The Times of India
25th March 2009
PATNA: Two Muslim organisations have vented their ire against RJD chief LaluPrasad and LJP president Ram Vilas Paswan. The All India United Muslim Morcha has urged the voters not to waste their votes by favouring Lalu in Pataliputra and Saran.
The Morcha sought their support for the organisation-sponsored Muslim candidates irrespective of their parties. National Dalit Muslim Front has alleged that both Lalu and Paswan were hands in glove with BJP PM-in-waiting L K Advani and blamed them for non-implementation of the recommendations of the Sachar Committee. Its president, M Imamul Haq, said, that "The Muslims should throw their votes in the Ganga, but not vote for the RJD and LJP."
Morcha working president Kamal Ashraf said that as many as 17 Muslim candidates have been fielded by different parties, but no one has given ticket to any backward Muslim.
If the argument of these two so-called Muslim bodies is that the 17 'Muslim' candidates fielded by all parties in Bihar do not include a single dalit muslim then the proper response would have been to boycott all parties in general and not one particular political party or alliance (RJD-LJP). Why this insistence on boycotting only one particular alliance? And especially an alliance that is the key challenger to the JDU-BJP (Advani camp)in Bihar? It immediately appears to be an extremely opportunist call to me and something that needs to be exposed head-on. And, the pasmanda/dalit muslim camp should stop going with a begging bowl to these political formations and take the task of mass mobilization seriously. Like in any field there are no free lunches in politics. Unless the task of consolidation of its constituency is not taken in full earnest the pasmanda leaders and organizations will continue to be treated like doormats and they should not be surprised by the response of the various political parties. This decision of various political parties not to field any dalit muslim political candidate should act as a wake-up call for all such organizations. They should realize that there is no future for a 'media and letter-pad' led pasmanda political movement now. And, communalism is an issue which affects all Muslims alike, whether upper-caste or lower caste. Hence, in the short run all pasmanda muslims should focus on defeating the saffron camp (in Bihar: JDU-BJP)and not be dissuaded by these so-called dalit muslim leaders whose bona fide and credentials are under a scanner and who could be purchased by any political party for a pittance. The larger pasmanda issues could only be raised from a position of strength not weakness. And only when the pasmanda constituency has been consolidated. There is no other substitute for this.
ReplyDeleteThe debate in Urdu media and in national media by assertive political voice on the eve General Election 2009 is about Muslim representation. One leader of a prominent Muslim organization in Bihar was showing his unhappiness with LJP on less Muslim representation. The fact of the matter is LJP gave 2 tickets to Muslims against its total 12 candidates, which eventually comes around 16.6 per cent of total seats. Muslim constitutes 16 percent of total population in Bihar. By the way RJD-LJP combine provided 7 seats out of total 40 seats which is around 17.5 per cent of total seats. What is the probable background of the above mentioned statement? One Mr. Sabir Ali, unknown to political activities, was nominated by Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan for Rajya Sabha in the last March. He was supported by RJD and now he is a member of Rajya Sabha. It is reported that he was interested in a Lok Sabha seat for his Begum Sahiba. Denied the ticket he resigned from LJP. It is the one aspect of many dimensions of politics of representation.
ReplyDeleteJust for record sake NDA alliance in Bihar gave three tickets to Muslims (one by BJP and two by JD-U) which 7.5 per cent of total seats.
Now the basic question of Pasmanda Muslim question. The worst victim of communal riot is always Pasmanda Samaj. The Ashraf and Middle Class (the identity and class question is a separate, very important and complex issue) seldom face the burnt of communalism. When the most respected leader of Pasmanda Muslim Dr. Ejaz Ali started his movement after the advent of Mandal Commission, his slogan was "Brabri not Babri". One explanation of this slogan was Article 347 is more important than anti communal plank. Another respected leader of Dalit Muslims, Ali Anwar was arguing with all secular friends that his USP is he treats communalism as a basic danger. The fight of Dalit Muslims can’t be won by ignoring secularism and standing firmly against communal fascist force.
Now both leaders are in Rajya Sabha and we are hoping it will bring rich dividends. What is important is to note that Dr. Ejaz Ali is vigorously campaigning against Mr. L.K. Advani. He is facing extreme rebuke by Mr. Nitish Kumar. He is now more near to reality than ideology on communalism. Ali Anwar is facing problem in his organization on communalism.
The luxury in the advice that ignores communal fascism can’t be afforded by subaltern mass.
Arshad Ajmal
I completely agree with Mr. Khalid Ansari
ReplyDeleteThis type of appeals and fatwas come only at the time of elections. they never try to
empower Muslims politically in long run.
All these things are done to pressurize the political parties and political leaders in order
to get the personal benefits.
Though I am not against the demand of these 2 bodies but it is not right time to do this.
They should have prepared and pressurized the alliance well in advance and they should have
shown their power such that no one would have ignored them.
Thanks
Aamir
Why boycott only lalu and paswan? why no mention of nitish? is nitish champion of anti bjp struggle? why did not nitish resign from nda ministry after gujrat pogrom? but the fact kamal ashraf cannot deny is that ram vilas paswan also in the same vajpayee cabinet with nitish did resign against bjp led nda government's complicity to allow the pogrom to continue. one should not forget that it is only lalu among the non left and non congress leaders who did not compromise with the bjp after he bacame the cm.one needs to remember that the united front government headed by deve gowda and gujral that was formed only to keep the bjp from capturing the central government. but all its players viz. karunanidhi,deve gowda, ram vilas paswan, sharad yadav,chandrabady naidu, farooq abdullah etc. all made alliance with bjp but lalu always preferred to fight against the bjp.mulayam is another exception. the contribution of the two yadav leaders in preserving the secular character of our polity is always head and shoulder above their other contemporaries.not only muslims but all those having a belief and stake in democracy and secularism can scarcely belittle the contribution of lalu and mulayam.
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