VIGIL INDIA MOVEMENT

The Rev. Dr. M.A. Thomas was the founder of Vigil India Movement. He came under the influence of national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Jayaprakash Narayan, and identified himself fully with the freedom movement during his student days.

In 1963, he founded the Ecumenical Christian Centre in Bangalore and developed it into a meeting place of people of all religious and political views. The Rev. Dr. Thomas served as the President of the India Section of Amnesty International and Association of Christian Institutes for Social Concern in Asia.

It was the Emergency rule of 1975 that galvanized the Rev. Dr. M.A. Thomas into action. The denial of democratic rights by the administration and the failure of the people to react strongly against it caused him great anguish. After much deliberation, he launched the new grass roots human rights organization Vigil India Movement in 1975.

Vigil India Movement was officially inaugurated in 1977 after the lifting of the emergency rule.

He passed away on June 25, 1993. The Board of Trustees of Vigil India Movement instituted the M.A. Thomas National Human Rights Award in 1993 to honour the memory of this practical ecumenist and humanist.

News:
Fr. Jacob P J gets the M.A. Thomas National Human Rights Award - 2010.

Fr. Jacob P J, a well known social reformer and a human rights defender working among the vulnerable communities in Dharward district of Karnataka has been selected for the M.A. Thomas National Human Rights Award 2010 of the Vigil India Movement, Bangalore.

A three member Jury - Justice Michael F. Saldanha, (former Judge of Bombay and Karnataka High Courts) Mr. Akbar Mirza Khaleeli (former Ambassador in Iran, Italy and Australia) and Prof. Dr. R.L.M. Patil (National Law School of India University) unanimously selected Fr. Jacob P J for the award from among the nominations received from various parts of the Country.

Fr. Jacob P J, the founder of Vimochana Development Society, has contributed immensely in the field of social justice, peace, education and socio- economic empowerment and consistently promoted and protected the rights of the people. Fr. Jacob was elected as a Panchayat President for a five year term and then elected to the Karnataka State Assembly as an Independent candidate from Dharward.

Vigil India Movement instituted the M A Thomas National Human Rights Award in 1994 in memory of its Founder President Late Dr. M.A. Thomas. The Award with One Lakh of Rupees and a Citation will be presented to Fr. Jacob P J at an award ceremony to be held in Bangalore on the 10^th August, 2010, the birth anniversary of the Founder.

International Internship and Research Study (29 June to 24 July 2009):

Four of the Canadian Students from the Law Department of Queens University have been to Vigil India Movement for the research study on The Separation of Powers in India: Judicial Activism Through the Entrenchment of Social and Economic Rights as Compared With the Canadian Experience from 29 June to 24 July 2009. The purpose of the research study was to familiarize with the constitutional provision to protect rights and to embed rights, in-depth analysis on religious rights, right to life, right to water, right to education and development in India by interacting with several Judges, Lawyers, Scholars and Human Rights Defenders and referring to Legal Institutions libraries in India.

Vigil India Movement made all the arrangements and organized a month long programme and also arranged nationwide exposure in Bangalore, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad, New Delhi and Mumbai.
The Students interacted with the Following Dignitaries:

oJustice V. R. Krishna Iyer, former Judge, Supreme Court of India
oJustice Sivaraj Patil, former Judge, Supreme Court of India
oJustice S. R. Nayak, Karnataka State Human Rights Commission
oJustice V. Giri, High Court, Kerala
oAdv. Pratap Reddy, President, VIM
oRev. Dr. Manichacko, Secretary to the Board, VIM & Director, ECC
oDr. Mathew George Chunakara in Canada
oMs. Anila George, Board of Trustee, VIM
oMr. Rajanna, Ex. M.L.A. Cox Town
oPro. Sarasu Esther Thomas, NLS, Bangalore
oDr. Ramathal, Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women
oDr. Suresh, Secretary, PUCL, Chennai
oMr. Devanayan, Human Rights Activist, Chennai
oDr. Moses Manohar, Director, ICSA, Chennai
oAdv. Thamban Thomas, former Member of Parliament, Cochin
oAdv. Ibrahim, Cochin
oProf. R.L.M. Patil,
oDr. Joseph. VG, Counsel of the Republic of Maldives in Bangalore
oProf. V.B Coutinho, President, Governing Council, Garden City College
oDr. K. C. John, Garden City College,
oMr. Mathew Philips, SICHREM
oMr. Ravi Hemadhri, The Other Media, New Delhi
oDr. M.P. Raju, Supreme Court Lawyer, New Delhi
oAdv. Sunil John, Rizvy College, Mumbai
oMr. Harshmandar, Parliament House, New Delhi
oMr. Biraj Patnayak, New Delhi
oAdv. Prakash Charalel, Cochin
oAdv. Shila Nair, Cochin

Exposed to the following Institutions:
oNational Law School of India University, Bangalore
oEcumenical Christian Centre, Whitefield
oHigh Court Library in Chennai
oInter Church Service Association, Chennai
oNational University of Advanced Legal Studies, Cochin
oHigh Court Library in Cochin
oGarden City College, Bangalore
oSouth India Cell for Human Right Education and Monitoring (SICHREM)
oAndhra State Human Rights Commission, Hyderabad
oHigh Court in Hyderabad
oThe Other Media, New Delhi
oIndian Social Institute, New Delhi
oRizvy Law College, Mumbai

Adv. Pratap Reddy, President of VIM was kind enough in taking care of the Hyderabad Programme. Adv. Shila Nair, Adv. Prakash Charalel, Mr. Pitambaram were very helpful in organizing the programmes in Cochin and Chennai respectively.
Mr. John VM Juliana, Programme Manager and Ms. Valsamma Joseph, Office Secretary coordinated the programme from the National Office. John VM Juliana accompanied the students to different institutions in Bangalore, Chennai and Cochin.