'Come to my home, know me better'

Rana Siddiqui Zaman | NT

Bengaluru: In the run up to Independence Day, hundreds of national networks, secular, democratic groups and individuals have joined hands initiating a national-level campaign called #MereGharAaKeToDekho (Visit My Home, Be My Guest), across the country.

Under the campaign, people will visit a home of someone from another community than theirs, spend a few hours with them, share water, snacks or meals.

The aim is to break the barrier of misunderstanding between two communities thereby thwarting the persistent political efforts to divide people of different religions.

Converting prejudice into hate and mitigating stereotyping of the ‘other’ are two main mottos of the campaign. The target is to reach out to at least one lakh people by August 15,who would share meals and conversations, followed by uploading of a video and selfie together.

The campaign will also provide a platform of inclusion, especially to those working with women, Dalits, Adivasis, farmers, trade unions, sexual minorities, disability rights groups, teachers’ and students’ organisations, et al.

To initiate such a large campaign, the groups which are working on ground and have a strong network of people, are collaborating and coordinating with individuals and other groups.

The effort is to include 20 states out of 26; 500 groups and 200 families each,apart from national networks,who would meet and invite people home.

Some groups for instance, National Federation of Indian Women and All India Dalit AdhikarManch (who have initiated this whole campaign), YWCA etc, have rigorously started working on it.

“It is a family to family” movement, Shabnam Hashmi from ANHAD, who ideated the concept, says.

Educated lot could be enlightened, so the target is largely the middle-class and lower classes such as domestic helps, who have the tendency to be swayed by fake news on social media, aimed at igniting hate for minorities.

The campaign will not touch upon hard core groups or fundamentalists from any community or socio-political ideology. So, how does the message of love reach?

“By showing picture of love and inclusion to the gullible,” Hashmi quips.

“Such an initiative was experimented with in 2017 in Gujarat by us at a smaller level. It was successful and inspired by the same, we are sure to reach one lakh by this Independence Day,” says Hashmi adding, the idea of Muhabbat Ki Dukaan was also our initiative in 2012, which today Rahul Gandhi has successfully extended in his own unique ways.” 

Notably, different states will have their unique ways to reach out to people. The Bengaluru chapter has come out with a distinctive way to unite people.

Anita Cheria shares with NT, “We are inviting people through an advertisement posteronthe famous song Teredide Mane o Baa Aththi (O guests, the doors are open, you are welcome),” which is already becoming a head-turner, additionally some college and schools have come forward to join the campaign.

Queries to make transgender community a part of it have also been received with consideration. Cheria says, a WhatsApp group has been created for the purpose which already has 80 members and growing.

“Thirty per cent of these is individuals who want to do it in their neighbourhood, rest are connecting with marginalised sections like domestic workers’ union, people in Muslim and Catholic areas in and around Bengaluru.”

Bengaluru is also not doing it with any ‘label’ of ‘reforming’ the people but making them feel secure “as there is lot of fear among people under the current anti-harmony situation that people have turned inward for security.

We are trying to say we don’t have any agenda, we are employing no drama, we are also not limited to harmony only on religious grounds” but also initiating sensitisation for transgender for instance, thus extending its horizon.

Notably, the idea is not to limit it for a day, but extend it beyond, thus making it an on-going campaign.