By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
Kolkata: Like common Muslims, leaders of Muslim socio-religious organizations are also not ready to give Left Front another term to rule the state. They cite absence of development work by the communist government for the Muslim community in the last 34 years in the state where they constitute about 27% of the population.
Why Muslims are angry with Left Front?
“They are angry because in the last 34 years of their rule the Left government could not do for the social, economic and educational development of Muslims as much as they should have. The Sachar Committee report has exposed that in entire country, Muslims in West Bengal — where they constitute 27% of the state population – are most backward in every field,” says Masihur Rahman, West Bengal Secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind.
Shahud Alam, West Bengal Secretary of All India Milli Council, has similar views: “They just talked; did nothing for the Muslim community in last 34 years. Whatever programs they announced in last 5 years are simply lies and deceit. Because of it Muslims are very much annoyed and angry with the Left.”
Before Sachar Committee, the Left government had announced to form a committee for the similar purpose but they could not constitute the committee and when Sachar Committee presented its report they tried to deny its findings, says Alam.
“For last many years the CM had been announcing at Eid Milan program in Kolkata that the government will give Muslims reservation on the pattern of that in Andhra Pradesh, but they came up with OBC quota. OBC Muslims were already under reservation, so the new OBC Muslim quota has not served the purpose. In the last 34 years they did not issue OBC certificate to even 1% of Muslims,” adds Alam.
Talking about Muslim youths, Sarwar Hussain, West Bengal president of Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO), says: “As they are not hopeful of job, so they do not get higher education. Left Front has pushed Muslims behind. But what Mamata will give is also uncertain.”
In the last three years, it has been observed, that huge chunk of Muslim vote has shifted from the Left Front, and they have voted for Trinamool Congress and Congress.
Will Muslims vote against Left in this Assembly poll as they did in last three years?
“Yes, there is a wave for change. Both Muslims and Hindus want change,” says Masihur Rahman of Jamaat Islami. The anger of Muslims can have impact on the coming Assembly poll, he adds.
Shahud Alam of Milli Council says: “Yes, the trend will continue in the Assembly poll also as even after the defeat in Municipal election and Lok Sabha election of 2009 the Left Front did not implement what they announced.”
However, Sarwar Hussain of SIO thinks differently: “The landslide against Left has stopped to some extent thanks to announcements but some think these are only for show.”
Sarwar Hussain, West Bengal SIO president, in zonal office in Kolkata
What are the demands of Muslims from the next government?
“We want full implementation of the recommendation of Ranganath Mishra Commission. There should be quota for Muslims in government jobs and education. Muslim concentration districts should be developed for educational and economic uplift of the community. Besides, the amount allocated under PM’s 15-Point Program should be utilized properly. The government should take responsibility to check the communal and fascist forces like Sangh Parivar in West Bengal,” says Rahman of Jamaat.
“Youth want peace, development and employment in the state,” says Hussain of SIO.