By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Jaipur: The Social Democratic Party of India, (SDPI), has demanded immediate enactment of “Prevention of Communal and Targetted Violence (Access to Justice & Reparations) Bill 2011” by the Parliament.
Addressing a Press conference after the two-day National Working Committee, (NWC), meeting of the SDPI held here Mr. A. Sayeed, the national general secretary of the party, said that the Central government should not bow down to the demands of those who are opposing the Bill tooth and nail for ulterior motives. The UPA government has to fulfil its promise to bring the legislation against communal violence in the Parliament at the earliest and get it passed, he added.
The national office bearers of SDPI addressing Press conference at Jaipur
Mr. Sayeed said the SDPI has cautioned the Union Government that precautions should be taken to safe guard the federal system of the country while implementing the provisions of the Bill to be enacted into an Act so that it is not weakened. And also, in no circumstances the NGOs should be allowed to enjoy executive powers of the government under the provisions of the Bill. Since it is experienced nowadays that armed forces too are involved in such atrocities, they also should be brought under the purview of the proposed Act, he further added.
He revealed that in the NWC it was decided to conduct a nation-wide caravan from September 2012 to February 2013. This will go to various states and make the have-nots aware about their rights. In these six months the SDPI will organise different programmes, he added.
In reply to a question Mr. Sayeed said that SDPI is not a party of any one community but belongs to the deprived communities who have been kept out of corridors of power since Independence. An effort is being made to bring Muslims and other backwards to the mainstream so that they can enjoy the fruits of democracy which has been a distant dream for them, he added.
Hafiz Manzoor Ali Khan, another national general secretary of the party who hails from Jaipur, said SDPI will contest Assembly elections in Rajasthan to be held next year. A third front will be formed in the leadership of SDPI in the state, he added.
At the outset Prof. (Ms) Nazneen Begum, vice president of SDPI, gave a brief account of the party which was formed in June 2009. She said that in India poor have become poorer in more than last six decades and have been deprived of the basic facilities like water, better civic amenities, education etc. It is the duty of the government of the day to extend all facilities and give reservations to the poor minorities and backwards, she added.
Prof. Nazneen said that SDPI is striving for transfer of power to common man in the real sense of the word. The party stands for the people, by the people and with the people.
She said SDPI hoped that the Samajwadi Party will rise to the expectation of the people and fulfil their promises to the Muslim community, especially on reservation.
Other SDPI office-bearers who were present at the Press conference included Mr. Riaz Azeemabadi, vice president; Dr. Mahboob Awad Shareef & MK Faizy, both secretaries, and Prof P. Koya, NWC member.
The two-day NWC meeting of the party was held here on March 10th and 11th which evaluated the results of the just concluded state Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh among other things. More steps to strengthen the party in the state have been planned.
Meanwhile, Mr. E. Aboobacker, national president, and Prof. (Ms) Nazneen Begum, national vice president, presided over the NWC meeting in the different sessions. Hafiz Manzoor Ali Khan & A. Sayeed, both national general Secretaries; M. K. Faizy & Dr. Mehboob Awad Shareef, both Secretaries; Riaz Azeemabadi, national vice president, Prof. P. Koya, NWC member, Adv. Sajid Siddiqui, president Madhya Pradesh State Committee, Adv. Sharafudeen, president UP State Committee, etc. participated in the discussions. ([email protected])