PROGRAM FOR A HUMANIST GOVERNMENT

Education, Peace & Progress for all

Humanist Manifesto

of The Humanist Party of India (HP)

The Humanist Party of India wants to make sure that we have an abundant society that gives everyone the opportunity to be truly free, where everyone can exercise in a responsible manner his/her rights.

It is important to understand that a mere manifesto is not what will change the state of India. After being looted by Mughal-looters and then the British-looters, we are being looted by the Indian-looters since 1947. Instead of gaining freedom from British looters, the slavery of India got merely transferred from the hands of British to their like-minded Indian partners/cronies. While this transfer was glorified as Freedom and a systematic effort was launched by the new rulers to showcase it a freedom, the simple people of India, impressed by the fact that the British left India, did not realize that actually their slavery was just transferred to new masters. What had actually changed was just the nationality of the rulers and not their mentality.

Hence, instead of offering just a better manifesto and cheating people once again like any other Party, Humanist Party asks people to come forward for a new Freedom struggle, a struggle for Real Freedom. Freedom from Fear, Freedom from Ignorance, Freedom from Slavery, Freedom of life and grow truly as human being with discrimination and without any kind of violence.

The following Manifesto is a translation/application of Humanist Ideology on the issues that 99% of people in India face today and these issues can be resolved only if People take power in the Hands and run the National affairs from every village and neighborhood of India, through a true Swaraj.

Swaraj will become a fact when the actual decision of Governance will be taken at Village and Neighborhood levels and implemented through coordination of District, State and National level implementation representatives and agencies.

Swaraj will become a fact when the rules will be made in Gram Sabhas and Neighborhood Committees and not in the State Assemblies and National Parliament.

Swaraj will become a reality only when the current power pyramid is inverted and the above becomes the way to run the Nation.

Those who do not believe the above to be possible, are welcome to take a holiday and let the Nation manage itself, as the time for this reality to become a fact has finally arrived.

Humanist Party says: “Nothing above the Human Being, No human below another”, explaining that violence in all its forms (e.g., Physical violence, Racial Violence, Religious violence, Moral violence, Economic violence, Gender violence, etc.) is opposed and to be stopped. Apart from these forms of External violence, there is, within us, the internal violence (e.g., Fear, Hatred, Resentment, Enmity, etc.) that also need to be overcome. Based on Active Nonviolence and Non discrimination, HP declares the following Manifesto (the main points):

While the broad highlights are given below, more details follow on next pages. These details will soon be supported by a detailed manifesto, popularly called by the Humanists as the ORANGE BOOK, that is under preparation.

Highlights:

Voting age to be 15 years
Maximum age for Minister, Prime-minister, President to be 40 years
One can be a Minister, Prime-minister, President only once
Free Health-Housing-Education (of highest standards) for all
Unemployment benefit to all
Farmers, Youth, Women will get full rights and dignity as human being
Disarmament with all neighbors, creating open-borders like India-Nepal
No use of Violence to solve disputes with neighboring countries
True & participatory co-operatives to be the main mode of economy at all levels
The complete food-chain (sector) be reserved exclusively for the Farmers and young entrepreneurs. All farm products to be exclusively Produced by Farmers sold directly to Consumers, through Cooperatives of Producers (Farmers) on the production-end and Cooperatives of Young-resellers at the other-end, without any other middle-man/agencies whosoever, with the Government being the Financing partner
FDI will be considered only for specific projects with lock-in periods of 15 to 25 years and there will be no scope for fly-by-night-capital-operators or speculators in any field whatsoever. Total technology-transfer shall be among the primary condition of such investments.
Social audit, Open-transparent public life, open access, money as a transaction tool and not a source of power hence, ending corruption

Every Government position, for example, Judges, Police, Collectors and all other Administrative officials whose work affects the people directly will undergo People's audit every quarter through an open-transparent voting, for continuing in their jobs. Accountability will be established at all levels starting from the top-executive posts and everyone will be subject to regular audit of People who will have the actual final Power. Nothing will be done in the “Name of the People” by anyone claiming power/knowledge/ability that is beyond that of the people. The era of “Individual Masters” is over.

More Details are given here below:

HEALTH:

Health will be "a complete state of physical, mental and social well-being, which does not only consist of an absence of disease or illness, but instead, cares for the sound health. Every citizen should get free easy access to the Health facilities of the highest standard, through a contribution of every earning citizen's National health insurance policy. Humanist Government will build a medical-facility (hospital) of the level of AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi) in every District headquarter within 5 years, linking it to the well-equipped and manned Primary Health Centers that will exist within walking distance of every village. The role of Alternative medicines (Homeopathy, Ayurveda, Unani, Yoga, Acupuncture, etc.) will be of higher levels in these hospitals with the aim of making life pain-free rather than making illness of people as the source of “making wealth” for a few. The Humanist Government would lead the way to entrenching free, universal and comprehensive health care in the Constitution and day to day practices. Earning money through illness will be removed from the National agenda and we will ensure promotion of “Selfless Scientific Mentality” among the new scientists who will advance the medical science for the advancement of humanity and not for money or patents. All medical knowledge will come under Open-source concept of shared-common-knowledge without any copyrights.

Health, made of profit making instrument within an inhuman system and, therefore outside the reach of a great sector of the population, should become the right independent of the individual economic situation.

