Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, May 31: “Our country is secular nation. It consists everything. This secular tradition itself is guarding the democracy. All communities have contributed to the development of the country. A country cannot prosper by keeping a community at a distance,” said Dr K T Jaleel, former higher education minister of Kerala and CPIM leader.

Jaleel was speaking at the State level Muslim convention organized by Indian Communist Party (Marxist) under the slogan ‘Secularism, strengthening and marching ahead’ that was held at the Kudmul Ranga Rao townhall on May 31.

He further said, “Our country never refused any religion at any given time. King Ashoka, who was a Hindu before the Kalinga war, accepted Buddhism post the fight. No one questioned him. Muslim kings ruled India for 900 years. If they had combined religion with administration, they would not have ruled for such a long period. During the first Independence fight, Moghul King Bahadru Shah Zafar was elected as the leader by majority Hindus.

“The rule of the Moghuls did not end because of their religion. But it ended because of the British. The Moghuls ruled India with tolerance. India was ruled for 16 years by Jawaharlal Nehru who did not follow any religion. No one questioned him. Nehru, who inaugurated the Bhakra-Nangal dam said that it is the temple of India. But when we see the soft Hindutva of Congress of present times, we feel saddened. When Vajpayee was ruling, India did not get polarized to this extent. He was committed to tolerance and secularism. The Narendra Modi government which was formed after Vajpayee is far from what the previous governments did.

“All over the world, India is noted because of its multiple culture environment. But people who do not know anything about this, are ruling the country now. All countries who kept minorities at a distance have got destroyed. Germany is an example for this. If Germans did not kill and banish Jews, it would have been the strongest nation in the world. This is the same trend that occurred in France and Spain also. People who left those countries developed the nation to which they migrated. Similarly, if any community is neglected in India, the country cannot progress. All communities have contributed to the development of the country. Only when there are various kinds of flowers in a garden it looks beautiful. Similarly, India looks beautiful when there are various cultures.

“We should not strive to make India like Pakistan. Our neighbouring country which was formed from division has never lived in peace. Violence has increased by leaps and bounds there. Secularism is the key to our survival.

“The oppression followed by Narendra Modi led government is dangerous. We must defeat it. Though all religions are different, they have the same secular feeling. If we could defeat the British who ruled India for centuries, we can defeat Modi government which has ruled the country for eight years.

“Scores of people are being attacked in India because of eating beef. Will all these attacks end if RSS or BJP exterminate all Muslims of this country? If Muslims are not there in India, atrocities on Dalit and backward castes will continue unabatedly. India cannot move forward declining the rights of a community.

“Muslims thought that all atrocities on them will end if they give up Babri Masjid. So they were ready to give the issue up mentally. But it did not end. Now they want Mathura and several other structures. All countries in the world including highly traditional Saudi Arabia and marching towards development changing policies. But unfortunately, India is going towards becoming a backward nation.

“The choice of what to eat and what to wear should be personal in the country. Why government should intervene in those matters? Women have the right to wear the kind of dress they like. Hijab or whatever. The administration should not meddle in such matters.

“Uroos and Utsavs began in this country in order for people of all community to gather together. No other country in the world has such celebrations. Now politics of not allowing people of other community to do business in temple fairs is being played. If Europe and Middle East countries follow the same, what would be the situation in the entire world?

“CPIM fights against any kind of communal ideology. At the same time it respects all religions and castes. Brinda Karat did the same in Jahagirpuri. When informed that there is an idol in Babri Masjid, the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru asked the then chief minister of Uttar Pradesh to flow it in the Sarayu river. Congress is not taking such bold stands nowadays. In order to compete with the BJP, Congress is willing to wear saffron. There are no separate nooks and corners for Hindus and Muslims in Kerala. We have to eradicate the thought of one street for one community feeling. Muslim communalism is not an answer to Hindu communalism,” he said.

Doing the introductory speech, Muneer Katipalla, state committee member of CPIM, said, “This convention organized by the CPIM might have caused curiosity to many. There is a necessity to inform about the plight of Muslims in India as today’s politics in our country is revolving around Muslims. This is not convention of Muslims, but Muslim convention.

“Muslims are continuously targeted throughout the country. After Narendra Modi has assumed power, attacks on Muslims has increased. That too, in the past two years, the whole system is against the Muslims. It is really pitiful that even the media is projecting anything against the Muslims as truth. Muslim community is an oppressed class now. CPIM, which has always stood with the oppressed and labour class, should stand by the Muslims.

“Instead of implementing Saachar committee report, Muslims are being attacked. The number of Muslims has reduced considerably in judiciary, legislative and executive wings of the democracy. In the IAS and IPS examinations this year, only 28 Muslim candidates have passed. There is not even a single IPS or IAS officer who is a Muslim in the whole country.

“Muslims should not get into isolated mentality mode. The main aim of this convention is to take Muslims with secular forces,” he said.

State president of DSS (Ambedkar), senior litterateur Dr K Shareefa, CPIM Karnataka state secretary U Basavaraju, CPIM Dakshina Kannada district secretary K Yadav Shetty, litterateur K Neela, state leaders K S Varalaxmi, Akram Pasha Bagepalli, Sheikh Sha Khadri, Kasim Sardar Ramadurga and Kasim Koppala were present.

The programme was presided over by Sayyed Mujib, member of state secretary board of CPIM.