Twenty-three cookers from all over the country participated in the March. After covering 600 kms. during the 22 days from 15 th November to 6th December these activities (Padayatris) reached the AI Kabir mechanised abattoir at Rudroram. Despite heavy police deployment and terror the Satyagraha was a great success.
The first meeting of the campaign committee in support of Beedi workers was held at Pune at Pune on 7 th January, 1996. The threat faced by the millions of Beedi workers, as a result of the government’s decision to permit manufacturer of mini cigarettes and to reduce taxes on them, was discussed at the meeting.
A Jal Yatra (Boat March) was organised against the decision of the central government to grant licenses to the MNCs for deep-sea-fishing from both the coastal areas of the country covering about 7000 kms. this Jal Yatra passed through six coastal states of the country. For the first time, in this struggle for survival by the fisherman, their own boats and other equipment were used as an instrument of mass-awakening one branch of Jal Yatra started from Porbandar (Gujarat) on the west coast on 2nd January, 1996 under the leadership of Shri Lalji Bhai Patel and another from Kakdwip on the East Coast on 14 th January under the leadership of Shri Suraj Mitra. Both ended on 8 th February at Thiruvananthapuram.
A seminar on “Power Policy Contradiction and Swadeshi Perspective” was organised in Delhi on 7th & 8 th April 1996 by the working group on power formed by the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch. Shri Trilok Nath Chaturvedi, MP and Former Controller and Auditor General of India inaugurated this seminar. Many experts and technologists from the power sector participated in the seminar.
A meeting of the National Council was held on 5 and 6 October 1996 at Delhi. A report on the past activities and a plan of the future programmes was presented. Organisational goals were determined and an action plan was prepared at the meeting.
A National Workshop on “ The Concept of Development” was organised at Pune from October 28-30, 1996 the National Working Group on Development and was attended by 25 prominent activists from all over the country.
The Third National Convention of Swadeshi Jagaran Manch was held at Varanasi on November 14-16, 1997. Delegates from all over the country of 960 items had participated in the Varanasi Conference. The former Director of UNCTAD Shri Bhagirath Lal Das inaugurated it. At this conference the Manch had called upon the government to disassociate itself from the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The Manch had decided upon three initiatives from the organisational point of view. 1) Establishment of study circles throughout the country; 2)Organisation of a Sangarsha Vahini and 3) Constitution of a forum of well-wishers for providing financial support to the Manch.
Meeting of the Rashtriya Sabha of the Manch was held at Raipur on April 18-19, 1998. The Manch had clearly warned the government against the free imports of 380 items under exim policy.
The first Rashtriya Vichar Varga was organised in Delhi from May 3-9, 1998 in order to hold discussions on the current economic situation in the country, the challenges posed by liberalisation, WTO and related issues, the concept of development, Swadeshi strategy and various other topics.
Swadeshi Chetna Yatras were organised from 17 th September to 2nd October, 1998 throughout the country. In Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Kerala, the processions were taken out from 2nd October to 10th October owing to organisational compulsions. Swadeshi Chetna Yatra marks an important milestone in the progress of the Swadeshi movement. The Chetna Yatra aimed at forewarning people about external dangers and to call upon them to take constructive interest in the Swadeshi movement.
The agitation against Enron, the long march from the Sewagram to Alkabir for the preservation of out cattle wealth, the Yatra for the protection of the jobs of our fisherfolk, and the Swadeshi Chetna Yatra all are indicative of the organisational growth and sweep of the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch.
The Central Steering Committee of Swadeshi Jagaran Manch met on October 28-29 at Mumbai. At the meeting a resolution was passed against the controversial economic decisions of the Central Government.
The Manch organised a dharna at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on December 3, 1998 to register its protest against the insurance bill.
To promote Bharatiya producers and to establish Swadeshi entrepreneurs a Swadeshi Mela was organised on grand scale by Centre for Bharatiya Marketing Development (CBMD) at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from January 25-30, 1999. More than 300 business houses participated in the Mela. Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee Hon’bl. Prime Minister inaugurated Mela.
On February 25, 1999 a mass rally was organised at Ramlila Maidan, Delhi, to challenge the undemocratic structure of WTO.
Philosophy
"Where the mind is without fear
& the head is held high
Where knowledge is free.....
Into that heaven of freedom,my father
Let my country awake"
- Rabindranath Tagore
While capitalism solely rests on Market and State as the twin socio-economic delivery systems, socialism primarily rests on the State as the delivery system. In contrast, the Swadeshi thought relies on the social institutional order, besides Market and State, as the socio-economic delivery system. This makes the Market and the State share the public space with family, community and society.
Family: The lowest socio-cultural economic unit of society in the Swadeshi view is not the individual but the family. This single institution relieves the modern State of extraordinary welfare commitments like old age benefits and unemployment doles which work out to over half of the GDP in many Western countries, like USA and Germany.
Community, Society: Swadeshi believes in the legitimacy of different social units. It believes that the unbridled and unbalanced individualism of the West is destructive of community living. The individual, for his free interplay, creative manifestation and progressive unfoldment, requires the mutually complimentary and interactive relationship of the community.