We will take immediate and effective measures to prevent starvation deaths, suicide by farmers and traditional crafts workers, deaths of malnourished children and women particularly in rural areas.
We will enact laws to promote food security and protect food sovereignty through comprehensive farmer/landless peasants/agricultural workers centric agrarian reforms.
We will make the PDS, a transparent and well-functioning system to provide food security to the weaker sections of society, including millets, pulses and edible oil.
We will make the old age and widow pension Schemes more effective and operational.
We will ensure quality and free health-care to all with special focus on rural areas, women and children.
We will revitalize the largely non-functioning Primary Health Centers. We will establish AIIMS standard of hospitals in all districts of the country within 5 years, connecting them to the PHCs for live consultations.
We will give priority to promote indigenous and alternative health care system and provide financial and institutional support for research in this area, integrating them into the Integrated Health system for the Nation as a whole.
We will ensure safe drinking water to all people across the country, since most of the diseases are water-borne. We will treat water as a National and common resource and stop all privatization or sale of water bodies like river, tanks, ponds etc., making it freely available to all.
Solution of health problems related poverty like child malnutrition, infections illness etc. as the first priority.
Integral planning of health integrating government services and community services, until achieving a system of free social medicine.
Free medicines provided by Government and community services.
Participation of technicians, professionals, users medical students and the Government in a plan to overcome hunger and malnutrition.
Elimination of hospital fees.
Immediate increase in the budget for health.
Promotion of technological development for enlarging the national pharmaceutical industry.
Promotion of cooperative laboratories for achieving self-sufficiency in medicines.
To eliminate unnecessary inter-mediation in the commercialization of medicine.
Elimination of medicine which do not comply with safety regulations and controls.
Construction of new hospitals of the size/expertise level of AIIMS in all districts within five years.
Increase in the public attention in the hospitals and clinics.
Elimination of repressive medicine: closing of mental asylums and creation of open assistance centers.
Social health insurance for the unemployed.
Elimination of outdated and inhuman medical treatments (e.g. electroshock).
Cooperative community social services (trade unions, etc.)
Asian Cooperation for technological research and development.

EDUCATION:

Education will serve not only the purpose of creating “employable people” but also of inculcating Humanist values of Principles of Valid Actions, and of Perusing the experience of the Purpose of Life, among people, becoming the source of strength and growth for the human being from its current stagnated situation to the one of “inner growth”. Free & compulsory Humanist (values of Nonviolence and Nondiscrimination) education to all upto class XII. Schools will be built such that any student will be able to able to comfortably walk to the school. All schools will give the same standard of Humanist value-based education, across the country, using and promoting the local languages. Private educational institutions will not get the support of the Government and will be treated only as a business that will have to compete with the best of Government provided facilities and standards in the Government run institutions.

Continuous evaluation of all educational institutions with the involvement of Students, Faculty, Parents, Experts and Administrators will happen, an at-least annual basis.

Humanists feel that a well-educated population necessarily leads to a healthy society, thus we propose to take away all barriers to pursuing a meaningful and useful education. To accomplish this, all levels of schooling (including Jr. Kindergarten) should be protected and adequately funded, and control of our schools should be placed back in the hands of those who understand it most : Educators, Parents and Students themselves.

Gender-sensitive education will be part of the normal curriculum at all levels, thus building a new way of thinking, wherein women are treated as human beings and not merely a “body” to be exploited.

Teachers will be required by the lakhs and Humanist Government will run teacher-training institutions at war-footing to train millions of teachers and have the schools running properly, using the best tools of Information and other technologies that are available today for free. Same will be the case at Higher education levels.

Teaching as a profession will be given the highest regard, bringing them to the level of the traditional respect for GURU, taking care of their financial needs very well so that the Teachers can put their full energy in building the next level of Human being that the society deserves and needs.

All higher education will be completely free of cost with the condition to serve the nation for a period of 10 years, thus closing the chapter of brain-drain, whereby, while India invests in creating the best brain, the so called dream-lands benefit by exploiting them just for money.

In order to produce the necessary re-structuring of education, a law will be promoted that will make compatible the national and state regulations with the demands of the present times. This law will arise from a great national debate, with the participation of teachers, students, graduates and parents, taking into account the following general principles:

Free & Compulsory Secular Education of equitable quality to all from nursery stage to PG, as Fundamental right of all Citizens. Common school system as per 1966 Kothari Commission recommendations will be implemented, providing additional funds for the same. The Humanist Government should not shirk its constitutional responsibility to provide education for all. We will establish and support a mechanism to assess quality of education.
Co-government of students, teachers and administrative staff, including parents at the elementary level.
Modification of teaching methods, banning authoritarianism, compulsion and separation of sexes.
Guarantees for freedom of conscience and non-discrimination for students. And, in order to guarantee indispensable conditions for education.
Stability, just retribution and objective selection of teachers and administrative staff.
Construction of new educational buildings.
Improvement of the teachers to students ratio.
Free distribution of texts and materials, canteens and hostels for students.
Free transportation.

IN THE UNIVERSITY

Decentralization of universities, establishing colleges and polytechnics in the areas relevant to the subjects taught.
Four-party co-government (Students, Teachers, Administrative staff and the State).
University canteens.
University cooperatives for consumption, credit, production, housing and research.
Increase of scholarships and subsidies.
Creation of fully cooperative colleges supported by the government, where no capitation fees will be levied.
Accountability of capitation fees in private colleges.

QUALITY OF LIFE:

Money must be perceived only as a tool that is needed for transaction and not a source of power. Every human has a right to life, liberty and basic amenities for a decent living. Hence, every unemployed citizen should get unemployment wage of Rupees 20,000/= (based on 25 days wage @ minimum wage rate). All such unemployed people will be given responsible jobs in accordance with their ability. Drug addicts and Alcoholics will be given this facility provided they go through de-addiction treatment to be provided free by the Government. For social & industrial growth of the state a Crime free environment is must. With this national investment, we will convert poverty into dignity of life for people and creating valuable Human assets for the society. This will help end crime (violence), discrimination and create a positive environment for all people. There will be no need for anyone to beg or prostitute.

COOPERATION AND NATIONAL ECONOMY

In a program of transition from the present economic system (mainly capitalistic) towards a future cooperative system, it is necessary to develop a self-sufficient national economy and based on modern science and technology. Co-operativism, such as proposed by the HP, is a whole program of economic and political renewal which will begin with the modification of the present law of cooperatives.

