By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
Kolkata: West Bengal native Muslim intellectuals are unanimous in their view that the 30 years of Left regime has done little for the Muslim community. The community has remained backward educationally and economically – and this has been documented by Sachar Committee. They are not sure if the Left Front will get mandate for new term.
CPI-M flag [Photo: topnews.in]
Why Muslims left the Left?
Why Muslims have gone away from the Left? “The Muslim community in the last four decades has been deprived of education and government job. Thanks to Sachar Committee, Muslims have now come to know about the degree of the deprivation,” says Dr Amjad Hussain, Associate Professor of English, Surendranath College, Kolkata. “After the report, Muslims became very vocal and began protesting against the ruling Left. And now they want an alternative,” adds Hussain who is also Guest Faculty at Alia University.
Ghulam Mohammad, Secretary Islamic Educational and Welfare Trust Champdani, Hoogli says: “Since coming to power in 1979, CPM has suppressed the community in the field of education and economy and thus the community has gradually declined. Not only this, the Left has also crushed Muslim leadership. They did not accept any Muslim leader. They did always talked in terms of the rich and the poor – the Upper class and lower class – not in terms of majority and minority.”
Sheikh Zainul Abedeen, president, Amanat Zakat Mission, says the Left regime did not give job to Muslims and did nothing special for the community – the main reason why Muslims left the Left — but highlights peace and no-riot as the main achievement of the communist government.
“True, the government did not give job but they gave security that helped us lot. Being a businessman I have not felt any problem during the regime. About 30 years back I came from the village. No one helped me. I started from zero,” says Abedeen, Kolkata University graduate who owns two middle sized hotels of good standard in Park Circus area in the city.
Won’t Muslims vote for Left in assembly poll also?
Will Muslims vote against Left in the assembly poll as they did in last three years? “Very difficult to say because in the last 2-3 months it seems the Left is recovering some lost ground. Now Muslims and other groups are getting hesitant if Mamata will do the needful. However, it is possible Mamata can win,” says Prof Hussain who is also attached with GD Charitable Society that works for educational uplift of the community.
Ghulam Muhammad says: “Till Lok Sabha election in 2009 there was no opposition here. Congress was seen as B Team of Left. After emergence of TMC, Mamata is seen as a hope. People have always seen red flag. Now they want change.”
What the Left did in last 2-3 years will give some result. And no-riot in last 34 years will also be in the mind of Muslims when they will go to vote,” says Sheikh Zainul Abedeen who also heads a club of intellectuals, civil servants and senior journalists.