AAP Central Jersey Weekly Meeting Dec 22, 2013

First thing first, Congrats to all aam aadmis on the occasion of AAP forming the State Government in Delhi.!!!
It is dedication and selfless efforts of all the volunteers/supporters of AAP. NRIs played a role and enriched the experience for both volunteers/supporters in India as well as outside India.
-----------------------

We had a great meeting yesterday (Dec 22nd, 2013). Lot of new faces joined in, bringing new energy and ideas.

Attendees: Ajit, Mukesh, Suresh, Subhadeep, himanshu, Mahesh, Prakash, Ashish, Anil, Aniyan.

1. Aniyan and Anil came as representatives of Maliyali committee representatives and showed their support to work with AAP in US as well as in Kerala, India. They are involved in many community efforts in US as well as in India.
2. We all agreed to resume with AAP NJ activities we have been doing in last 8 months. We can much better now since we have better volunteer base. The next steps are to identify tasks and some person(s) to lead so that we can work as a focused team and engage our volunteer base efficiently.
Few ideas to start with are here. I have marked 'leads' as a starter but everybody please feel free to come forward and lead. We all will complement each other on various tasks too.:

1. Outreach: plan to reach out to desi communities around where we live and how to engage them as volunteers. Lead: Ahish bhai.
2. Fund raising: find out ways to motivate/mobilize existing/new volunteers to donate to AAP. Lead-Ajit bhai. He is already actively engaged in this.
3. Media: outreach in traditional media (TV, Radio, our own videos). Lead-Aman bhai. He too is engaged in this activity and had himself created two fine videos supporting AAP.
4. New tools to streamline volunteer/tasks. Prakash bhai is already holding google hangouts to see if we can create smaller teams working interactively online. : Lead: Prakash bhai
5. Social Media: How to effectively utilize social media (facebook, Twitter, Meetup, etc.) to spread out AAP New Jersey message. Lead: Mukesh bhai.
6. Engage existing/new volunteers, post Delhi: Suresh bhai suggested to keep working on AAC (Adopt A Constituency) programs. As we know, as part of AAC program of AAP-Delhi, AAP New Jersey team had adopted Narela constituency for recent Delhi elections. Narela AAP ground team still wants AAP NJ to work with them in logistics (data management, complaint/paperwork redress etc.) and other tasks to motivate ground volunteers. Lead Rakesh/Suresh/Himanshu.
7. Road ahead: as AAP India rolls out their plan for assembly/Loksabha election in 2014, AAP NJ will take up the responsibility for helping AAP.

AAP New York/ North Jersey team is also gaining traction in holding meetings, mobilizing efforts. We should hear from them soon.

Jai Aam Aadmi !!!

AAP New Jersey meeting on Dec 14th, 2013

Where: Newport Mall, Jersey City, New Jersey.
Attendees: Rohan, Kiriti, Nishanth, Rakesh, Sandeep, Ravindra, Nishant, Ajit, Deepak, Ankur, Aman, Mukesh, Asha, Kalpana, Himanshu, Vinita, Harsha, Arun, Asha.

Despite inclement weather (around 3-4 inches of snow) 19 AAP New Jersey volunteers attended to celebrate AAP's performance for clean politics in recent Delhi elections. Few who couldn't join confirmed to join in next meetings.

Key points:

1. All congratulated AAP for the hard work of volunteers and good leadership by AAP leaders for showing a good performance in Delhi. All felt that helping AAP was a memorable experience to realize our responsibility in a successful democracy. We can make a difference.
2. Rakesh bhai shared his experiences from his recent visit to Delhi, helping AAP in elections. He shared the great enthusiasm of AAP volunteers of all ages (from 20s to 60s, females in high numbers) during election time. Emphasizing challenges, he mentioned Metro Vihar slum area of North Delhi with a population of 75000 people living without basic facilities like toilets, drinking water, sanitation, habitable schools, etc. He said people have high expectations from AAP and we all have to help AAP to make changes in these people's lives. AAP ground team also acknowledged the help of NRIs in phone campaign, motivating voters and volunteers alike.
3. All agreed to resume our meetings in desi areas to create awareness. Ravindra/Sandeep/Rohan bhai volunteered to take up the responsibility of holding regular AAP meetings in Jersey City/North Jersey area. New York folks can also join them or meetings can also be held in New York. Central Jersey team will continue meeting near Edison area.
4. All resolved to help AAP in whatever future direction party takes.
5. Rakesh bhai suggested that we all should find out possibilities of participating in policy making of AAP (like in the fields of education, NRI, urban/village development etc.). AAP has around 40 policy making teams, in the fields of agriculture, economy, industries, foreign policy, social welfare, healthcare, education, urban development etc.).
6. All shared experiences of how their friends/relatives who were misinformed/confused/skeptical of AAP before Dec 4th, are now coming forward to help AAP in its future endevors.


