<http://www.indianmuslims.info/articles/kaleem_kawaja/articles/the_expanding_communist_muslim_alliance_in_india.html> The expanding Communist - Muslim alliance in India Posted March 19th, 2007 by kashif By Kaleem Kawaja
In the last one year a very unlikely political development has occurred in India. That is the rapidly developing political warmth of CPI, CPI (M) and other Communists towards the mainstream Muslim community in various parts in India including some Muslim religious organizations. In this instance the Muslims are not the esoteric leftist Muslims from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Aligarh Muslim University, Kerala and West Bengal. The Muslims are of the practicing, mosque-going variety. For long due to their opposition to the practice of religion and religious issues per se, Communist politicians shied away from giving political support to India's backward and impoverished Muslim community.
But when CPI, CPI (M) won 50 elected seats in Lok Sabha, and became the mainstay of the UPA Government in New Delhi, and with elected governments in the two forward looking states of West Bengal and Kerala, they began to realize the virtue of real politic and coalition. They realized that excessive adherence to the anti-religion Marxist ideology was hurting their political success and their role in the India's civic life.
When about a year ago under extreme US pressure the Indian government voted against its long time close ally Iran in International Atomic Energy Agency, and the Muslims of India reacted in revulsion, a new sun dawned on the India's political horizon. Communists who have for long opposed the intervention and pressure from imperialist US in India's internal affairs, found the time right to tap this new political support. Thus during the visit of President Bush to India, mainstream Communist parties and mainstream Muslim organizations including religiously oriented organizations like Jamiat ul Ulema joined hands to organize massive public protests in India's major cities. The Communist support to these public rallies was crucial in sending a strong message to the US necon policymakers who are tying to impose their hegemony all over the globe.
Next came the Sachar Committee recommendations to the Indian government in December 2006 to institute special affirmative action programs to uplift the backward Muslim community in India. Again CPI, CPI (M) and other Leftist political parties are supporting the recommendations of the Sachar Committee. This too is a big shift in the attitude of the Leftists who previously opposed any affirmative action for Muslims, despite the community's impoverishment.
In recent months the Communist government in West Bengal has faced much organized protest against its efforts to establish a Special Economic Zone in Nandigram. Suddenly the right wing forces represented by BJP and Trina Mool Congress an ally of BJP for several years, saw an opportunity to give a bloody nose to the Leftists in retaliation for their vehement condemnation of the BJP government in Gujarat that collaborated with the 2002 genocide of Muslims there. They are inciting the people of Nandigram and distributing arms to them to attack the Leftists to create a civil war like situation.
The 25% Muslim population of West Bengal has long supported the Left Front government there as being social justice oriented. The right wing political forces are trying to incite the Muslim majority East Midnapur district which is part of Nandigram, to rebel against the Left Front government of Bengal. The Muslims of Nandigram who are mostly landless peasants should realize that the new automobile factory in Nandigram will provide well paid industrial employment to them. The Bengal government has pledged to provide training and jobs to the local population in the new factories. However, if Muslims join the Trina Mool Congress side's political opportunism to oppose the Special Economic Zone, they will loose out on the industrial employment oopportunity and any future help from the Left government in affirmative actions for them. And they are not really being adversely affected by the Bengal government's Nandigram project.
With 50 seats in the Lok sabha the Leftist parties represent a very significant political force whose support is vital in the implementation of the Sachar Committee recommendations. Today the implementation of the Sachar Committee recommendation is the most important need of the Muslim community. They simply can not squander this opportunity. Thus it behooves the Muslim parties and leaders to support the Left Front government's new industrial policy in Nandigram. It is a fact that in West Bengal Muslims are very backward in the economic sphere. By supporting the Left's Nandigram initiative Muslims can generate much political capital that they can plough into encouraging the Leftist West Bengal government take concrete steps for the economic uplift of the Muslims of West Bengal.
Another encouraging development for the Muslims of West Bengal is the Bengal Leftist government's recent promulgation of Urdu as the second language in the state of West Bengal. This will save the declining Urdu language heritage of about one million Muslims in West Bengal whose origins are in U.P. and Bihar and hopefully encourage them overall.
As the above highlights demonstrate the Communist parties and groups are making visible overtures to link up with the Muslim community politically. And they are not asking the Muslims to dilute their practice of their religious faith. That makes it incumbent on the leaders and groups of the Muslims to meet the Communists half way, join hands and start a new era of political cooperation.
For sixty years Muslims supported the Congress party with their votes, and all that they received in return were empty and unfulfilled promises. Congress did not even make much effort to save the Muslims from countless communal riots that so totally destroyed the economy of the Muslim community. In contrast, despite their limited ability, Communists have come to the help of Muslims. Today there is a new opportunity for Muslims to form a new alliance with the Communist parties that can help them climb out of their educational and socioeconomic backwardness and also be in the mainstream of the nation.
The writer is a community activist in metro Washington DC. He can be reached at kaleemkawaja at hotmail.com.
-- Yoshie