These modifications and the experience of cooperative development will be the reference in order to raise co-operativism to the level of a political and economic system, which will be the system of Humanism.

To modify the present law of cooperatives in order to restore their genuine cooperative characteristics, prevent distortions, etc.
Promotion of genuine cooperative banking.
To achieve industrial development independent of multinational corporations.
To overcome poverty and unemployment by promoting cooperatives in all economic fields.
Government support for turning into cooperatives the bankrupt (sick) enterprises or those which compromise the present or future of their workers/employees.
Promotion of a national industry useful to the domestic and Asian markets.
Equal opportunity, Interest-free loans to small enterprise, encouraging Self-employment and Cooperative small-enterprise to overcome Unemployment problem.
No to speculative activities of earning money from money.
Generation of regional centers of development through settlement of industries in the areas where raw material is produced.
Promotion and development of renewable and alternative energy resources.
Commercialization of the agricultural production through genuine cooperatives that eliminate intermediaries.
Development of infrastructure for a regional storage of resources.
We will provide excellent standard Public transport system for the whole country at affordable rates so that people can travel comfortably without personal vehicles.
We will provide Transportation and Communication facilities to 100% population with comfort and on affordable rates on no-profit basis.
It will be the top priority of Humanist Government to prioritize the basic amenities/living standards of life, for 80% population that is below poverty line.
Extensive research and usage of Solar, Wind and Fusion technologies for sourcing energy needs will be undertaken.

WOMEN:

Women will be specially empowered and involved in all social political activities as equal partners of men, stopping all kinds of discrimination against them. Gender-sensitive education will be part of the normal curriculum at all levels, thus building a new way of thinking, wherein women are treated as human beings and not merely a “body” to be exploited.

Nowadays, women are discriminated against by centuries of legal, social, cultural, economic and psychological immobility. In order to overcome this situation, the HP will implement the following measures so as to promote women's participation to directive, consultative and decision making posts:

State support of maternity in any civil status.
Abrogation of every civil, penal and labor legislation that discriminates against women.
Equal wages for equal work.
Legal equality of marriages in law and de facto.
We will ensure stringent and prompt action to punish those found guilty of sexual harassment in the work places and elsewhere.
We will enact Domestic Workers law to ensure their rights, dignity and security and prevent exploitation by the agencies that recruit domestic workers.
We will take stringent and prompt action to prevent the trafficking of women and children.

CHILD CARE:

From our point of view, childcare is a health issue, an employment issue, and an education issue, and it needs urgent attention. While a child needs the attention of the mother, the growing aspirations of women as equal and un-discriminated part of the society need also to be fulfilled. To bring a balance between the family responsibilities and career, it is the responsibility for the society (to be implemented by the elected Government) to create the necessary environment that can fulfill this need. Humanist Government will undertake necessary measures in this aspect without any delay.

YOUTH:

Historically, if there has been one sector of society that has consistently been oppressed, it is the Youth. Under what we might term "geronto-cracy" – the rule of the old – youth are frequently characterized as lazy, spoiled or criminals, and are only seen to be contributing to society when they mirror the values of the generation in power.

With unemployment for youth consistently higher (easily put on population explosion) than for any other country, with cost of education climbing and prospects diminishing, why should one be so surprised when youth act-out in seemingly disturbing ways?

All discrimination against young people must end, giving them equal participation in the decision-making levels of the society. In order to build a real democracy where the human rights of all can be realized, we need to give youth the real power – real influence in our political, cultural, education and other systems.

To start with, student-governments must be given power in schools over curriculum and school policy. Democratic principles, like the Declaration of Human Rights, do not come into effect at a given age; therefore, the ability of youth to exercise democratic power and enjoy their fundamental rights must be guaranteed immediately. For humanists, youth are full human beings, and are therefore entitled to all rights in the Declaration.

Perhaps the traditional parties oppose initiatives like the lowering of the voting age because they know very well that the youth sentiment expressed at the ballot box would run against them. In essence, the token “youth wings” in these parties are nothing more than institutionalized discrimination that misuses the youth as their private gangsters.

As one small first step towards the full inclusion of youth in our political system, the Humanist Party of India would lower the voting age to 15 years.

Similarly, the issue of fixing the maximum age for a Minister, Prime-Minister and President to be 40 years will be put on a referendum and decided accordingly. Surely a country of 1 Billion+ can produce many leaders at all levels if there are no discrimination.

The HP denounces the generational violence exercises on youth, which is held back by the monopoly of older generations in the organizational field and in the social decisions.

Thus, the HP asserts the youth's right and capacity for an active participation in the modification of the social and personal conditions imposed on youth, without being subjected to suspicion, marginalization or persecution. Hence, the HP proposes:

Abrogation of every legislation that limits the participation of youth.
Integration of youth for any directive and decision-making post under conditions equivalent to those of any other individual.
Reduction of working hours while maintaining equal salary for the young worker who studies or trains.
Incorporation of youth in housing, production, service and consumption co-operatives with state credit.
National and Asian integration of youth through scholarships for labor, student, cultural, political research and personal exchange.

AGRICULTURE:

Today, while India remains an agriculture based economy and the farmers consisting of at-least 65% of its population, the farmer has no dignity, no respect, no money, no existence and is forced to commit suicide in spite of feeding the whole nation. Current set of corrupt politicians and their corrupt business partners have increasingly created a control mechanism by which they control everything that a farmer produces and they exploit it at all stages, leaving the poor farmer with no choice but to lose heart in front of increasing loans and commit suicide.

Humanist Government will create a new environment, where the Farmer will get his due just like any other participant in the Nation-building, taking care of all his situations and freeing him of the clutches of corruption and violence immediately.

