Hassan Cheruppa
JEDDAH — The secular parties in India should bury their hatchets and stand united in defending the secular fabric of the nation from the potential threats posed by the Hindutva forces, according to a Muslim leader. A. Saeed, national president of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), said that it is high time for various sections of the society to join hands in countering the growing intolerance and thus rein in communal polarization.
Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Saeed said that the unity of the secular parties is the only way to defeat the communal forces. “A repeat of the Bihar model in the coming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and other states is inevitable to safeguard the secular and democratic fabric of the nation. The SDPI is making its own efforts to bring all political parties on a common platform through mounting pressures on leaders and making aware of the people about it. The party has also taken initiative to build confidence among the minorities, especially Muslims, and other weaker sections including Dalits in the wake of the growing incidents of intolerance and discrimination,” he said, while drawing attention to the latest incident of Rohit Vemula in Hyderabad.
Saeed said that the Sangh Parivar (the family of Hindu nationalist forces) are very much enthusiastic in aggressively pursuing with their communal and divisive agenda under the government of Narendra Modi. “They are now even questioning the national symbols and making attempts to remove signs of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, from currency notes and government documents. Some of these organizations dare to celebrate Gandhi’s death anniversary on Jan. 30 by calling it ‘Shaurya Din’ and commemorating Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Gandhi, with plans to build a temple for Godse,” he said.
Saeed claimed that SDPI, which has branches in 13 Indian states, stands for the realization of a social order and political system based on the great ideals of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity enshrined in the Indian Constitution.
The SDPI president also attended a function held to mark the end of a two-month long campaign with the theme of “On your feet, not on your knees,” organized by the Jeddah chapter of the Indian Social Forum, the overseas wing of SDPI. Addressing the gathering at the Impala Villa Garden in Sharafiyyah, he said that his party will join hands with similar parties to bring about basic changes in Indian politics.
“Almost all the political parties, which ruled India since independence, have followed a common policy of favoring the corporate and multinational companies while the Dalit, tribal and minority communities are totally marginalized and denied of even some of their basic rights as citizens of the country. Hence a fundamental change in the existing political scenario is indispensable to improve the lot of the vast majority of the Indian population,” he said.
Delivering the keynote address, Ilyas Muhammed Thumbe, general secretary of SDPI, said that tribal people, Dalits and Muslims are the most marginalized people in the country and they are facing abject discrimination.
Ashraf Morayur, regional president of ISF, presided over the function. Mohammed Shareef, regional general secretary of ISF, Abdul Kareem, Mohammed Iqbal Chemban, Haneef (ISF Kerala chapter), Haris (Karnataka chapter), Abdul Naser (Tamil Nadu chapter), Mohammed Sajjad (North Indian chapter), India Fraternity Forum Regional President Shamsuddeen KM, Secretary Mohammed Koonthala, and Mahboob Shareef (president of Tamil Nadu chapter) spoke on the occasion. Earlier, E.M Abdullah, regional vice president of ISF, welcomed the gathering.
