Indian Social Institute, to mark its 60 diamond years of accompanying the marginalized in India, planned various activities. One of the important events is its annual memorial lecture. This year being the Diamond Jubilee year of the institute, the 2nd Henry Volken – Stan Swamy Memorial lecture was arranged in view of the forthcoming General Elections with a theme, “The Role of Civil Society for a Vibrant Political Democracy”.
On this occasion, Dr Selvaraj Arulnathan, the Director of the institute, briefly narrated the valiant history of the institute by recounting the important milestones whose journey started in 1963, with a mission of accompanying marginalized. Though it was started as an extension center of Indian Social Institute, Delhi, it became an independent center in 1993. Fr Henri Volken the founder of ISIB, developed the institute as a Training center focused towards Community development and offered consultancy service to various organizations especially the diocesan social service societies in the development sector. Later, Stan Swamy taking over as Director, from developmental discourse, ISI B changed its focus to Social Liberation, a radical shift in understanding the developmental works. Stan Swamy began intensive period of training on socio-political analysis advocating for a structural change. Both together built the foundation.
The Diamond Jubilee Henry Volken – Stan Swamy Memorial Lecture was held on 29 July, 2023. Distinguished Chief Guest, Honorable Justice Krishnaswami Chandru (Rtd), Dr. Bernard D’ Sami a former Head of Department of History at Loyola College (Autonomous) Chennai, a Senior Fellow at LISSTAR (Loyola Institute of Social Science Training and Research) as Chairperson and Ms Tara Rao, advocate, campaigner, environmental activist was the Moderator. Justice Chandru who championed for the cause of Human Rights and a man with record of hearing over 96,000 cases as Judge, delivered the keynote address. While he was sharing his personal associations with Fr. Stan Swamy, said that Stan Swamy was a great advocate Human rights and Social Justice. He looked at these two elements in and through establishing the rights of Adivasis as per the provisions of 5th and 6th schedules of the Constitutions which were violated and the lands of the Adivasis were looted lock stock and barrel. Fr. Stan had to pay the price by unjustly imprisoned and eventually died in judicial custody. Today, we are all the lives witnesses for the shrinking democratic spaces and Indian democracy is almost at its death knell. Justice Chandru asserted that Governance and Judiciary play a key role in safeguarding the Democracy of the nation. On the contrary, today the state is the worst enemy and killer of Indian democracy. Hence, as active citizenry, we need to exercise our right to vote which is guaranteed by the Constitution. Each one of us are called to play a very active role in defending our democracy and safeguard the constitutions as responsible citizens of the country.
Ms Tara Rao, as moderator spoke on the importance of collectives. The role of civil society today is to be part of collectives for a vibrant political democracy. Each one of us have to be active citizens for true civil society to thrive. We, the people can enjoy and celebrate our Democracy only becoming collectives for a coordinated action from within the civic space.
Dr Bernard D’Sami, chairperson of the programme responded saying that the Civil Society was mushrooming in 1960s with great intensity making interventions in the civic space. Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of our country said, Democracy doesn’t mean one person one vote. For political democracy it is very much intrinsic to have social and economic democracy which we have failed to realize. Dr Bernard noted, in our country political democracy is going down. Because Absolutism is taking place. It is a big challenge for the civil society today.
In this context, he spoke on the principles of constitution for a vibrant political democracy. He said, “as active citizens we need to follow and promote Rule of Law. We are not ruled by human person. Law is supreme in our country. The second principle was on ‘Sovereignty’. We the people are sovereign. Sovereignty comes from people. Power to rule comes from people because we are sovereign. Third principle which is ‘Judiciary’ is under attack today. Judiciary is undermined, both in its judgements and the appointment of Judges. Civil Society has to demand for a proper Judiciary. And the last principle, he spoke was on RTP (Right to Protect). Sovereignty means to protect. In society, it is the civil society that makes a difference”.
The Volken-Stan Swamy Memorial Lecture awakened the voices of the civil society to play a greater role as ‘collectives’ as active citizenry. About 150 participants i.e., CSOs, NGOs, Religious, Students and well-wishers of Indian Social Institute took part in the memorable event held in the institute premises.
Francis Balaraj SJ
Head, Social Inclusion & Democracy