All farm products to be exclusively sold directly to Consumers, through Cooperatives of Producers (Farmers) on the production-end and Cooperatives of Young-resellers at the other-end, without any other middle-man/agencies whosoever, with the Government being the Financing partner. Government will ensure proper protection / storage / insurance facilities for all farmers and their produce, with clear time-bound policies.

COOPERATION AND NATIONAL ECONOMY

To modify the present law of cooperatives in order to restore their genuine cooperative characteristics, prevent distortions, etc.
Promotion of genuine cooperative banking.
To achieve industrial development independent of multinational corporations.
To overcome poverty and unemployment by promoting cooperatives in all economic fields.
Government support for turning into cooperatives the bankrupt (sick) enterprises or those which compromise the present or future of their workers/employees.
Promotion of a national industry useful to the domestic and Asian markets.
Equal opportunity, Interest-free loans to small enterprise, encouraging Self-employment and Cooperative small-enterprise to overcome Unemployment problem.
No to speculative activities of earning money from money.
Generation of regional centers of development through settlement of industries in the areas where raw material is produced.
Promotion and development of renewable and alternative energy resources.
Commercialization of the agricultural production through genuine cooperatives that eliminate intermediaries.
Development of infrastructure for a regional storage of resources.
We will provide excellent standard Public transport system for the whole country at affordable rates so that people can travel comfortably without personal vehicles.
We will provide Transportation and Communication facilities to 100% population with comfort and on affordable rates on no-profit basis.
It will be the top priority of Humanist Government to prioritize the basic amenities/living standards of life, for 80% population that is below poverty line.
Extensive research and usage of Solar, Wind and Fusion technologies for sourcing energy needs will be undertaken.

FORESTS

Rights to tribals living in forest areas.
Promotion of species of industrial utility.
Recuperation of soil, substitution of felled trees and expansion of forests.
Cooperatives for exploiting wood.
We will ensure Adivasi (tribals) access to forest and Non Timber Forest Products (NTFP) and Dalit, traditional communities’ access to common property resources.

FISHING

Creation of fishing harbors and ports along the whole coastline with a parallel development of cold storage industries.
Creation of cooperative shipyards.
Traditional fishing rights as mentioned in Coastal Regulation Zone will not be amended and diluted. Coastal Management Zone will be scraped by the Humanist Government.

MINING

Rights to tribals living in mining areas.
Creation of mining and oil drilling cooperatives coordinated and advised by the state in technical matters.
Promotion of mining towards the substitution of imported minerals and increase of exports.

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY

The older loans from IMF, World Bank and other International agencies by the Corrupt governments will need to audited for corruption and returned only of they were given for genuine reasons and became part of the economy and not the loot.
Development without taking and further loans from the IMF or the World Bank.
To leave the discriminatory WTO and work for an equitable non-discriminatory global trade and currency system.

Common Asian Market

Creation of an organization integrated by representatives from governments, political parties and trade unions of the different Asian countries in order to research on, plan and coordinate the regional economy.
Cooperation for technological development.
Elimination of customs barriers among Asian countries for products that affirm the zonal independence.
Exploration of common natural resources in solidarity.

FOREIGN TRADE

Creation of a government organism that guarantees the free trade with all countries in collaboration with national cooperatives and enterprises.
Incentive to exports according to priorities of the national economic policy.
Orientation towards substituting imports of basic industries and those related to health with national production.
Elimination of all unessential imports.
Guarantee of seriousness in the commercial export dealings.

FOREIGN CAPITAL AND INTERNATIONAL BANKING

Application of foreign capital in specific areas of national interest under strict safeguards and security for the country, only where there is absolutely no harm to the interest of any section/s within the country.
Nationalization of the foreign banking and commerce.
Special treatment for Asian banks and financial/institutions that are integrated to the regional economy.
No sell-off of National banks and other PSUs.
Recovery of Banks and PSUs sold off by corrupt means.

INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY

The HP will carry out an international policy of solidarity and non-violence, based on these principles.

Respect for the free determination of peoples and for non-intervention.
Pacific relationship will all countries.
International activism in solidarity with those countries struggling for their liberation.
Progressive and time-bound proportional disarmament of the world and the region.
“No” to the use of nuclear energy since its dangers have been adequately proven to be far more than any benefits that may have been there.

In Asia:

Signing of permanent peace treaties.
Accelerated and proportional demilitarization of the region.
Elimination of Asian customs barriers.
Asian Common Market.
Asian Parliament with representation of political parties.
Permanent commission of Human Rights with a character or Asian Tribunal.
To link the signing of the Non proliferation treaty (NPT) to the signing of treaties for de-nuclearization of Asia (Indian Ocean), progressive and proportional reduction of armament, etc.

GOVERMENT SPENDING UNDER DIRECT AND COMPLETE CONTROL OF PEOPLE:

Social audit of Government spending will be created at all levels, involving common citizens in the process.

DISCRIMINATION & SEPARATISM TENDENCIES:

All separatist tendencies are a direct result of discrimination of people of the area. This discrimination has happened on different basis at different times, exploiting the minority of an area by the ruling majority. The “violent game” of majority and minority has to end. While the majority would like to have a “decisive say” in the matters, they cannot go against the minority, as, both are humans and, while “There is nothing above the human being, there is no human being above another”.

While HP will work to form smaller states to make the administration easier and closer to people, it will open ways of participation for all people concerned, from all parts of the country, without any discrimination whatsoever. India will stop being seen as divided in the form of languages, castes, religions, regions etc. and all these components will form its strong points of diversity, giving it the unique benefits of having multiple points-of-view coming from different backgrounds of people. Diversity is India's strength and HP will not allow people to be divided on the basis of any aspect. For us, all are Humans and the point ends there, leaving no scope of dividing people.

HP invites all people fighting for “their rights through violent means“ to renounce violence and come forward to be Humanists and work actively to build the India of their dreams.

