By Shafeeq Hudavi, TwoCircles.net
Kozhikode: While the diaspora throughout the country is keenly awaiting the long pending NRI voting right to become a reality, expectations are high in the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) camp.
If the figures with various agencies are taken into account, major dividend of the Kerala NRI votes, polled through e-ballot or proxy, will go to the account of IUML.
As per a ‘Centre for Development Studies’ report, published in 2011, Muslims form one fourth of the total population in the state but constitute around 45 % share of total immigrants, followed by Christian (37.5 %) and Hindus (17.5 %).
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) tops the list with 8,83,313 expats. After United States of America (USA) with 6,80,076 residents, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) with 5,74,739 NRIs comes third. The GCC countries Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain also feature in the list with 1,95,300; 1,48,427; 1,27,782 and 1,01,556 NRIs respectively.
Photo of a medical camp organised by KMCC in Qatar
According to party leaders, IUML can avail the advantage of the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC), the NRI outfit of IUML, and the collective of the expatriates and Gulf returnees. Formed in 1968 by the Keralite expatriates, KMCC has emerged as the largest expatriate organization in the world. With its humanitarian and philanthropic activities, the Centre is the most influential body among the expatriate organisations.
“Definitely, while it comes to the activities meant for NRI welfare, KMCC along with Pravasi League is far ahead. For sure, the party will reap in the polls a good high yield as its outfits have sowed much in the GCC countries,” says E T Mohammed Basheer MP, IUML national secretary.
Drawing a comparison among the organisations functioning for the expatriates, Basheer says that unlike KMCC, they were yet to stay connected with the grass root level and core issues of expatriates.
Both Pravasi League and KMCC have been taking up various welfare and charity initiatives ranging from blood donation to Pravasi Suraksha pension scheme. We have gone far ahead with our initiatives, into some extent, than the Centre and State Government. Our efforts assume significance while the governments fail to address the woes of NRIs,” says Haneefa Munniyur, Pravasi League state general secretary.
KMCC has district, block and panchayat committees in all GCC countries with the active participation of the Keralites.
Haneefa assumes that more than 75 % of the total votes from KSA will be drawn to the account of IUML or its front United Democratic Front (UDF). While, according to him, the party will get more than 50 % of the total votes from UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain.
“Remember, more than 75 % of the total expatriates in GCC countries are either members or well-wishers of KMCC and Pravasi League,” Haneefa says.
Meanwhile, the party seems to be all set to tap the new change with its campaigns to woo the NRI voters. IUML state level functionary and former Minister for Local Self Government K Kutty Ahmed Kutty says that the party had fielded an exclusive wing in cyber domain and social media to disseminate awareness among the expatriates. What drove the party towards such a move, according to him, was that the NRIs tend to be active on the social media.
If the NRI voting rights is implemented soon, Basheer says, the political scenario of the state will undergo a tectonic change. “NRIs will emerge as a decisive force in the state’s electoral politics in their respective constituencies. This will make a huge impact in the policies of the political parties. The party has been giving prime priority to the woes of the toiling diaspora and onwards it will enhance its stand on various issues such as Calicut International Airport and ticket fare hike by Air India and will raise its voice for due consideration and privileges in all walks of life,” Bahseer says.
Though remarkable revenue is generated by NRIs to the annual income of the state, the diaspora is left crying for a better approach from the governments. “Now, when the NRI vote right materialises, the political parties can no more turn a blind eye towards their sufferings. IUML will exert all possible pressure, as it has done so far, on the state government to launch various schemes to socially, financially and politically uplift the NRIs,” Basheer adds.