By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,
Kolkata: The Welfare Party of India (WPI) launched its West Bengal unit on Sunday. The party leaders used the occasion to strongly criticize Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for not taking any initiative to solve the long pending demands of the Muslim community and not fulfilling the promises she herself made before assembly polls in April.
The West Bengal inaugural of WPI, the political arm of six-decade old Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, a socio-religious Muslim organization, was held in a mass convention at Mahajati Sadan Auditorium in Kolkata on 16th October, 2011. The convention was attended by several civil society representatives and hundreds of delegates drawn from across the state.
L-R: Mihir Banerjee, PC Hamza, Lalitha Naik, SQR Iliyas, Dr Raisuddin, Md Nuruddin and Md Kamruzzaman at the WPI inaugural in Kolkata on 16th Oct. 2011
WPI asked the Mamata Banerjee Government to implement the poll promises that were made to the electorate in general and to the Muslims in particular. Speakers at the convention reminded Mamata that it was the Muslims who ensured her victory because though the Left Front provided a communal violence-free regime but the community felt they were not emancipated at all in socio-economic fields, educational and employment sectors.
Mujtaba Farooq, National President of Welfare Party of India, said WPI will not be just another party engaged in power politics. WPI will strive for realizing a value based welfare state governed on moral values by the principles of justice, freedom, equality and fraternity.
“The policy of reservation for the marginalized and backward sections of the society as well as Muslims is supported by our party,” he said.
The convention demanded that the presidential order 1950 should be withdrawn to stop the discrimination on the basis of religion and deserving should get the benefits of reservation. Reservation, that is the recommendation of the Ranganath Misra Commission, should be given to Muslims.
WPI national president Mujtaba Farooq addressing the convention in Kolkata on 16th Oct. 2011
All India General Secretaries of Welfare Party of India Dr. SQR Ilyas and P.C Hamzah both strongly criticized the economic policy adopted by the central government and demanded it to change its economic policy.
Former West Bengal president of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind and now newly elected WPI West Bengal president, Dr. Raisuddin expressed his anxiety over deteriorating law and order situation and increasing political violence in West Bengal particularly in Muslim dominated areas. He asked the state government to take effective step to stop the political violence.
Former Karnataka Minister and all India vice president of WPI, Lalitha Naik spoke on women empowerment in India as well as in the Muslim society.
Former State president of Indian National League Abdur Rab Bin Ismail has joined the Welfare Party of India. He said in the convention that, Muslim should be united in fighting for their rights. WPI could take leadership among the Muslim community of West Bengal, Ismail said.
A section of the audience at WPI inaugural in Kolkata on 16th Oct. 2011
A resolution has been passed in the convention which mentioned some important topics like Reservation, transparency in Below Poverty Line (BPL) or Job card distribution, Inflation etc.
WPI announced the newly formed West Bengal State Committee in the convention. According to WPI media coordinator, the 150-member State General Council of WPI representing already enrolled 14000 members elected Dr. Raeeesudeen as State President and 25- member State Working Committee. The State Working Committee elected Mihir Banerjee, Abul Rab Bin Ismail as vice-presidents, Abdul Aziz as General Secretary, Mohammed Jamaluddeen, Shahjahan, Mansa Sen, Shuma Dey as Secretaries and Nasir Ahmed as Treasurer.