India Needs You - Volunteer for a Better India

In the darkness of night when many were hitting their bed, a moving bus in Delhi hosts the unfortunate, horrendous crime. A crime happened. Two lives at stake. India awakens.

Rallies, peace march, protest and candle light vigil.

Surfing the television, hundreds of youth gather, the road-blocks, hundreds of candles shining bright in twilight. Straight, blank, angry, sad faces speak volumes of the change that they want to see in India. Placards that read the sentimental message that strike the right chord.

Moreover, the TV news debates, the questions raised and as the entire event takes over, one feels stronger and sleeps with a commitment that, if the rally happens tomorrow, then they are sure to be a part of it. It looks as if this is THE time, when India will suddenly change. The laws, rules, citizen, inflation, corruption and crime, all shall stop. It feels as if the next morning, India will look like a pleasant heaven with angels as your neighbours and God as your kind politician.

But that ‘tomorrow’ never comes. You wake up to see that there is no one at the India Gate. The momentum withers away andwhat remains is a voice in the head – “Next time, I shall not fail to show my support.”

Behold, this is not the case with those few hundreds who call themselves the ‘Volunteer for a Better India.’ (VFABI)

The VFABI that initiated a candle light vigil against the unfortunate rape case in Delhi to showcase their solidarity are here to stay till the change dawns in India. Following their initiative in Delhi, many other cities raised their voice too, and this has triggered similar vigils all over India.

“We received a message and within a couple of hours a group of around 300 volunteers gathered,” said Kapil Arya, a member of VFABI.

On the second day they also performed a street play based on the theme ‘Women and Security’ which was watched by 1,600 odd people and then around 800 joined in for a peaceful march.

Expressing his strong opinion, Kapil said that everybody needs to contribute their time to the nation and he witnessed the urge in the people who had gathered there to do something for the society.

“The incident was very shameful, but it’s a matter of values. The government’s decisions to ban or hang the criminals are all short term solutions. We need a long term remedy to stop such heinous crime from happening again,” he added.

The question is how? VFABI is a movement that is initiated by The Art of Living to kick-off such remedies and continue till the goal is achieved.

Usually, the momentum is lost in a few weeks’ time and people get back to their normal life. They rise up just to sit down again as they do not have the direction to their urge to fight against corruption or crime.

However for Priyanka Kumar, another Volunteer for a Better India, her voice shall not fade this time. “We have been a witness to crimes and victims to corruption. But none of us have taken the initiative. Even if I wanted to stand up and speak out, I didn’t know how to do it! But now with VFABI, not only do I have a platform, but also a vision for my nation. We decided to initiate the vigil and fulfil our commitment for a better India,” she says.

It’s not just with Delhi, the fear rules in every city, in every mind. The fear of visiting a temple,that another Akshardham might take place. The apprehension to travel in the trains as anytime there might be another blast; in fact one might not be even able to trust the fellow passenger. Women would fear to step into a deserted bus and every parent would think twice before sending their daughters alone outside. Well, even going to a restaurant for a dinner, who knows another Taj incident would crack down!

Again and again we rise, but just to settle back. But now is the time, that India stands united, one as a nation. Every citizen shall now also play the role of a volunteer who wants to contribute as a warrior to safeguard one’s own family.

The Volunteers for a Better India have raised their voice against the injustice and have a firm belief that spirituality, inner transformation is the only and immediate solution.

The transformation is a gradual process. But as Gurudev says, “If the youth of India come forward, you can turn things around. Don’t underestimate your strength. I tell you, you can make miracles. The youth and the younger generation of this country, it is you who have the power."

They did make His quote true. They not only contributed to the updates on Facebook, they not only tweeted about it, but they made it a point to live by their words and have been the change that they wanted.

It’s time that you made your voice heard against injustice. Don’t just read this article and move on to the next. You can make the difference. Now is the time for you to Register with Volunteer for a Better India. Join us, together we can make a safe, corruption free, violence free, crime free India.

Writer: Monica Patel, Graphics:Niladri Dutta

For more information on Volunteer for a Better India, Click Here.

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