NEW YORK - Sam Pitroda has urged the NRIs to help safeguard democracy by traveling to India during the India’s 2019 general elections and join the Congress party’s electoral campaign. He was addressing the Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) national meeting that took place at the Crown Plaza JKF Hotel in Manhattan, New York.
The meeting was chaired by Sam Pitroda, Chairman IOC and attended by Dr. Malhotra, Former President IOC USA, George Abraham Vice Chair IOC USA, Shudh Prakash President IOC USA , Mohinder Singh President IOC USA, Harabhajan Singh, Dr. Naik, Rajender, Himanshu Vyas, Secretary AICC, Madhu Yaski Secretary AICC, Ms. Tavishi Alagh IOC media coordinator and over 150 other leaders.
Sam Pitroda said that India is at the crossroads, as the democracy is being challenged. He said intimidation in India was limited not just to Opposition’s supporters. “If you eat beef you are bad. If you celebrate Valentine’s Day, they will beat you. This is not the India we grew up in. It is also not the India we want,” Pitroda said.
“We believe in an inclusive India. In our younger days, nobody thought people belonging to other faiths or cultures were different. The beauty that is India is its diversity. When you attack diversity, you attack the idea of India,” he added said.
At the IOC Meeting, its USA officers and some key members from diverse communities from US and Canada met for an entire day to discuss how IOC could help Indian National Congress in coming Indian elections in 2019. The Indian Overseas Congress is the new name of the erstwhile Indian National Overseas Congress (INOC) with Sam Pitroda as it Chairperson.
The meeting was chaired by Sam Pitroda, Chairman IOC and attended by Dr. Malhotra, Former President IOC USA, George Abraham Vice Chair IOC USA, Shudh Prakash President IOC USA , Mohinder Singh President IOC USA, Harabhajan Singh, Dr. Naik, Rajender, Himanshu Vyas, Secretary AICC, Madhu Yaski Secretary AICC, Ms. Tavishi Alagh IOC media coordinator and over 150 other leaders.
After open debate and discussion a series of working committees were formed to focus and execute on Constitution, Organization, Membership, Youth, Women, IT, Social media, Campaign, Foundation, Finance, Fund raising, Role and responsibilities in the US,NRI Voting, etc.
Since there are multiple organizations and multiple states level initiatives for Telangana, Andhra, Kerala, Karnataka, Punjab, Gujarat, Rajasthan, etc it was emphasized that It is very important to continue with multiple leaders and enhance collaboration, cooperation and communication between them to augment, multiply and integrate IOC efforts to align with the INC.
The political, social and economic situation in India was discussed and it was recognized that the very idea of India that INC believes in.
It is believed that Social media is systematically misused by investing huge financial resources and organized work force to amplify negative messages that attack people, create confusion, fog and uncertainty in the minds of masses by propagating Lies, Vendetta, Fear, Exclusion, Violence, weakening of Institutions, Top down development and lot more.
IOC members felt that we need to stay on course with Our approach to focus on Truth and Gandhian values and not get distracted/diverted or fall in a trap to initiate and amplify unnecessary discourse.
It was recognized that for the IOC to make a meaningful contribution in 2019 elections, we would need AICC and PCC and DCC leaders to collaborate to receive and integrate IOC leadership, help and support at local level to augment ground level efforts.
There was also discussion on funding and building Congress Bhavan in NY in the future. Short films were shown throughout the day illuminating various issues.
Over all response was excellent and members were all energized and empowered to move forward to focus on how to contribute effectively to WIN and change the course and direction in India in 2019.