PFI pledges to uphold constitutional values, universal brotherhood

Mangalore, October 11: Thousands of enthusiastic Popular Front of India cadres including women and children poured into Nehru Maidan on Tuesday to witness the launch of nationwide publicity campaign for their two-day Social Justice Conference that will be held on November 26 and 27 at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi under the central theme of “Build the Nation on Justice”.

Delivering the inaugural address at the pre-conference meet, K M Shareef, National General Secretary of PFI said that the main objective of their impending conference was to spread the message of universal brotherhood as well as to strengthen the values mentioned in the Indian constitution. “It is disheartening that today social justice is meant only for 'haves'. In the name of globalisation the government is pushing the people towards slavery”, he said.

He cited findings of the Sachar Committee report to say how large chunks of the minority community had been alienated from the mainstream.

“41 crore of people are suffering from hunger, 42 million children have no access to schools and 20 million children are child labourers in the county. Then, where is the social justice?”, he questioned and added that after independence successive governments were only planning and unveiling attractive schemes for the betterment of the minority and other downtrodden communities, but never implemented a single scheme effectively.

Heavily coming down on Sangh Parivar, Mr Shareef said the major hurdle for the social justice in this country is the existence communal and fascist outfits like RSS.

Dr C S Dwarakanath, former chairman, State Commission for Backward Classes, said PFI has the social responsibility.

Terming the RSS as an anti-Hindu and anti-human organisation, Dr Dwarakanath said one cannot equate PFI to organisations like RSS. RSS is an organisation of Gandhi killer. It doesn't protect Hindus but only Brahminism, he added.

Venkata Swamy, President of Samatha Sainika Dal, underlined the need for creating a broad-based alliance of all oppressed sections, including the minorities, Dalits and backward classes, to ensure social justice.

“Today's programme is a historical which coincided with Advani's Rath Yathra, which has the intention of dividing the nation, whereas PFI holds the conference to build the nation, this is the difference,” he said.

“Advani began his yathra on Valmiki Jayanthi, birthday commemoration of a saint from lower community and they destroyed Babri Masjid on death anniversary of B R Ambedkar. This is their conspiracy,” he said.

He also suggested that 'Ramlila grounds' at New Delhi should be called as “Bheem Leela grounds” as November 26, when the PFI holds national conference, is the date when Constituent Assembly enacted the Indian Constitution in 1949, drafted by Dr B R Ambedkar.

'Not Minorities'

Resenting the usage of word 'minority' to refer Muslims, V T Rajashekhar, Editor of 'Dalit Voice', questioned how could Muslims, who form big half of the population be minority community. “It is Brahminical conspiracy who are only 2% and call themselves as majority.” he said.

In his presidential address Ilyas Muhammad Thumbay, President of Karnataka branch of PFI said that innocent Muslim youths are arbitrarily arrested, falsely implicated and mercilessly tortured in various blasts which were engineered by Sangh Parivar outfits.

Lamenting over 'no permission' to PFI from the government to hold freedom parade citing flimsy reason of law and order problem, he said the same government had granted permission for those who hold torch procession in the preceding night of Independence Day. “You may prevent us from holding public meetings, but you cannot suppress our thoughts,” he said.

Advocate Rafeek Kuttikatoor, Vice Principal of Green Valley Institute Kerala, Pattabhirama Somayaji, Lecturer at Mangalore University College, Majeed Kodlipete, State President of Social Democratic Party of India, Rafiuddin Kudroli of NAIF also spoke.