Religion - Balancing the family, Society and the Individual: The Western notion of individual freedom, which fragments and compartmentalises family, economy, culture and social values, is not acceptable to the Swadeshi approach. Individual freedom is tempered by the individual’s integration into the family and community. The State acts only to protect it from incursions, ‘Dharma’ sustains the whole framework and religion provides support and linkage to community living.
The Role of the Market: The Western notion of a global market does not fit into the Swadeshi approach. The market has to be an instrument and not the master of the people. The smaller the size of the market, the better it is as an instrument. The Swadeshi approach is to limit the size of the market and not to eliminate the market as communism does. The Swadeshi global view is “let a thousand markets bloom - and not merge into one global market”.
The Role of the State: Swadeshi approach sees the State as the primary instrument to protect the nation and its interests and a residuary instrument in respect of all intra-national matters. Its role is, as Bhishma said in Shanti Parva in Mahabharata, to protect the weak and to ensure that Dharma is adhered to. The state must defend the wealth and honour of the nation. Ordinarily, and except in order to protect national interests against foreign interests, the State must not be a trader; but must ensure that trade and commerce conforms to Dharma.
Arrangement between individual, state, market and community/society/family: Swadeshi looks upon the individual, State, Market and the Dharmic collectivities namely, family, community, religion and society, as a means to sustain the ‘Vyavahar’ (material life) consistent with the total and integral object of individual and collective life, namely, the Purusharthas. In the Swadeshi approach, all these institutions are delivery mechanisms as much for socio-economic purposes as for the higher purposes.
Swadeshi Life is based on Dharma:
Swadeshi believes that, mere rule of law is inadequate to lay the ground for social interactions. A higher order of life has been in practice in India; all non-official community and social transactions take place on this higher principle of life called dharma, even today. ‘Dharma’ - an ancient Indian concept, which has no English equivalent - means ‘that which sustains’. In its wider sense, it implies the nourishment of all aspects of life - individual social global. Swadharma forms the very core of Swadeshi; Swadeshi is the living tradition of India. Though buried under the veneer of the superficial West-centric Indian exterior it is still the largest sustaining force and the core of Indian society, economy and polity.
The essential ingredients of the Swadeshi thought may be summarised as follows:
   1.
      Swadeshi means that which is natural and native to a country and society, but allows scope for assimilation of wholesome and beneficial elements from the outside. This applies to economics as well as politics; culture as well as technology.
   2.
      It is the principle of preferring the neighborhood to the remote.
   3.
      It commands need-based life, and rules out unlimited consumption as an end.
   4.
      It renews and relies on family, community and society as socio-economic delivery systems. It does not substitute these traditional institutions by the State and the Market.
   5.
      It is not autarky; but a global alternative, which accepts only need-based trans nationalism.
   6.
      Swadeshi restores economics to its earlier definition which even now the dictionary meaning of economy indicates, namely, practical human needs, frugality, savings, thrift etc. and seeks to remove the latter-day distortion of defining economics as multiplication of wants and efforts to satisfy them, powered by greed.
Stated in simple terms, Swadeshi rejects materialistic and imperialistic homogenisation and aimless transnationalism of the Western assumption. Swadeshi is a multidimensional thought, embracing civilisational, political and economic aspects of human life and presenting an integrated vision of life in harmony with nature.

Goal & Objectives –
Creation of a just world order based on integral and holistic life vision.
    - Ensuring national security, unity and integrity.
    - Building a self-reliant nation - Nourishment of Bharatiya cultural values.
    - Preservation of natural wealth.
    - Balanced development of all regions and the society as a whole.
To achieve these goals, following objectives need to be fulfilledEnsuring satisfaction of the basic needs of all people within 10 years. Food, clothing, housing, education, health, drinking water, energy and transport be recognised as basic needs. Involvement in meaningful and productive work is the only guarantee for achieving basic needs. Therefore, ensuring proper employment to all eligible hands should be the first objective of national planning. Ensuring fulfillment of this objective in the next decade. Building Bharat as a world power in the next 25 years. Ensuring that income-inequalities remain within reasonable limits. Ratio of income of top 20 per cent and bottom 20 per cent should not exceed 10:1.Generally promoting national self-confidence and national pride by qualitative change in education, sports, media programmes, and conduct of public men. For achieving these important indices of national strength, pride and self-respect, the nation has to evolve a broad national consensus cutting across all differences. Swadeshi means creation of national wealth and power.
It is a mistaken notion that the need-based approach of the Swadeshi philosophy is against creation of wealth. The Swadeshi thought is merely an injunction against unlimited consumption; it is a mandate for conservation and preservation of national assets and resources; it is an emphasis on personal and family savings, it is an injunction against wasteful and needless expenditure. The tradition of Swadeshi alone made India one of the richest and prosperous nations in the world. That is why Columbus and Vasco-de-Gama set out to search for India. India attracted barbaric invasions because of its well-known prosperity. But prosperity was considered a social and national asset - not merely a personal asset. Wealth was not the sole or even the most important index of social respect. India was wealthy, without making wealth the arbiter of social interaction. Swadeshi is not anti-wealth. It is all for augmenting wealth and power.
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