The respect for Diversity will become part of the education and administration process, ending any discrimination that reflects this aspect immediately.

HOUSING:

Housing for all is a necessity in order to create a Real Democracy. For the Humanist Party of India, housing is a human right. The Humanist Party of India is dedicated to providing decent, affordable and accessible housing to everyone living in this country. From our point of view, the expansion and development of non-profit housing is among our top priorities. Upon election, the Humanist Party of India will guarantee housing and set up mechanisms to ensure that housing is treated as a priority. No one will sleep without a house anymore – Humanist Government will ensure this within the first five years of its Government. The term “homeless” will be consigned to the monstrous history of the corrupt past.

The housing policy will aim at fulfilling the constitutional right for a dignified housing through plans impelled by cooperative systems and government action. It will tend to solve, to begin with, the urban and rural settlements in emergency situations, which lack minimal living conditions. At the same time, an integral plan will be developed in order to solve the national housing deficit.

Special importance will be given to the technology, resources, labor and materials of the region. Professionals, students, technicians and users will have participation in the planning designing and construction, tending towards a progressive decentralization.

Housing is a human right. We will provide minimal basic Housing for all.
Discouragement of unoccupied housing.
Encouragement and protection for renting.
Promotion and protection for cooperative housing projects.
Close collaboration of universities, cooperatives and government for the design, direction and construction of housing.
Design of a minimal model for a house which take also into account the aspects of services, transportation, medical facilities, schools, etc.
Credits for improving and enlarging existing houses.
Law of proportion between family income and rent.
Close cooperation and exchange with the non-aligned countries regarding indigenous housing technologies.

FOREIGN NATIONALS IN INDIA:

While Nepalese citizens enjoy open access to India, there is a clear discrimination with those from other neighboring countries. The Governments so far have done nothing to create a peaceful environment with other neighbors that could result in open access among all the neighbors around India, even to the extent of what has existed between India and Nepal.

Humanist Government will give top priority to No-war agreements, Proportional & time-bound total disarmament (of both Nuclear and non-nuclear arms) with all its neighbors, creation of an Asia-Pacific market with open access to all people for any purposes. Humanists will work for influencing the whole Asia-Pacific region with Humanist principals through non-violent means.

CORRUPTION:

Corruption is an issue, but it is only a symptom of the larger problem of inequities, inequalities, lack of access, the market, the private sector, the commercialization, lack of accountability and transparency, and so on. The Humanist Party of India will stand up against corrupt leaders, union bosses, and will unite, more than ever, like-minded citizens who are questioning these facts but find no effective way to address the governments and political parties that are responsible. The Humanist Party will provide the necessary platform to enable this. By creating a socio-political environment where Human being is given the highest value, where all citizens have a right to question the Government in an effective way, where the Elected representatives and the Government officials work within the aspects of full accountability, the issue of Corruption can move into the books of history from being a daily reality. Humanists believe that corruption arises from discriminated environment and, hence if these discrimination can end, Corruption can end.

Humanist Government will develop ways and means to recover the loot of resources by the erstwhile Governments and its cronies.

RIGHT TO RECALL ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES:

Any elected representative of any level can be recalled by the people of the constituency concerned. A complete law will be made for this to happen transparently and easily. Anyone not wanted by people, cannot and shall not be imposed on people.

RELATIONS WITH NEIGHBORS LIKE CHINA, PAKISTAN, BANGLADESH, MYANMAR, NEPAL, SRI-LANKA:

The Governments so far have done nothing to create a peaceful environment with other neighbors that could result in open access among all the neighbors around India, even to the extent of what has existed between India and Nepal.

Humanist Government will give top priority to No-war agreements, Time-bound Proportional & complete disarmament (of both Nuclear and non-nuclear arms) with all its neighbors, creation of a SAARC market with open access to all people for any purposes.

Humanists will work for influencing the whole SAARC region with Humanist principals through non-violent means.

CULTURE:

The Humanist Party of India recognizes and supports the crucial role that different cultures play in the health and well-being of a society. The Humanist Party of India has never asked anyone to sever his or her own cultural roots or abandon their religious faith in order to conform to any one cultural model or that of the founders of the Movement.

On the contrary, it has always encouraged everyone to put into practice, as coherently and conscientiously as possible, the religious and moral principles in which they believe in good faith and which they consider valid. Indeed, culture touches every individual in their daily lives through many diverse forms. We Indians are fortunate to live in a country that has grown with the contributions of many of the world’s great religions and cultures. Those artists and other cultural workers from all backgrounds have woven a unique cultural fabric that enriches us all.

"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and to impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."

In support of this idea, and because we aspire to a world of great personal and cultural diversity, humanists have developed independent volunteer newspapers and radio and television programs in neighborhoods around the world to reflect and give a space to every voice. To fulfill this Right to Free Expression, the Humanist Party of India believes that support should be given to ventures in community-based media, and that government-funded space should be provided on radios and TVs to give equal broadcasting access to the total diversity of cultures and beliefs in the country.

The Humanist Party understands education as an instrument at the service of people's formation and information, and culture as an instrument to create environments for expression and freedom. Therefore, the HP will propose a new cultural model which, though complementary, will be clearly separated from the educational model.

The Indian cultural renaissance and leap forward will start with the promotion of a great debate around the subject of which way of life and society people aspire for, since the building of such a society will be the instrument to be used for producing culture.

And within this context, there should be discussions around the outdated, violent, nihilistic cultures and the possibility of a leap forward that, acknowledging the positive contributions of the past, imagines not a return to the vedic ages, but an even more humane India of the future.

A new and complete image of the world is what is required, and not only some token modifications of TV programs or the film industry. Thus, regarding this subject, the HP disqualifies the proposals advanced by all the other parties, if any, as well as the cultural implications of their other policies, stands, and philosophies.

