Ranchi, Sept. 6: The hatred that surfaced in the Ayodhya riots of 1992 prompted Varghese Alengaden, a Catholic priest, and a few friends to come together to find a way out of violence.

The result was Universal Solidarity Movement (USM), which now has followers in places as far-flung as France, Austria and Germany.

Spiritualism, compassion and self-restraint, is the mantra the organisation advocates for a “peaceful” world. The organisation comprises people from all walks of life, who have joined hands for a better tomorrow.

Spearheading the movement is the Catholic priest, who is conducting seminars and programmes to spread the message of the movement. Alengaden, a native of Kerala, believes in spreading peace by reforming and disciplining oneself.

Alengaden is in the capital to conduct a series of seminars to educate teachers, students, and social workers.

The USM, Alengaden said, is unlike any other organisations. Speaking to The Telegraph, he termed it a course which people are following. “We do not carry out any registration of members. Any one who believes in our line of thinking is one of us, Alengaden added.

The USM has developed a set of principles for every individual. The rules demand strict discipline from an individual throughout his life.

The regimen prescribed includes a daily prayer and selfless service to the poor. The rules also require that a person skip at least one meal in a week.

Justifying the fast, Alengaden said staying without food makes people realise the predicament of the poor. “We have so much at our disposal that we never feel the pangs of a poor man. The fact that many do not have a square meal for days is the bitter truth and we should realise this,” Alengaden added.

Medical practitioner and USM patron Siddhartha Mukherjee said the organisation has exchange programmes, whereby members from the capital can go abroad and learn from the foreign members of the USM.

“Our target is to find a way out of the unrest that has gripped everybody. We merely try to lead a simple, peaceful and a meaningful life so that we can do good to others and also to ourselves,” Mukherjee said.

“Most of the times, we only find preachers in society. Very few people practise what they preach. The movement is open to anyone who wants to follow our principles. The problems of capitalism, terrorism and poverty have gripped the nation and there has to be a logical method to deal with them,” Mukherjee added.