We had great gourmet Pizza and left with more motivation to help AAP.

Jai Hind!!

Meeting at the Asian American fair on Jun 15 (Saturday) 2013

We are meeting on Asia fair on Jun 15^th (Saturday)

Where: GARDEN STATE EXHIBIT CENTER, 50 ATRIUM DRIVE, SOMERSET, NJ 08873

When: Saturday, JUN 15 2013, 6PM (we plan to stay there for cuople of hours).

 Ticket: $3 (at the entrance, when we want to go inside)

Agenda:

1. We will gather at the entrance and distribute flyers (organizer might not allow us to distribute flyers inside the hall).

2. Take pictures/make videos of the people if they want to talk about AAP of their experience/expectations. Please bring your cameras.

3. After distributing the flyer at the entrance for some time, we will go in to the hall and walk in a group to show our presence.

4. Please bring at least 50 printouts of attached AAP NJ flyers to distribute. Rest flyers we can put on the cars.

5. Please wear your AAP topi if you have. If you want to be creative, see how to make paper topi at home: from youtube “how to make gandhi topi” http://tinyurl.com/l28tmb3

Any other ideas/suggestions to make this event more effective are welcome.

More details of fair:

http://www.asianamericanfair.com/

http://www.asianamericanfair.com/images/asianamerica.jpg

== AAP ke Mitra, New Jersey

http://www.facebook.com/AAPkeMitraNJ

http://AAPkeMitraNJ.blogspot.com

http://youtube.com/AAPkeMitraNJ

Meeting with Dr Kumar Vishwas with AAP ke Mitra, New Jersey

photo: courtsey Eesha (c)

Attendees: Mr Ramesh Muskan (poet), Gigi, Mukesh, Deepak, Ajit, Dr. Kumar Vishwas, Himanshu, Harish, Kalpana, baby Medha, Gitanjali.
When: May 9th, 2013.
Where: Piscatway, New Jersey.


During his US tour, we got an opportunity to interact with Dr Kumar Vishwas.
Dr Vishwas gave insight into the ground achievements, challenges at AAP in Delhi elections and plans for future.

Few points:

1. Delhi elections are a big litmus test for aam aadmi (not just Aam Aadmi Party) . We need around 10 NRIs in each ward (700 in all Delhi) in election times in Nov. He requested all NRIs to be in Delhi in Nov and be the part of this revolution.
2. All NRIs should make small videos (1 to 2 min) on current issues (like violence against women, 1984 riot victims, Rail-Gate scam, help AAP in candidate selection, etc.) and post on youtube. Videos can also be sent to AAPkeMitraNJ[AT]gmail.com and AAP NJ team can compile small videos into one big and post on our youtube channel.  

It is encouraging to know from Dr Vishwas that AAP is making a positive image in the minds of Delhites and has earned a great respect. 

Weekly meeting of AAP ke Mitra, New Jersey, USA

(photo courtsey: Eesha Sharma) (c)2013

Attendees: Kalpana, Himanshu, Mukesh, Prachi, Gaurav, Jayesh, Shanu, Vineeta, Ajit
When/Where: May 4th, 2013 at Woodbridge, New Jersey.

As usual it was a great brainstorming session on future strategies to spread awareness about AAP in India and outside.

