New Delhi: It was a sea of humanity which descended on the Ramlila Maidan as the two-day Social Justice Conference, organized by the Popular Front of India, concluded with a mammoth Public meeting here on Sunday. The venue was overflowing with tens of thousands of Popular Front activists from all over India who converged at the historic Maidan in hordes raising spiritedly the slogans “Mulk Banao Insaf Par” and "Popular Front Zindabad", to express solidarity and resolve for a sustained struggle to attain social justice for one and all.
However, it was a shame to see that the two-day Social Justice Conference which attracted a huge gathering in the national capital was not a news worth reporting for the mainstream media which ignored it with impunity. Despite the blackout stance of the media in general, and the smear campaign by those intolerant elements including certain section of the media and the bureaucrats, in particular did not sullen the spirits of the organizers who went about their business more spiritedly and firm commitment to work for the welfare of the minorities, dalits, OBCs and other marginalized sections of the society
The two-day long Social Justice Conference was held with the objective of reiterating the importance of equal justice to all citizens, as enshrined in the Indian constitution, and to impart an awareness among the general public about the value of social justice in the contemporary India, where the weak and marginalized minorities including the Muslims, Dalits and the Adivasis are persistently denied justice.
Mr. E.M. Abdul Rahiman, Chairman of Popular Front of India, who presided over the concluding Grand Public meeting emphasized the need of equal justice to all citizens with all vigour at his command. Referring to the recent democratic protests and violent agitations around the world, from the Tahrir Square in Egypt to the Wall Street in the USA, he said the root cause is the denial of social, political and economic justice to the vast majority of the citizens. History is that whenever a nation failed to deliver justice on equal footing to all its citizens, the unity and integrity of those nations were destroyed, he said.
Mr. Abdul Rahiman said the message of this conference, “Build the Nation on Justice” is in fact a reminder to all centres of political power in India to take lessons from what is going on around us and what has happened in the past. India is awaiting a change, social and political, to put an end to this system of corruption and loot. The need of the hour is a movement for total social, political and economic change. This Social Justice Conference with the message “Build the Nation on Justice” is a reminder to all centers of power in politics to grasp the lessons from history and the contemporary developments around the globe, he continued.
The glittering articles of the constitution, that promise equal justice to all the citizens, just rest inside it. The backward classes, the minorities and the dalits never get the benefit of their constitutional rights, he said further. It is in this context, Popular Front decided to hold a conference to spread the message of social justice, and to enlighten the general public about their right to justice. The growth of Popular Front is generating animosity among groups with stakes to protect. Popular Front will continue its mission to rebuild the nation on justice, disregarding the intolerance of any, Mr. Abdul Rahiman thundered.
Without taking the name of Mr. Anna Hazare, Mr. Abdul Rahiman said the kind of unforeseen media patronage, the recent campaign ‘India against Corruption’ has once again brought to light an issue of people’s concern. However, the recent outburst of anger in the national capital and elsewhere against corruption reminded us of such theatricals staged by urban elites in the past in the name of meritocracy, and against giving quota reservation to backward classes. In addition, we have seen recently the benevolence and generosity of corporate and media houses controlled by them flowing through the streets of Delhi. A matter of more serious concern was the role of sectarian elements and outfits, overt and covert, in the anti-corruption campaign. We know that communalism is the worst form of corruption. Any agitation against corruption must start with fighting communal fascism and can stop only with its ultimate disappearance, he added.
Mr. Syed Shahabuddin, Ex-MP and President of All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, addressing the gathering said: “It is now the government by the elite, for the elite and by the elite that rule our country”. Political parties give false promises during the elections. They pretend to be the protectors of the minorities including Muslims,
Mr. Shahabuddin strongly pleaded for a mass movement for obtaining proportional representation to Muslims in legislature. A change in the Indian political system will be a long drawn struggle which would go a long way to uplift them from the morass of backwardness in economic and social domains where they are still lingering even after 64 years of independence. And this task can be taken up Popular Front as it is capable of it which is evident by the huge unprecedented turn out in today’s public meeting.
