NATIONAL POLITICS

Report on Kerala: Left Dilemma over Muslim Votes

Unni Rajen Shanker in The Indian Express, 29 March, 1996

The CPI(M) in Kerala refuses to come out of the closet. The part knows electoral politics is made of one- night stands, but a heavy ideological baggage and political prudishness to not allow it to legitimize its illicit affair with the Indian National League (INL). So, on the eve of elections, the party is grappling with the dialectics of modern politics: of ideology and reality.

After serving the CPI(M) interests like a djinn for long, the INL leader Ibrahim Sulaiman Sait is demanding an electoral alliance with the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF). The lesser constituents of the front do not mind but the big brother is confused. It went ahead with an undercover understanding with the INL in previous elections, reaped its dividend, celebrated the triumph, lived the euphoria but refused to recognize the INL.

The state leadership of the CPI(M) had tried to prepare itself for an open alliance with the INL. But the ideological calisthenics spearheaded by the veteran leader EMS Namboodiri pad was so surreal that not only did it receive national ridicule, the central leadership put its foot down and rejected the proposal to have alliances with communal parties.

The result: Ibrahim Sulaiman Sait, who left the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) to form the INL., was left out in the cold. What made him leave the party he headed was not just the refusal of its Kerala leadership to quit the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) after the demolition of Babari Masjid. He had clear signals from the CPI(M) state leaders that his new party would be taken into the opposition LDF. He carefully omitted the word Muslim from his party's name.

But the nexus continued. Though there was no apparent understanding between the two in the by- elections, the civic polls obviously showed the CPI(M) was not keen on shutting its doors on Sait. The LDF could not have managed to achieve remarkable victories in the urban Muslim pockets of Malappuram in the civic elections.

Yet, the party continued to take Sait for granted, though he claims he was assured of an open understanding before the general election, Sait has his minus points. First, he doesn't have his roots in the State. Secondly, his party hasn't been able to prove its strength, electorally or otherwise while the other contender for Muslim vote bank, Abdul Nasser Madani, has.

Then, why can't the CPI(M) close the chapter forever? Because, the party hasn't. The by-elections and civic polls... have a striking pattern and reveal a split in the Muslim vote bank after the demolition of Babari Masjid. The impact was visible across the State, especially in Palakkad, Malappuram and Trichur districts.

 One fact was clear: the IUML lost a considerable area of influence after December 6, 1992, because it continued to support the Congress which many traditional IUML voters thought was responsible for the demolition. The disillusioned Muslims voted against the Congress in the by-election for Ottappalam Lok Sabha constituency. He voted for Madani's PDP in the Guruvayur assembly by-election. The result was the same: victory for the LDF. The pattern didn't change in the civic polls and the LDF won again.

Madani proved what he could when his candidate ensured the defeat of the IUML in Guruvayur, and has almost bargained his way to electoral glory: his People's Democratic Party, a politically-correct reincarnation of Islamic Sevak Sangh, has almost struck a deal with the UDF.

 The CPI(M) sees that Madani will help the UDF get many votes it lost. The party can't hope that it can continue to survive on the wounds in the collective memory of the Muslim electorate. The CPI(M) became more desperate when the UDF started wooing Sait.

 With the new Chief Minister A.K. Antony, his populist measures and clean reputation, redeeming the image of the UDF in the election year, the CPI(M) can't rely on the negative votes against the ruling front. Moreover, a marginal drift in votes could result in a reversal of electoral fortunes in Kerala.

 That leads the LDF to the long-ignored Sait. But the past is haunting the CPI(M): it was for suggesting an alliance with a 'communal party', the IUML, that it expelled its fire-brand leader M.V. Raghavan.

 As in the past, the options are clear: either say no to a communal party' or go for an open alliance. Politics, in our times, doesn't have place for paramours, or principles, for that matter.

Government Statement on Proselytization Activities of Christian Missionaries

 According to Article 25 of the Constitution of India, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate religion. 'Public Order' is listed as Item No.1 of List-II-State List of 7th Schedule of the Constitution of India. As such, action for conversion from one religion to another religion through fraud and coercion is to be taken by the State Governments.

 (Source: LSUQ No. 973 dated 7.3.1996 by R.S. Kashwan)