Development of culture, parallel to the education of children.
It will include the development of their motor abilities as well as their aesthetic sense through, for instance, arts, music and poetry.
Promotion of cultural development of children and youth through diverse educational institutions and cooperatives.
Government support for self-managerial cultural projects.
Neither the country nor the states will be enclosed by a cultural chauvinism. An internal interchange among states as well as an international interchange will be promoted for a cultural debate.
No cultural models will be imported.
The mass media will be at the service of the cultural debate.

ENVIRONMENT:

With respect to the environment, the Humanist Party of India believes that government projects and decisions must move to ensure the basic human rights of clean air, water and food to every person within the country.

Clean air without air-purifiers, Clean water with filters, Healthy food without any adulterations, will be the fundamental rights.

The Humanist ecological vision sees human beings as an integral part of the environment, which surrounds them and sustains them. From our point of view, it is absurd to destroy one’s home, our very life support system.

Humanists, then, are opposed to ecological positions which see the human being as a kind of "virus" on the planet, as well as positions which are fragmentary in their approach because they separate people from their living world. These approaches designs "Clean Drive" programs to combat automobile emissions, garbage dumping, and removing the vendors who actually serve the majority of poor, while refusing to see the danger of aping the so called developed countries and following their foot-steps blindly.

Public transportation, Energy - Conservation as an Untapped Source, Renewables, Environmental Protection, Water and air as the Public property are points that will be central in the Humanist Government's Environmental policies.

The Humanist Party is completely opposed to the privatization of goods and services that are fundamental to the health and well-being of every citizen. Clean water is a public good, and therefore not for sale. Neither can there be any privatization of water delivery or treatment services. Of course, if a staunch free-marketer can actually manage to create water - the H₂O recipe is public knowledge, after all - they could go ahead and sell it… (and the same goes for air).

Let's be clear: India's natural environment is for all Indians to enjoy. Humanists want wilderness, ecologically sound resource use, and green cities too.

Law of preservation, conservation, improvement and recuperation of the environment, penalizing the ecological crime.
To diminish and prevent urban environmental pollution.
Preventive programs in areas of recurrent natural disasters.
Development project will not be sanctioned at the cost of environmental damage.
We will actively support and expand organic farming, and ban with immediate effect the Genetically Modified seeds.
We will strictly implement the environment protection laws as they apply to industrial effluents and disposal of hazardous materials.
We will appoint a commission to look into the effect of alcohol and tobacco products on the health of the nation and formulate policy on their sale with the purpose of eventually banning them.

CO-OPERATIVES:

The real cooperative system, little known to our people, as the existing ones have misled the public all these years, is a potentially powerful tool of the people. It is a completely under-used, and also happens to be privatized.

The Humanist Party of India would radically transform the functioning of Cooperative Banks by turning them into non-usurious funding sources for the Community Cooperative Banks mentioned above. By borrowing money from itself for such a project, the Indian Government would not only be spurring real economic growth for people, but it would be paying all money borrowed back to itself.

Humanist Party of India, with top priority, will remove all kinds of speculations and usury, so that wealth is created by efforts and not just by the power of manipulating existing wealth and/or the markets. This will result into cooling the economy to its true levels and reducing inflation/prices, bringing life to an affordable level for the 99% population. In turn, this will reduce tensions, violence and improve dignity of life for the 99% population that faces serious-daily-existential issues.

Farmers and Small-scale local entrepreneurs will be given the necessary tools, environment, funds and everything else to produce what the Nation needs at the most affordable and equitable prices for all. A Nation that can send rockets to Moon and Mars can do a lot more if the intentions are honest and transparent.

LAW:

Law needs to be humane and updated for the current realities of life. Law needs to be further developed based on the fact the Law is not for controlling people but for sorting out disputes that may come up, always taking care that no law should promote discrimination, violence, control etc., that, in turn increase illegalities across the society. All the laws need to be worked at and updated with current reality, knowing the fact that “Human being will be the Central Value.

STATE AND JUSTICE

Humanism is based on a conception of the human being and society whose highest value is life. Thus, coercion, punishment and death applied by some on to others are repugnant to Humanism. Especially, if the intention of the punishment is to give an exemplary penalty to an individual or social behavior.

We will guarantee life with dignity, freedom from fear of violence, and peaceful coexistence.
Criticism of the Government will be a fundamental right of the people and the responsibility of the Government to pay urgent attention to the grievances, ensuring time-bound solution, always knowing that the Human being is the Highest Value and the Government is the trustee of the people.
There will be no death penalty in the Humanist Government.
Law of Political Accountability and Law of Political Parties.
Quick trials, with examplary punishments, as lessons for future criminals.
Free legal assistance and comprehensive improvement of the judicial system.

CRIME:

The Humanist Party of India recognizes the need to discuss crime and that there are many factors to consider when discussing crime. The responsibility for crime does not rest solely with the criminal – environmental, economical, discrimination, violence, hatred, divisionary tactics, etc., factors play a strong role.

For this reason, the main goal of our crime-reduction policy is to prevent crime at its roots by achieving full human rights for all people in India. This would mean eliminating poverty and giving citizens real power to control their lives and building strong communities, rich with a sense of social solidarity and meaning. Any other attempt at dealing with crime, such as “Stringent laws” and "Get Tough" programs and bigger jails, will be akin to putting a Band-Aid on a broken bone.

VIOLENCE:

The Humanist party will oppose all forms of violence – physical, economic, racial, religious, sexual, ideological, and every form of discrimination, whether subtle or overt – which have been used to block human progress. For the Humanist Party these are factors to be denounced.

The glaring events of the last century, the World Wars I and II, and the Cold Wars that continued there-after, are dire warnings to humankind. The use of scientific and technological progress in the production and perfection of the most destructive weapons by the developed nations of the West have led the world to utter destruction. The former colonial powers can offer no hope to humankind.