The charge of terrorism has been falsely attributed on Muslims is nothing but to harass them and make them morally down so that the community remains fettered in poverty and illiteracy. This is apart from discrimination they suffer at every level, he said.
Dr. Mufti Muhammad Mukkarram Ahmed, Shahi Imam of the Shahi Masjid Fatehpuri, New Delhi, who spoke next, said that atrocities and injustice against Muslims in Modi’s Gujarat have crossed all the limits. Muslims should come forward in all the fields including politics. Muslim youths who are jailed on false charges of terrorism should be released immediately, and discrimination against Muslims should be ended, he demanded.
Editor in Chief of Rashtriya Sahara Urdu daily, Mr. Aziz Burney, in his speech demanded that Narendra Modi should be imprisoned in Ishrat Jahan and Sohrabuddin fake encounter killings, if justice needs to be established.
While chiding mainstream media, Mr. Burney said Media people should open their eyes and see that the massive gathering here now in the Ramlila Maidan is larger than those attended Anna Hazare’s programme. This crowd is from all over India, and the media should abstain from their blackout politics in reporting the strength and power of the backward and minorities, he pointed out.
In our country, where 25 per cent of the total wealth is in the hands of 100 persons, the basic needs and requirements of backward communities are ignored; In Gujarat the SC’s are driven out of their dwelling land, and in many villages in Rajasthan, there is no permission to the dalits to bury the dead bodies; this situation needs to be changed, and justice availed to all, irrespective of their caste or creed, said Mr. Abdul Khaliq, Secretary General of Lok Janshakti Party in his speech. President of the party Ram Vilas Paswan, who was to attend the meeting could not do so due to some other engagements but send a message of goodwill to the Popular Front.
Popular Front is a 3G organization like SDPI and some Dalit organizations. All other organizations in the country are either 1G or 2G organizations, commented Mr. E. Abubaker, President of Social Democratic Party of India, (SDPI). The second generation people were the descendants of those who didn’t get any opportunity to play their role in the rebuilding and formation of modern India. Yet apologetically they nodded their heads with approval to spare power exclusively to be handled by others!
The Third Generation people, in contrast, are those who have realized that “We too have the charisma required for the building up of the nation.” The realization of any kind of social justice and the liberation of the people, they have recognized by now, could be achieved only through the involvement in the political activities and sharing of the power by the concerned people, Mr. Abubaker added.
RSS has been playing certain vile tricks fielding Anna Hazare and certain other diminutive swami figures or the so-called little god-men exactly the way they played certain abominable tricks in the 1970s fielding the great Gandhian Jay Prakash Narain and misusing his public image. At the far end of the struggle against corruption spearheaded by Advani and RSS is lined up Narendra Modi with sword in hand, flanked by sanyasis or saints with the uniquely rare capability of blessing and blasting, he continued. It is believed that once a Mughal emperor said: “Dilli Dur Ast!” (Delhi is quite far off!). Today, the Popular Front is declaring on your behalf: “Dilli Qareeb Ast” (Delhi is indeed very near!), he concluded.
Ambedkar Samaj Party President, Bhai Tej Singh said that, those who believe in Qur’an cannot be a terrorist, and it is futile to expect justice from the Manuvadis. Muslims are the inhabitants of this land, and they are not from any alien country. Muslims are not the masterminds of blasts, as propagated; Muslims and Dalits should work hand in hand to rebuild the nation on justice, he said further.
Extinguish the fire of hatred and spread the light of love, stated Mahant Acharya Satyendra Das Mahraj, Chief Priest of the Ramjanmabhoomi Temple, Ayodhya. Hindus and Muslims are from one parent and so they are brothers and sisters not enemies, he said further. Corruption could be ended only by strengthening moral values, he added.
Dr. Haseena Hashiya from Jamia Millia Islamia talked about the role of Muslim women in the freedom struggle and their rights. Sachchar committee report says that the state of Muslim women is much worse than the women in other communities. Constitution gives special privileges to the women. Fundamental rights are not for the men only, the constitution ensures it for the women as well, she continued. She further asked the women to be vigilant and grab the rights from the rulers.