Few take-aways:

1. Awareness: 
1. India-fairs (Independence, Diwali etc.): We can put an Aam Aadmi Biriyani stall (sell biriyani/paani-puri, do mehandi, etc.) and create constant awareness for whole day. Any proceeds we can donate to AAP India in every individual AAP volunteer's capacity.
2. On weekends, 5-6 volunteers can go to do grocery together wearing AAP topi and distribute flyers on Oak Tree Road (India street).
3. Put flyers in Apartment laundry rooms and outside Laundromats.
4. We can hold debates within NJ team and make videos and post it online.
5. Collectively go to our friends homes and inspire them to donate. or don't leave till they donate... kidding. ;-)
6. Hold summer-camps, picnics in parks.
7. Whenever in public place, make video of people and post online (one compiled version).
8. All NJ volunteers should make personal videos on contemporary issues and post one compiled version online.
9. Dr Kumar Vishwas event on May 10th: We can go there and distribute flyers. Try for a informal meeting with NJ AAP volunteers and Dr Vishwas.
2. AAP ki Lakshmi: Donate to AAP on monthly basis. We should create a solid group of 1000 volunteers from every corner of the world who can donate $50 to $500 every month consistently till Delhi election in Nov. Ajit bhai from NJ will drive this initiative with full enthusiasm.
3. Own a Ward: From every corner of the world, we need to find one NRI who can own a ward in Delhi. That NRI volnteer can try to get first hand experience of moments of joy and challenges in Delhi. (S)he can also plan to be in Delhi in Nov elections. AAP NJ can also send small momentoes/certificates of appreciation to each AAP ward in Delhi.
4. Connect with the roots: Each volunteer should contact their hometown AAP conveners/volunteers and appreciate their work. Get news of AAP initiatives and highlight on social media.
5. AAP ka Sandesh:  We feel that to spread AAP's message to every corner in India in purest form, we need to start thinking about delivering it in printed form. Structure of this patrika can be few pages for intellectuals/youth, few pages for laymen in simple words and couple of pages from "Swaraj", couple of editorials from Dr Anand Kumar, Prof. Yogendra Yadav and likes on contemporary topics. AAP NJ will start working on this and find out logistics.
6. Go to AAP USA convention in Chicago on May 18th in large numbers. It is a great opportunity to meet volunteers from across US.
7. Plan for a East Coast AAP volunteer convention.

Meeting ended on a stronger resolve to meet again and more tasks to work on.

Jai Hind, jai aam aadmi !!!

Meeting Mr. Ashawant Gupta, Haryana State convener of Aam Aadmi Party

Attendees: (As in photo) Satendra, Varun, Deepak, Mr. Ashawant (आशावंत जी ), Himanshu, Kalpana, GiGi, Jayesh (not in picture).
When/where: Apr 27th, 2013,  Piscataway, New Jersey.

It was great to have an interactive session with Ashawant ji. He shared how he was involved in IAC movement in his town (Ambala) and update on activities in AAP Ambala (his town) and Haryana state.

Ashawant ji explained the organization structure of AAP at state, district, block and village and the progress in Haryana (for stats: Haryana has 21 districts, each district has around 6-8 blocks and each block has around 80 villages. This makes around 500 villages per district and 10000 villages in whole state of Haryana).

He shared activities of AAP Ambala active volunteers and local issues they are taking up. Recent issue being handled is cleanliness drive in one area at a time, awareness drives in city and outside.

Few drives run by AAP Ambala in remote areas of Haryana are :

1. Going to villages with a small speaker and announcing "do you know that every school (Govt/Private) needs to fill 25% of their students from families whose parents combined income is less than Rs. 200,000 (Rs two lakhs) under RTE (Right To Education Act)?" Villagers didn't know this and were happy to know and exercise it. (Small detail: as per Govt, schools are considered as charity and not as business. So Govt gives special status/credit, and no taxes are levied on school unless they make profit.). Read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_Education_Act
2. AAP Ambala volunteers go to villages and announce "all political parties come to you and say happy Diwali, Happy Baisakhi. Do they tell you that as per "Panchayati Raj" every sarpanch needs to have a gram sabha meeting twice a year and explain the budget and its allocation/expences. Every villager is a member of gram sabha. Forget about past and in forward thinking, just ask your sarpanch when is your next gram-sabha.". Villagers didn't know that and were happy to know and exercise this right.

It was great to listen to his experiences and views first hand and realize ground level achievements and challenges of AAP.

One instance he shared from recent past. In recent bijali-pani Civil Disobedience Movement in Delhi in March, AAP Haryana volunteers were in Delhi to support the movement. Mr Ashawant was in Connaught Place (Rajiv Chowk) with his team distributing flyers about Mr Arvind's fast . When they were roaming around and giving flyers, they also had people calling them "Hey aam aadmi, where did Arvind Kejriwal sit on fast. I am aam aadmi, give me one flyer.". Some footpath shopkeepers (who temporarily put their stuff on footpath everyday in Palika Bazar area) even asked their customers to wait so they could get details about AAP's movement.

