By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
New York: American Federation of Muslims from India (AFMI) will host an international conference in New York to discuss issues related to the empowerment of dalits and Muslims of India. The convention will highlight the issues of oppressed sections of India at an international level.
Some of the big names and not so big names of Indian politics are expected to attend the three day event from July 4th to 6th in Uniondale, New York. Minister of Steel Mr. Ram Vilas Pawan will chair the conference. Paswan, leader of the Lok Janshakti Party organized a similar conference in New Delhi in 2006.
Paswan who is the Chairman of Dalit & Minorities International Forum (DMIF) hopes to get political mileage by projecting himself as a leader with international support.
Mr. Ali Qureishi, President of AFMI said in a statement that the “conference will attempt to highlight the problems faced by India’s marginalized communities and seek practical solutions.” He added that the main focus will be on educational empowerment and social justice. But the location of the convention suggests an international agenda.
DMIF has ambitious plans to hold Dalit-Muslim conventions each year in various states of India and also have an international convention every two years. An organizer informed TwoCircles.net that in future these conventions will also plan to build international solidarity coalition with African-Americans, Aboriginals etc. Invitations for this convention were sent to minorities of other South Asian countries as well.
When asked whether it meant AFMI is now moving towards advocacy, an AFMI official said that AFMI is committed to the socio-economic development of Indian Muslims and this convention is in line with the organization’s goal and work since it was formed in 1989.
Apart from Paswan, hundreds of other delegates are expected to arrive in New York for this conference. Syed Shahabuddin, Saifuddin Soz, Maulana Kalbe Rushaid Rizvi, Buta Singh, Tarun Tejpal, R.B.Sreekumar, Ramdas Athawle and Teesta Setalvad are among the confirmed attendees.
About 500 people are expected to attend the conference and attendees are coming as far as India, Nepal, Sweden, Canada and different parts of the United States.
Mr.Ram Vilas Paswan in his statement said that the conference will focus international attention on discrimination based on caste, gender and religion and will deliberate on eliminating such societal inequalities. With next parliamentary elections in India not too far off in the future, this could be the start of an election campaign for Paswan, who is trying to emerge as the leader of Dalits and Muslims.
Links:
http://www.afmi.org/
http://www.dalitminoritiesinternationalforum.com/