Though injustice is prevailing all over India, in general, the most affected is the Muslims, stated All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Secretary, Moulana Mohammad Wali Rahmani. If we do not raise our voice against this, it will extend its tentacles to all of us.
“When the constitution gives us the right to run educational institutions, the Parliament is trying to curtail this right through Right to Education Act, (RTE Act). A bill to impose income tax on religious institutions is mooted, in violation of the Constitutional provisions. We need to be fully aware of our rights and fight to get it”, he concluded.
George Bush and Narendra Modi are the two in the world whose hands are stained with the blood of the innocents, said Moulana Dr. Yaseen Usmani, Vice President of All India Milli Council. Muslims, Dalits and other backward communities should unite to get their rights, including proper share in administration. No community could be prestigious unless they have proper representation in the government. Prayer alone is not enough to solve the problems; hard work also is required, he opined.
Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav, MP, the President of Samajwadi Party, criticized the Central Government for its inaction on the Rangnath Misra Commission Report and Sachchar Committee Report. The Prime Minister was silent about it when asked. Congress was given two chances by the Muslims, still it is not interested in dealing with the issues faced by the Muslims. If stand united, Muslims are capable of deciding the future of the country, he said. He promised Samajwadi Party’s unstinted support to Muslims in all their endeavours in pursuits for social justice.
Maulana Usman Baig Rashadi, President of All India Imams Council, Ms A.S. Zainaba, Vice President of National Women’s Front, and Mr. Aneesuzzaman, President of Campus Front also spoke.
Meanwhile The Delhi Declaration, reiterating the mission of Popular Front in establishing a New India of Equal Rights to all Indians, through non-violent struggle, in cooperation with like-minded organizations, was read out by Popular Front of India, Vice President, Mohammed Ali Jinnah.
Popular Front General Secretary K.M. Shareef welcomed the gathering and Mohammad Shafi, Rajasthan State President of Popular Front, proposed the vote of thanks.
Meanwhile, it may be pointed out here that the Conference, the first of its kind at the Ramlila Maidan by any Muslim organization in the independent India, was kicked off in the morning on Saturday, the 26th of November, as the Chairman of Popular Front, Abdul Rahiman hoisted the tricolor flag of the organization in the presence of thousands of delegates chanting “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is the Great). National Milli Convention followed, which was attended by prominent community leaders and social activists in India.
A National Seminar on “People’s Rights to Justice” was the highlight of the afternoon on the first day. Papers on various topics that are very relevant in the contemporary Indian scenario, were presented by known human rights and social activists. First day ended with the cultural program by the delegates. (pervezbari@eth.net)
However, it was a shame to see that the two-day Social Justice Conference which attracted a huge gathering in the national capital was not a news worth reporting for the mainstream media which ignored it with impunity. Despite the blackout stance of the media in general, and the smear campaign by those intolerant elements including certain section of the media and the bureaucrats, in particular did not sullen the spirits of the organizers who went about their business more spiritedly and firm commitment to work for the welfare of the minorities, dalits, OBCs and other marginalized sections of the society
Mr. E.M. Abdul Rahiman, Chairman of Popular Front of India, who presided over the concluding Grand Public meeting emphasized the need of equal justice to all citizens with all vigour at his command. Referring to the recent democratic protests and violent agitations around the world, from the Tahrir Square in Egypt to the Wall Street in the USA, he said the root cause is the denial of social, political and economic justice to the vast majority of the citizens. History is that whenever a nation failed to deliver justice on equal footing to all its citizens, the unity and integrity of those nations were destroyed, he said.
Mr. Abdul Rahiman said the message of this conference, “Build the Nation on Justice” is in fact a reminder to all centres of political power in India to take lessons from what is going on around us and what has happened in the past. India is awaiting a change, social and political, to put an end to this system of corruption and loot. The need of the hour is a movement for total social, political and economic change. This Social Justice Conference with the message “Build the Nation on Justice” is a reminder to all centers of power in politics to grasp the lessons from history and the contemporary developments around the globe, he continued.