He also mentioned about Gurdaspur, a remote village very close to Pakistan boarder, with very little development, scarce transportation and medium of communication. He said he met a team of volunteers who are ready to go to Delhi in November and help AAP in elections. Those volunteers said, every family in Punjab has relatives in Delhi and they will persuade all their relatives to vote for AAP.

After Q&A session, following tasks came up about what NRIs can do:

1. AAP volunteers should be visible by doing events (talks/shows etc.) or be approachable to desi people in Indian markets. Put AAP news in media (desi or international media).
2. In line with activities of AAP in India, hold similar activities in USA (protest outside Indian Embassy, UN office etc.).
3. division of work in AAP global (organizational work, movement work, etc.) so AAP volunteers can work in areas which suits them.
4. Connect with AAP state/district/block/villages conveners/volunteers of your area in India. This boosts morale of everybody and makes NRIs feel connected/updated.

We also discussed about forthcoming AAP NJ activties:

1. phone-campaign.
2. interactive session with Dr Kumar Vishwas (he is in NJ now).
3. awazaapki.org.
4. We all agreed that we should devote some time for AAP activities. Time can be at our conveneince. It can be 30 min. everyday or 1 hour every alternate day or couple of hours on weekends. This time can be in the morning, evening/night or during the day. There will be activities we can do or make calls to AAP volunteers in India (or even USA). Since AAP is fightting for common citizen, we should also encourage our spouses to participate.

Finally meeting ended with a resolve to meet again.
Jai Hind!!

Talk with Dr Anand Kumar and Prof Yogendra Yadav

Aam Aadmi Party New Jersey meeting on Oak Tree Rd, Iselin, New Jersey

Aam Aadmi Party supporters in New Jersey had their meeting on Oak Tree Rd today. We also spread the awareness about our Apr 21st event of interactive discussion with Dr Anand Kumar and Prof. Yogendra Yadav (to be held in Piscataway, New Jersey, more info : http://www.facebook.com/events/542652695756428/ ).

Lot of people approached us and showed support for Aam Aadmi Party and its Civil Disobedience Movement going on in Delhi. It was great experience to interact with people directly, knows their views, tell them our views. Looks like it is great idea for everybody to spend at least 1-2 hours every week on the street and interact with people and spread awareness.

We also recorded few video messages:
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHkTCRetmDc
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlKjXPSjyjU
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFraKNIafZg
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22ynC9xb9kM
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NOe1gLnoiQ
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUU38t8UorU


Jai Hind.

AAP New Jersey Meeting : 2013-03-03

     photo courtesy: Eesha Sharma

Aam Aadmi Party New Jersey Meeting at Piscataway on March 3rd, 2013.

Attendees: Piyush, Ganapathy, Deepak, Himanshu, Kalpana, Geetanjali, Jayesh.

Agenda: Plan for interactive session with Dr Anand Kumar, Professor of Sociology at JNU Delhi and founder executive member of Aam Aadmi Party (India) in New Jersey.

Points to work on:

1. Flyers. (design should be ready by 03/05/13)
2. Event Hall: Piscataway Public Library has been booked for the event. (Apr 6th, 2013).
3. Event Hall preparations: Indian flag, AAP placard, water and fruits.
4. Awareness:
1. weekly meeting on oak tree rd, weather permits. color printout to put on our shirts and Gandhi topi.
2. flyer distribution: oak tree road, temples, events, friends/colleagues.
3. What to tell everybody? "if you know anybody (friends/relatives) in Delhi, please call them to vote for AAP". "your friends/relatives in other states should also call their friends/relatives in Delhi to vote for AAP".

All agreed that major efforts need to be put on spreading awareness about the event to all desi people in NJ. Weekly awareness drives will be carried out in different areas.

Next meeting is on coming Sunday (Mar 10th, 2013) at 4:00 pm on Oak Tree Rd (place TBD). All member will be ready with their action items during the week.

----------

http://www.facebook.com/AAPkeMitraNJ

AAPkeMitraNJ@gmail.com

AAP Ke Mitra NJ meet : minutes of meeting, Feb-10-2013

AAP Ke Mitra, New Jersey : Minutes of meeting held at Edison. Feb-10-2013

Attendees: (as in attached photo) Deepak Gupta, Ajit Singh, Jayesh Shrivastava, Ganapathy Gangadharan, Himanshu Sharma, Harish Gupta

This was a session to exchange ideas about how we can work better in New Jersey.
Main points:

1. Ganapathy Gangadharan:

• considering what we can do best from here, we should focus on funding to AAP-India (or AAP local chapters in India) 
• creating awareness.

