By TCN News,
Calicut: The Popular Front of India (PFI) has termed the ban on its Freedom Parade as “undemocratic and communally prejudiced act” and an “interstate conspiracy of the administration and police in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. PFI was not allowed to take out Freedom Parade and hold any public program on this Independence Day yesterday.
“In these states, there was not only a ban on Freedom Parade, but any sort of public gathering by Popular Front activists were prevented as if they were not citizens of this country. This can only be viewed as a sign of communal bias which is on increase in the administration and police in these three states. It is also an illustration of the fact that the so called secular governments in Kerala and Tamil Nadu are not different from the Hindutva BJP government, when it comes to delivering democratic rights to Muslims,” PFI said in a media statement after holding its Central Secretariat meeting in Calicut yesterday.
Popular Front had been holding the Freedom Parade every year on the Independence Day since 2004 with the exception of last year when the CPI (M) government in Kerala banned it “as part of petty political vendetta.” This parade programme by cadets in uniform with national flag in the forefront was later extended to Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in 2008. These programmes have taken Independence Day celebrations which were confined to official ceremonies to the common masses. Freedom Parade has also gained appreciation from various corners as a positive step from among the members of minority Muslim community to strengthen the patriotism and civic sense. Also it is noteworthy that in spite of the apprehensions purposefully created by a section of police and media; not even a single incident of law and order problem was reported connected to this programme all through these years, PFI claimed.
When Popular Front was denied permission even to convene public meeting on the Independence Day, many other political and non-political organisations were allowed public programmes of their choice on the day. The state administration in Kerala has gone to the ridiculous extend of creating media scare by flashing the news of “banning” Popular Front programmes even in districts where no such announcements were made. When PFI challenged the government order, the High Court of Kerala declined to intervene.
The Central Secretariat of PFI reiterated that as citizens of this democratic country, thousands of its activists throughout India “would not surrender their right to celebrate the nation’s independence which was gained by our forefathers by sacrificing their sweat, blood and life.”
The meeting decided to continue its democratic and legal fights till the fundamental right to join the Independence Day celebrations is re-established.
Chairman E. M. Abdul Rahiman presided the meeting. General Secretary K. M. Shareef, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, O M A Salam, Hamid Muhammad participated in the discussions.