The glittering articles of the constitution, that promise equal justice to all the citizens, just rest inside it. The backward classes, the minorities and the dalits never get the benefit of their constitutional rights, he said further. It is in this context, Popular Front decided to hold a conference to spread the message of social justice, and to enlighten the general public about their right to justice. The growth of Popular Front is generating animosity among groups with stakes to protect. Popular Front will continue its mission to rebuild the nation on justice, disregarding the intolerance of any, Mr. Abdul Rahiman thundered.
Without taking the name of Mr. Anna Hazare, Mr. Abdul Rahiman said the kind of unforeseen media patronage, the recent campaign ‘India against Corruption’ has once again brought to light an issue of people’s concern. However, the recent outburst of anger in the national capital and elsewhere against corruption reminded us of such theatricals staged by urban elites in the past in the name of meritocracy, and against giving quota reservation to backward classes. In addition, we have seen recently the benevolence and generosity of corporate and media houses controlled by them flowing through the streets of Delhi. A matter of more serious concern was the role of sectarian elements and outfits, overt and covert, in the anti-corruption campaign. We know that communalism is the worst form of corruption. Any agitation against corruption must start with fighting communal fascism and can stop only with its ultimate disappearance, he added.
Mr. Syed Shahabuddin, Ex-MP and President of All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, addressing the gathering said: “It is now the government by the elite, for the elite and by the elite that rule our country”. Political parties give false promises during the elections. They pretend to be the protectors of the minorities including Muslims,
Mr. Shahabuddin strongly pleaded for a mass movement for obtaining proportional representation to Muslims in legislature. A change in the Indian political system will be a long drawn struggle which would go a long way to uplift them from the morass of backwardness in economic and social domains where they are still lingering even after 64 years of independence. And this task can be taken up Popular Front as it is capable of it which is evident by the huge unprecedented turn out in today’s public meeting.
The charge of terrorism has been falsely attributed on Muslims is nothing but to harass them and make them morally down so that the community remains fettered in poverty and illiteracy. This is apart from discrimination they suffer at every level, he said.
Dr. Mufti Muhammad Mukkarram Ahmed, Shahi Imam of the Shahi Masjid Fatehpuri, New Delhi, who spoke next, said that atrocities and injustice against Muslims in Modi’s Gujarat have crossed all the limits. Muslims should come forward in all the fields including politics. Muslim youths who are jailed on false charges of terrorism should be released immediately, and discrimination against Muslims should be ended, he demanded.
Editor in Chief of Rashtriya Sahara Urdu daily, Mr. Aziz Burney, in his speech demanded that Narendra Modi should be imprisoned in Ishrat Jahan and Sohrabuddin fake encounter killings, if justice needs to be established.
While chiding mainstream media, Mr. Burney said Media people should open their eyes and see that the massive gathering here now in the Ramlila Maidan is larger than those attended Anna Hazare’s programme. This crowd is from all over India, and the media should abstain from their blackout politics in reporting the strength and power of the backward and minorities, he pointed out.
In our country, where 25 per cent of the total wealth is in the hands of 100 persons, the basic needs and requirements of backward communities are ignored; In Gujarat the SC’s are driven out of their dwelling land, and in many villages in Rajasthan, there is no permission to the dalits to bury the dead bodies; this situation needs to be changed, and justice availed to all, irrespective of their caste or creed, said Mr. Abdul Khaliq, Secretary General of Lok Janshakti Party in his speech. President of the party Ram Vilas Paswan, who was to attend the meeting could not do so due to some other engagements but send a message of goodwill to the Popular Front.
Popular Front is a 3G organization like SDPI and some Dalit organizations. All other organizations in the country are either 1G or 2G organizations, commented Mr. E. Abubaker, President of Social Democratic Party of India, (SDPI). The second generation people were the descendants of those who didn’t get any opportunity to play their role in the rebuilding and formation of modern India. Yet apologetically they nodded their heads with approval to spare power exclusively to be handled by others!