2. Deepak Gupta:

• We need to connect more people and bring educated people out of their comfort zone.
• change should also reflect in all of us AAP members and we should lead by example.
• We need to keep working and not be moved by ups and downs on the path.

3. Jayesh Shrivastava:

• connect more people via student associations in Universities here, regional/religious communities, presence in local media in US (print, radio, tv, etc.). 
• Great if we can start using a dress code (white topi, khadi kurta, jeans) through which we can show a united image.

4. Harish Gupta:

• Funding can be a great help we can do from far away places (being outside India).
• We need to put in our best efforts in Delhi election and the better outcome we get, the better we can communicate in other Indian states. 
• We should periodically call to our friends, relatives (in US or India) and listen their questions/queries and make them think about bringing change in society, "the AAP way" ( "आप" के तरीके से ).
• Harish believes that people in general want to live in a clean system if given a chance. 
• He suggested that NJ AAP meetings should be held at our homes and our friends and neighbors can be invited to spread awareness.

5. Himanshu Sharma

• Since NRIs are far away from India, we can't go at ground level to attend AAP meeting/rallies in India. The next best thing we can do is to fund AAP (Delhi or local AAP chapters in India). A good start is collecting $1 a day for every member of your family and donating it to APP (Delhi or local AAP chapters in India). To encourage others and give a good head-start, each NRI member should start by donating $1000. Our scriptures also suggest 40th part of our resources for social cause. So if we work 2000 hours a year, 50 hours (i.e. 1 hour every week) should be devoted for any social cause. Similarly, if we earn $40000 a year, $1000 should go to a social cause.
• Based on our experiences of living in democracies around the world, we can write small articles and send it to media (print, TV, radio) (in US or national/regional media in India). For example http://aapkemitranj.blogspot.com/2012/11/why-we-need-laws.html . If we persistently try, we can gradually make a presence and be heard.
• Based on my experience of wearing Gandhi topi on weekends (sometimes also to work), it creates great awareness. People in my office and in stores recognize it and come forward and show their support for the cause. My experience http://kyari.blogspot.com/2011/08/wear-anna-topi-to-work.html .
• We should connect to local AAP chapters in our hometown in India, exchange ideas, learn from them and tell what we learn from outside India.

6. Ajit Singh

• Funding can be a great help NRIs can do to AAP. Since we can afford funding, it can have bigger impact than having a meeting 200 people in US.
• We need to create awareness that Indian Governance needs to be changed within. As  AAP succeeds in improving governance and public services in Delhi, it will send a positive message all over India.
• Need to make periodic calls to friends, relatives and know more about what people think about Indian politics and how AAP can change it for better.

Few takeaways: (thanks Jayesh bhai) ------------------------

1. Meeting regularly in person.
2. Increasing the group size (That includes awareness in NJ so that we can have more people in our group).
3. Make sure that we are providing funding.
4. Creating awareness in India or in your friend circle (Calling to all family/friends and discuss AAM Admi party agenda).

We need to do more research on awareness side (US or in India).  Since we are in US we have more control here but India calling should not depend on US initiatives.

• NJ Awareness:
• Using a dress code (white topi, khadi kurta, jeans etc).
• Writing a article in local desi newspaper.
• I like the idea of doing community service in NJ to show our presence.
• I also like the idea of NJ AAP meetings should be held at our homes and our friends and neighbors can be invited to spread awareness.
• I was wondering if we can help ISA (Indian Student Association) in airport pick up for new students or help them in settling in US.  Not sure how much fruitful is this.
• Finally : Presence in NJ => Credibility => More Volunteers => More Funding to AAP => More Local Awareness in India.

          ----------------------------

We all think that AAP is doing a great work and leading Indian governance to a better place by bringing transparency and bringing power into common citizen's hands.

It was great experience for all of us to know each other and feel happy that we are supporting a great team of AAP India.

Namaste,

Himanshu
volunteer, Aap Ke Mitra, NJ.
http://www.facebook.com/Aapkemitranj
http://aapkemitranj.blogspot.com
AapKeMitraNJ [at] gmail [dot] com