ATTEMPTS are being made by the BJP, VHP, RSS and other Sangh Parivar forces to divide the people on the basis of religion, cautioned CPI(M) leader from Jammu and Kashmir, Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami. He was addressing a well-attended public meeting on ‘protection of communal harmony in our country’, organised by Aawaz in Vijayawada on December 6.

Tarigami, Central Committee member of the Party and a member of Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly, exhorted the people to remain alert against such divisive forces. He narrated as to how religious fanaticism is on the rise and intolerance is growing in the country, and lambasted BJP and Sangh Parivar forces for intentionally raking up communal issues in order to sidetrack the real issues concerning the masses. He underscored the need to promote communal amity. If Hindus and Muslims are united, it will checkmate the onslaught of communal forces, he said. In northern states, dalits are being attacked everyday but Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who proclaims to be a representative of Hindus, is keeping quiet over such dastardly attacks, he said.

Tarigami dwelt at length on the heroic role played by the minorities, along with Hindus, in the freedom struggle against British imperialism. Countless minorities made sacrifices, some were hanged and innumerable got incarcerated during the freedom struggle. But, he lamented, the heroics of minorities didn’t find reflection in text books. The communal forces made a mockery of democracy when the Babri Masjid was demolished on this day over a decade ago. It is a blot on the composite culture of our country, he said, while stressing on the need to protect the secular fabric of our country through collective struggles.

As one analyses the riots in the country, it is glaringly visible that all of these, whether it is Godhra or Muzaffarnagar, are engineered for political gains and all the victims in those riots are ordinary citizens, he said. People have boldly faced terrorist actions but find it difficult to face communal clashes, he said. The CPI(M) leader applauded Aawaz for conducting struggles against injustices heaped on minorities. Joint struggles will be undertaken henceforth against communal forces by roping in all secular parties, he said and exhorted Hindus and Muslims to forge unity so as to defeat the BJP and Sangh Parivar forces.

President of Aawaz and Central Committee member of the Party, M A Gaffoor, reflected upon the enormity of poverty being experienced by majority of Muslims in our country. He highlighted the recommendations given by Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission and Justice Sachar Committee to provide reservations to backward Muslims. Despite the incisive analysis and invaluable study on minorities done by these committees, the recommendations were not acted upon. The ruling classes are doing precious little to ameliorate the living standards of Muslims as they are only treating them as vote banks, Gaffoor said. Even Muslim clergies are not bothered about the plight of Muslims. He asserted that wherever Communists are there, communal clashes will be absent. The Chandrababu Naidu government in Andhra Pradesh is kowtowing to the Modi dispensation and taking steps which are detrimental to the interests of people, he said. The minorities are in a pitiable condition in the state of Andhra Pradesh and the government has totally neglected the minorities. He slammed the TDP government for making paltry allocations for the welfare of minorities in the state.

CPI(M) state secretary and Central Committee member, P Madhu lampooned the TDP government for totally neglecting the welfare of minorities while joining hands with the BJP for political reasons. He appreciated Aawaz for being a beacon of light and for steadfastly championing the issues of minorities, particularly Muslims. Tarigami also addressed a public meeting in Nellore and a seminar in Guntur on ‘protection of secular democracy in our country’. These programmes evoked good response from the people.