PFI's anti-Hindutva approach, political growth reason for criticism'

Mangalore, November 2: The growth of Popular Front of India (PFI) as a strong anti-Hindutva force and emergence as an alternate political option has become a cause of annoyance for political forces cutting across party lines, and hence propaganda against the organization is being carried out from all quarters, said KM Shareef, National General Secretary, PFI.

He was delivering the keynote address at the 'Why Popular Front?' programme organised at Nehru Maidan in Mangalore on Friday.

Muslims, Dalits and members of other backward communities have been subjected to harassment and injustice by successive governments even after independence but PFI has been striving for their cause which is not going down well with critics of PFI, Mr. Shareef said. “Although one finds Muslim names in majority in the organization, PFI does not want to associate with religious issues. Ours is not an organization which delivers religious verdicts. Our aim is to address the problems of the community and fight for the rights of the minorities, Dalits and backward classes. The organization does not intend to create enmity between communities in the society”, he said.

Stating that many allegations hurled against the organization are baseless, Mr. Shareef said that a 'pre-planned' attempt to show PFI in negative light is being made. “People are linking our organization with SIMI. PFI has its origins in 1993 and SIMI was banned in 2001. The allegation that regrouping of SIMI is being done by PFI is absolutely baseless. We are also not Pakistan loyalists as is being said. We believe that we have enough opportunities in India to grow and develop. Pakistan can never develop Indian Muslims. It is also a wrong notion that we get funds from abroad. All our funds collected are from local donors and it is the RSS which receives foreign funding”, he said.

Moulana Usman Baig, National President, All India Imams' Council, in his address said that as mentioned in the Sachar Committee report, the Indian Muslims face challenges in the form of identity, right to equity and security. Muslims are wrongly being projected as traitors and towns where there is considerably good educational activity like Azamgadh and Bhatkal are being projected as hubs of terror. The BJP alone is not responsible for the growth of communalism in India. Congress and Leftist governments have also been equally communal, he said.

Sayyed Sarwar Chisthy, President, Ajmeer Dargah Sharief, Ellyas Mohammed, President, PFI, Karnataka, Marasandra Muniyappa, President, BSP, Karnataka, Abdul Majeed Kodlipete, President, SDPI, Karnataka, Shahida Tasneem, National President, NWF, PB D'Sa, President, PUCL, DK, Krishnananda, Chairman, DSS (Krishnappa Faction), DK, Roopesh Alimar, Chairman, Karnataka Raitha Sangha – Hasiru Sene, DK, were also present besides others.