Indian Community Activists’ Network is an umbrella organization of activists working for the ordinary people of the country. It is not a political party and is not affiliated with any. It is also not an NGO or a funding agency.
OUR VISION
ICAN shares the vision of the preamble of the Indian Constitution that “Resolves to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens: Social, economic and political JUSTICE; LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; EQUALITY of status and opportunity; and to promote FRATERNITY among them all, assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation.”
OUR MISSION
Despite the Indian Constitution’s commitment to being a tool for realizing citizens’ dream of a society imbued with these values, we continue to live in a society marred by many ills such as poverty, gender inequality, caste, hierarchy, ethnic and communal discrimination, and rampant corruption. ICAN mission is to bring activists and people together in an attempt to find solutions of these problems and create a better society.
OUR UNDERSTANDING
The persistence of all these problems so many years after independence demands a new way
of thinking. ICAN wants to play a role in finding that new direction.
Inequality results from the control of exploitative forces over means of survival, supported by political ideology. We believe that while the Constitution empowers citizens with various rights it also makes those rights subject to the discretion of the state. State can take away these rights with impunity. Similarly, the Directive Principles of State Policy are also left to the discretion of the state and have been found to be not enforceable.
Nevertheless, the fundamental issue is not what is there, or what is not there in the Constitution; rather it is the nature of the process of governance. The system of representative democracy has failed us. It has allowed the governments to violate the basic values and fail to do what is required for a welfare state. Therefore, fighting for grassroots (participatory) democracy, is critical for any hope of bringing about change.
So far, the people have not had adequate opportunity to develop their political education and hence they do not fully understand the relationship between their daily struggle and policies of the government. They also have little input in those policies. Thus, promoting political understanding of the people and striving for participatory democracy are the main goals of ICAN activities.
OUR RESOLVE
It is our resolve to initiate, in partnership with like-minded individuals and groups, a people-centric process of dialogue and nonviolent action that can pave the way for such an alternative paradigm for the economic and multifaceted advancement of the community of Indians.
While we believe that a pluralistic society is healthy, and recognize the value of faith and alternative modes of perceiving life, we insist that scientific temper and secularism must be the guiding principles of the state.
Ultimately, we wish to protect and promote a multicultural society, existing in harmony with nature.