Mahatma Gandhi was the first to preach and practice universal peace and brotherhood. He taught us love and non-violence throughout his life. None of our politicians heeded to it and today our nation, its people and the world is sick and tired of the spread of violence.

Civilization can be rescued through non-violence and Silo, the real-recent icon of non-violence today, has shown the way to implement it in his various talks and writings. When humanity is faced with violence, and leaders call for terrible blood-flowing path as the solution, non-violence becomes significant. Non-violence becomes the best weapon ever to face the propagators of violence.

For the Humanist Party of India, non-violence will be the methodology of every action it takes against violence.

TERRORISM

There has been enough violence caused by all sides. The HP believes that a “Healing touch” is necessary and calls on all people struggling against the state to leave the path of violence and join the Humanist forces, to build the Humanist society for all. Violence is not the way out and this has been adequately demonstrated in the society. “An Eye for and Eye will leave Everyone blind” needs to be well understood by all. Since the Government, run by the corrupt, will not change its ways and will continue creating terror, it is the moral-responsibility of common-honest people to change the Government through Non-violence and build a just system for all.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

Research in pure science seems to have stopped for more than 65 years. Apart from application of scientific inventions (technological progress) of more than 65 years ago, people seem to have forgotten that pure science must grow more so as to create Humane conditions for the society. Scientific progress is must for the reduction of pain from human life and Humanist Government will implement policies for this to happen once again. Once again, India that gave “ZERO” to the world, will rise to invent and share a lot more with the whole world.

The technology has been applied to the maximum for creating political controls on people, for isolating people, for creating more & more powerful armaments – everything done such that a small minority can control the whole world for its own violent-selfish purposes.

This must stop immediately. Humanist Government will ensure maximum technology for the fulfillment of having an Educated, Cultured, Non-violent humane society that lives by considering every human being as equal and, of the highest value in actual day-to-day life.

The Humanist Party considers the breakthroughs and developments in science and technology as the patrimony of humanity. Therefore, the laws of patents and licenses will be modified, promoting sharing of knowledge as the key factory in all areas of science & technology.

Coherent coordination of scientific and technological plans with the social, cultural and economic areas.
Sustained development in this area through the permanent capacitation of our youth and the coordination of foreign technological transfers.
Promotion of state and district initiatives.
Interdisciplinary institute for the coordination and development of sciences.
Strong promotion to the teaching of informatics.
Data banks at all levels.
Scientific and technological cooperation with Asian and non-aligned counties and whenever there are no political and military strings attached to that cooperation.
Science and technology will be primarily directed towards improving the living conditions covering the basic needs and raising the levels of education and information.

THE STATE

The Humanist conception of the state is one of decentralization, contrary to the ideologies that place it above the human being (its only meaning for existing).

Humanism warns of the danger of sustaining immobilistic models of the state - such as the liberal or the totalitarian - which correspond to capitalistic imperialism and social imperialism, respectively. Therefore, and corresponding to a dynamic conception of History, the HP deems it necessary to redefine the model of state, with the direct consultation and participation of all the people. For a transitional model of state, the HP proposes:

We will take immediate steps to ensure equal participation of all sectors of society in the functioning of Real Democracy at all levels.
Popular debate for reforming the constitution through referendum, plebiscites and popular veto, towards a direct democracy.
Reduction of government interference in and monopoly of the mass media.
All Public-interest information will be provided free of cost to people through the websites. RTI process will be made completely transparent, quick and accountable. No information can be kept away from citizens. All public officers (of all/any levels) must declare their assets/income and legal status every year in a pre-defined format enacted by the Parliament.
Participation of people in actual daily working of the Government will be built and ensured without delay.
All long pending griviences of people, Government employees and other sections of society will be met through war-footing resolutions by way of actual participation of all involved, without any discrimination and within the parameters of the Humanist policies.
We will strengthen the office of Comptroller and Auditor General and Conduct periodic social audit of the all government departments as a public exercise.
We will promote transparency and accountability in governance by effectively implementing of RTI both in the private and public sector.
We will initiate and strengthen Lokpal, Lokayukta and form independent vigilant bodies at every governing structure to stop corruption and ensure transparency; Penalizing the bureaucrats, government officials including the members of judiciary and legislature, when found guilty of corrupt practices.
We will speed up the judicial reforms to reach justice to the poor. We will appoint the vacant posts of Judges and clean up the corrupt system.
Those communities and groups which are seeking political space in and through identity assertion movements, will not be perceived as a threat to national integrity and countered with arms, rather the state will dialogue acknowledging the needs and aspirations of the communities, bringing them into the mainstream of life.
The state will be in charge of:
- Developing the basic industries,
- Administering the coordinating enterprises and organisms necessary to liberate the country in economic terms,
- Progressively decentralizing the national economy
No Big dams. Small environment-friendly hydro-electric dams will be extensively built.
Land for land, of atleast of the same quality, will be the basis for rehabilitation. Referendum & public hearings will be conducted before acquiring land from people, always ensuring the minimal quality of life for all involved.
Ensure profit to all Farmers on their produce and provide Comprehensive Crop-insurance. We will promote agri-produce cooperatives for the better marketing of the agricultural produce.
There will be no development at the cost of any section of society including the so-far deprived dalits and adivasis. We will stop development induced displacement and make necessary laws to ensure this.
Ensure the participation and partnership of indigenous communities in the developmental process and make them owners of the land, water, forest and mineral resources; Recognize and acknowledge Indigenous Peoples’ contribution to nation building.
Create a Central University to develop and preserve dalit and adivasi culture, languages and identity.