The Third Generation people, in contrast, are those who have realized that “We too have the charisma required for the building up of the nation.” The realization of any kind of social justice and the liberation of the people, they have recognized by now, could be achieved only through the involvement in the political activities and sharing of the power by the concerned people, Mr. Abubaker added.
RSS has been playing certain vile tricks fielding Anna Hazare and certain other diminutive swami figures or the so-called little god-men exactly the way they played certain abominable tricks in the 1970s fielding the great Gandhian Jay Prakash Narain and misusing his public image. At the far end of the struggle against corruption spearheaded by Advani and RSS is lined up Narendra Modi with sword in hand, flanked by sanyasis or saints with the uniquely rare capability of blessing and blasting, he continued. It is believed that once a Mughal emperor said: “Dilli Dur Ast!” (Delhi is quite far off!). Today, the Popular Front is declaring on your behalf: “Dilli Qareeb Ast” (Delhi is indeed very near!), he concluded.
Ambedkar Samaj Party President, Bhai Tej Singh said that, those who believe in Qur’an cannot be a terrorist, and it is futile to expect justice from the Manuvadis. Muslims are the inhabitants of this land, and they are not from any alien country. Muslims are not the masterminds of blasts, as propagated; Muslims and Dalits should work hand in hand to rebuild the nation on justice, he said further.
Extinguish the fire of hatred and spread the light of love, stated Mahant Acharya Satyendra Das Mahraj, Chief Priest of the Ramjanmabhoomi Temple, Ayodhya. Hindus and Muslims are from one parent and so they are brothers and sisters not enemies, he said further. Corruption could be ended only by strengthening moral values, he added.
Dr. Haseena Hashiya from Jamia Millia Islamia talked about the role of Muslim women in the freedom struggle and their rights. Sachchar committee report says that the state of Muslim women is much worse than the women in other communities. Constitution gives special privileges to the women. Fundamental rights are not for the men only, the constitution ensures it for the women as well, she continued. She further asked the women to be vigilant and grab the rights from the rulers.
Though injustice is prevailing all over India, in general, the most affected is the Muslims, stated All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Secretary, Moulana Mohammad Wali Rahmani. If we do not raise our voice against this, it will extend its tentacles to all of us.
“When the constitution gives us the right to run educational institutions, the Parliament is trying to curtail this right through Right to Education Act, (RTE Act). A bill to impose income tax on religious institutions is mooted, in violation of the Constitutional provisions. We need to be fully aware of our rights and fight to get it”, he concluded.
George Bush and Narendra Modi are the two in the world whose hands are stained with the blood of the innocents, said Moulana Dr. Yaseen Usmani, Vice President of All India Milli Council. Muslims, Dalits and other backward communities should unite to get their rights, including proper share in administration. No community could be prestigious unless they have proper representation in the government. Prayer alone is not enough to solve the problems; hard work also is required, he opined.
Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav, MP, the President of Samajwadi Party, criticized the Central Government for its inaction on the Rangnath Misra Commission Report and Sachchar Committee Report. The Prime Minister was silent about it when asked. Congress was given two chances by the Muslims, still it is not interested in dealing with the issues faced by the Muslims. If stand united, Muslims are capable of deciding the future of the country, he said. He promised Samajwadi Party’s unstinted support to Muslims in all their endeavours in pursuits for social justice.
Maulana Usman Baig Rashadi, President of All India Imams Council, Ms A.S. Zainaba, Vice President of National Women’s Front, and Mr. Aneesuzzaman, President of Campus Front also spoke.
Meanwhile The Delhi Declaration, reiterating the mission of Popular Front in establishing a New India of Equal Rights to all Indians, through non-violent struggle, in cooperation with like-minded organizations, was read out by Popular Front of India, Vice President, Mohammed Ali Jinnah.
Popular Front General Secretary K.M. Shareef welcomed the gathering and Mohammad Shafi, Rajasthan State President of Popular Front, proposed the vote of thanks.
A National Seminar on “People’s Rights to Justice” was the highlight of the afternoon on the first day. Papers on various topics that are very relevant in the contemporary Indian scenario, were presented by known human rights and social activists. First day ended with the cultural program by the delegates. (pervezbari@eth.net)
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