By TCN News,
Puthanthani, Kerala: The National General Assembly (NGA) of Popular Front of India was held at Malabar House, Puthanthani Kerala on 22, 23 and 24 of December 2012 has elected new national leadership.
Functionaries
Chairman: K.M. Shareef
Vice Chairman: Prof. P Koya
General Secretary: O.M. Abdul Salam
Secretary: Mohamed Ali Jinnah
Secretary: Mohammed Elyas Thumbay
Treasurer: Mohammed Shahabuddin
National Executive Members
E. M. Abdul Rahiman
Ya Mohideen
Hamid Mohammed
Mohamed Roshan
A. Mohamed Ismail
M. Abdussamad
Anis Ahmed
Moulana Usman Baig
Adv. Mohamed Yusuf
Popular Front of India (PFI) was formed in 2006 by a merger of Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD), National Development Front (NDF) of Kerala, and Manitha Neethi Pasarai (MNP) of Tamil Nadu.
E. M. Abdul Rahiman, the outgoing Chairman of Popular Front presided over the Assembly. Praising the commitment of the cadres Mr. E.M. Abdul Rahiman said “Popular Front is a cadre based social resurgence movement. Our cadres have always displayed great courage and commitment towards the noble cause of empowering the marginalized and oppressed section of the society. It is the responsibility of our leadership at all levels to concentrate on the character building of cadres and ensures that they are being developed as models in the society.”
K. M. Shareef, former General Secretary of Popular Front and now the new Chairman presented the annual report. The report noted that there has been considerable growth in terms of membership enrolment and coverage areas, especially in North India. One of the most significant observations was the success of the community development programmes. Educational campaigns like “School Chalo” and Scholarship schemes proved to be very effective and beneficial to socially backward communities.
The Assembly sessions held discussions on various socio-economic and political issues. The Assembly also reviewed the growth and development of the organization and suggested the thrust areas and programmes for the next term.
The election of members to the National Executive Council (NEC) for the next two year term was held on the second day of the Assembly. The newly elected National Executive Council sat separately and elected the new national functionaries.
The newly elected Chairman and NEC members took oath of office at the end of the Assembly. The NGA was concluded with the valedictory speech by the Chairman, K.M. Shareef where he urged the cadres of the organization to be more proactive in taking up people’s issues and advised them to put on more efforts to reach out the masses.
About 190 elected representatives drawn from different states attended the Assembly which lasted for three days. The delegates also staged cultural programmes in various Indian languages.
The Resolutions passed by the National General Assembly of Popular Front of India held at Malabar House, Puthanathani, Kerala on 24 Dec 2012.
1. India’s support for granting Observer Member State status for Palestine is a step in the right direction.
The NGA of Popular Front welcomes the support the Indian government has given to the UN General Assembly resolution granting an Observer Member State status for Palestine. Resisting the immense pressure by the US and the Zionist entity the Indian government displayed commendable courage to stand for justice. This is a step in the right direction and will strengthen the country’s principled stand on the question of Palestine. Since the past two decades, the country has been drifting away from non-alignment to pro-imperialist stance. At the same time the country can do a lot more for the Palestinian people. We urge the Central Government to seriously continue this tradition and play more pro-active role in helping the Palestinian people achieve their dream of an independent state.
2. Reservation for Muslim is a litmus test for the government’s secular claims.
Reservation for Muslim has been an issue consistently ignored by the successive governments. The UPA government at the Centre has promised reservation for Muslims on numerous occasions but has never shown sincere commitment to the cause. Recently the government introduced the bill for reservation quota for SC/ST in promotion and the same was passed in the Rajya Sabha. This indeed is a welcome step. Unfortunately, the government is dragging its feet when the question of Muslim reservation is raised. Surely, it is an indication of the hypocrisy of the government but of opposition parties as well. The ridiculous announcement made by the Central Government on the eve of UP election that Indian National Congress would give 4.5% sub-quota within the 27% OBC quota was the most shameful trick played by any government in many years. The real intention of the government was exposed when it could not produce sufficient documents legally justifying Muslim reservation. The government deliberately ignored the Ranganatha Mishra Commission recommendation of 6% reservation exclusively for Muslims. NGA of Popular Front strongly demands the Central Government to immediately implement the recommendations of Mishra Commission.