THE STATE AND THE POLITICAL PARTIES

The function of the state will be that of:

Guaranteeing the freedom of organization and expression of all the political sectors without any discrimination whatsoever.
Providing places for protests in every city and town, for people to come forward with their grieviences, which much result into immdiate dialoge for resolution.
Providing the political parties with sufficient resources for their development and for keeping the population informed.
Encouraging the popular clarification through the political parties.
To modify the law of Political Parties (or whatever it is now) in order to overcome the organizational monopoly of a few parties, to make the financially accountable, to make their membership verifiable, etc.
Enact laws to ensure the Upper age-limit for all Elected Political posts (President, P.M., Minister, C.M., Mayor, Governor, etc.) to be maximum 40 years.
Enact laws such that no one can occupy an elected political post (President, P.M., Minister, C.M., Mayor, Governor, etc.) more than once.
Enact laws to ensure that a Referendum is taken, before deciding any major policy.
Enact the “Law of Political Accountability” to ensure that every elected member will have to be compulsorily re-confirmed by the voters every 6 months. People will have the Right to recall their elected representatives at all levels under this law.
Under the Law of Political Accountability, the Source of Funding of Campaigns, Candidates, and Parties will compulsorily be made public, along-with Annual public declaration of Assets and legal/Criminal records of the Parties and their Candidates. “Clean politics equals corruption-free politics” in all respects. Healthy and Real Democracy has no place for hate politics. This will ensure Transparency in Politics.

THE STATE AND THE RELIGIONS

The state will be detached from religious matters providing freedom for all religious expressions and for atheism.

Ensure implementation of suitable law and provide environment to immediately (within a year at the most) end all forms of communal and caste violence and to curb states/institutions overtly and covertly engaging in communal and caste violence. Take effective measures to deal with individuals as well as organizations involved in communal and caste violence.
Ensure Equal rights to all sections of society, ending all kinds of discrimination existing today. This will be implemented immediately with top-priority.
Ensure that all the victims, of all previous violence, are rehabilitated as dignified human beings without any delay.
Ensure that Religion is kept strictly as a personal affair.
Any attempt to offend religious sentiments, respect for the other or to distort the history and cultural diversity of India in the minds of young in educational system will be appropriately dealt with.
Ensure equal respect for all cultures and religions without making them the point of differences and discrimination.
Initiate unbiased and meaningful discussions with all arms-using groups and separatists tendencies, to ensure that all citizens of India get dignified life immediately, thus bringing them to the mainstream of life and socio-political activity.

THE STATE AND DEFENCE

Ministry of Peace and Non-violence will be established by the Humanist Government to create the new consciousness of Peace & Non-violence.
Agreements for a progressive and proportional reduction of armament supervised by other countries of the region.
Non-alignment in defense matters (or any other).
No to production and/or use of nuclear weapons.
Progressive and proportional disarmament in the world.
UN ban on military use of outer space and treaty against space weapons signed by the superpowers and other nations.
Denunciation of the likely extinction of humanity by a nuclear war as an immoral threat imposed by the superpowers on the rest of the planet's population.
Sincere and exhaustive use of all diplomatic means for promoting all sorts of possible cooperation among Asian countries as a means of building up mutual trust and as a pre-requisite for peace and disarmament.
Government to renounce the use of violence for resolving any conflict.
We will promote friendly relationship with neighboring countries, bringing down defense budget and promoting national security by mutual dialogue.
We will protect common persons from arbitrary arrest and illegal detention and being subjected to torture and inhuman treatment. We will abolish capital punishment, and remove the legal impunity that police and other agencies now enjoy.
We will repeal 'The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act’ and all draconian laws like POTA, NSA, COFEPOSA, COCA etc. and dismantle 'Salwa Judum' and other similar outfits, immediately.
We will stop using Anti terror law against the poor and minorities and human rights movements.
We will ensure right to free expression, association, assembly and democratic dissent.
We will promote peace and harmony across the multi-ethnic, multi religious, multi-cultural communities based on justice.
We will bring the National Security expenditures and defense budget to a level lower than that of education and health care budget.
No Nuclear arms. We will Cancel the 123 agreement. Comprehensive Peace and No-war agreements with all neighboring countries will be initiated and proportionate disarmament of conventional as well as nuclear arms with a time-frame will be targeted.
We will ensure the participation and partnership of indigenous communities in the developmental process and make them owners of the land, water, forest and mineral resources; Recognize and acknowledge Indigenous Peoples’ contribution to nation building.
Manual scavenging will be immediately abolished and alternative employment will be provided.
We will provide homestead land to dalits and adivasis and ensure minimum of 3 acres of cultivable land to all.
We will restore all the alienated lands of the tribals and other sections.

Open Source in science technology:

All social knowledge hall be open-sourced and hence be available to all people without any discrimination. Humanist Government will apply this principal in all areas for a complete fulfillment of this principal without any exceptions.

Ahead of us lies a world that is very different from the one we have known since birth. It is a world filled with joyful reunions and, most importantly, one, which ends the need to work for shelter, food, and clothing. Instead a great prosperity, will reign. The new technologies we already know, will release humanity from the drudgery of earning a living, thus allowing us to extend our interests beyond caring for our immediate family and to go out into our community. It is our turn to use our acquired wisdom to shelter Mother Earth with our all-embracing Love. This task requires more than cleaning up her surface, air, and water; it means cleaning ourselves, coming together and using our collective energies to revivify her entire Being-ness. It is only our deep and committed Love that can truly revive her.

The Humanist Movement has entrusted itself with a most pivotal mission: to restore our Socio-Eco-system and use it as a base from which we transform the old violent system and ourselves. We see ourselves as part of a collective-selfless-management team whose mission is to preserve and extend life throughout the planet. Humanist Party is the Humanist tool that will implement these ideals into reality for all human beings without any discrimination whatsoever.

Humanist Party invites all peace-loving people of the state to join and support it so as to make a new beginning in the state, showing a new direction of nonviolence and nondiscrimination to the whole nation.

Will soon be available in other languages
Hindi (brief version)