Melbourne, June 17: NRIs and Indian Origin diaspora is a big contributor to anti-corruption movement of AAP – Aam Aadmi Party in India.
According to an AAP release, NRIs contribute about 25% of total donations coming to AAP.
“Adding voluntary work in social media and beyond, contributions in form of general awareness, calling campaigns and such other projects, the figure will be definitely higher”, according to recently appointed – Rajveer Singh RV, AAP Media Convenor in Australia.
In order to meet the demand of overseas volunteers to be organised and to work coherently and efficiently within a team, the AAP-Australia team was announced last weekend through google hangout.
Rakesh Prajapati will be at the helm as National Convenor and Gurpreet Singh (Bally Singh) as Secretary, AAP Australia.
Jagdeep Singh will act as AAP Australia’s Outreach Convenor and a team of five will man the AAP Australia Pravasi member board with Ravi Sharma as its Convenor.
AAP Overseas and AAP Pravasi teams were also announced USA, UK, New Zealand, Canada, UAE and Qatar – with large segments of highly skilled Indian immigrants.
“It was emphasised throughout the hangout that these positions are not privileges but responsibilities and need a lot of commitment and hard work”, told Rajveer Singh.
These announcements were made by Dr Kumar Vishwas and Preeti Sharma Menon of the AAP overseas team in Delhi.
The AAP is campaigning against drugs with ‘kick the habit’ challenge on June 26, where people from across the country are urged to upload a video of their message for drug free world and nominate 3 people to do the same – just like ice-bucket challenge.
While AAP Overseas and AAP Pravasi teams differ in terms of country of citizenship of the members, the AAP overseas is wholly a part of AAP India and only overseas residents holding Indian passport can become members of AAP Overseas.
AAP Pravasi is an independent organisation and anyone can join the group, “typically because of deep interest in India by family lineage or as a country of birth or for any other reason”, explained Rajveer Singh.
Mr Singh concluded with RabindraNath Tagore’s line “Where mind is without fear and head is held high…..let my country awake”. Membership details www.aapaustralia.org.au
Shalini Singh