3. UAPA and other black laws are a threat to Indian democracy
The NGA is anguished and disturbed to find that thousands of Muslim youths are in jail on cooked up cases .The country had been a helpless witness to the violent dance of various draconian laws like TADA and POTA in the past. Such laws were always misused by the Police and security forces to legitimize their inhuman atrocities. It is also proved that these draconian laws have never been successful in curbing terrorism. The UPA government promised in its 2004 manifesto to repeal POTA did so but cleverly used the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks to incorporate all the draconian clauses in a general law. The 2008 amendments to the Unlawful Activities (Preventions) Act were criticized by various sections of the civil society and there were many voices demanding to scrap the amendments. But the government has ignored these demands and made the amendments more rigorous, opaque and oppressive. The NGA of Popular Front of India whole heartedly joins the voices against UAPA and demands the government to repeal UAPA and other repressive laws like PSA and AFSPA. .
4. Justice for Babri Masjid will strengthen people’s faith on the Constitution
The denial of justice in the Babri demolition case for the last 20 years is one of most unfortunate things happened in independent India. After the demolition the ruling Congress promised that the Hindutwa vandals would be put on trial and punished and the Masjid would be rebuilt. All the tall claims have been proved hollow and all the promises have vanished into thin air. The government has not only denied justice but is also trying to ask the masses especially the Muslim community to forget the Babri Masjid issue. The Hindutva leaders indicted in the Liberhan Commission are roaming freely in the country spreading the venom of hatred and the government is unable to show any courage to punish them. By denying justice for the past 20 years, the Central Government has lost its credibility. The NGA of Popular Front strongly condemns this betrayal and calls up on the government to punish the culprits of Babri Masjid demolition and rebuild Babri Masjid.
5. Israeli leadership should be tried at International Criminal Court for war crimes in Palestine
The NGA of Popular Front strongly condemns the recent barbaric attack by Israeli forces on the civilians of Gaza. All boundaries were trespassed, all charters of human rights shattered and the very existence of human values challenged by the Zionist forces. It was the courage and tenacity of the people of Gaza that finally turned the tide against Israel. The Zionist settler state has been carrying out its aggression for the past 6 decades ignoring all opprobrium and protest. The Israeli leadership has always behaved as if they are immune to any prosecution or trial for crimes committed by them. We believe that Netanyahu and other Israeli ministers as well as military chiefs should be hauled to the International Criminal Court for war crimes as well crimes against humanity and punished for the atrocities committed by them in Palestine.
6. Release the innocent under trials
The NGA of Popular Front calls upon the Central Government to take immediate steps to release the innocent under trials. Prisoners like Kobad Gandi, Abdul Nasar Maudani and hundreds of faceless and hapless prisoners are tortured, humiliated and dehumanized in jails as they are denied bail on flimsy grounds. In most of the cases the government, police and even media create an atmosphere in which the judiciary itself fall a victim and consider the poor under trials as diehard criminals if not inveterate terrorists. This has become a very serious issue as Muslim youths are specifically targeted and denied constitutional rights. In the name of combating terror, Muslims youth are constantly being framed and put in jail. We have seen many instances where youths are imprisoned for years and later released as innocent. The NGA demands that the Central Government rake emergent steps to release the under trials on bail and enact laws to give compensation to those acquitted for the years they have spent in jails.
7. Rehabilitation of Assam riots victims.
The NGA of Popular Front observes that the victims of September 2012 Assam riots victims are in serious need of rehabilitation. The government which earlier failed to curb the violence has now failed to rehabilitate the victims. There are reports of pathetic conditions of the government run refugee camps and we don’t see any positive steps by the government to improve it. The NGA demands the Assam government to take immediate for the rehabilitation of the victims. We also demand the State and Central government to completely disarm the Bodo groups to ensure permanent peace in the area.