NATIONAL POLITICS

Muslim Appeasement - Deve Gowda Style

The Indian Observer, New Delhi 15 August, 1996

Muslims numbering over 120 million form second largest community of India, so are not exactly a minority. But it is also true that because of historical reasons, because of the hold that fanatic Mullahs and selfish communal leaders have got on them, because they can be easily incited in the name of religion, because a big majority of them is illiterate, they have been rendered backward in almost every field, especially economic, social and educational spheres. Therefore, they need special attention. First of all, they need to be liberated from the clutches of Mullahs and other vested interests who want to keep them perpetually in a backward state. That is why Muslims by and large have not joined the national mainstream.

True, a small number of educated and affluent Muslims have got big positions in the government, also are serving as ministers, legislators and M.Ps. Few enterprising among them have launched small and medium scale industries and businesses though, there is not a single big Muslim industrialist.

Different secular parties are only interested in monopolizing Muslim vote bank, as to win power. For the purpose, instead of trying to solve the basic and real problems of the Muslims poverty, backwardness, illiteracy, unemployment and social injustice the vote seekers resort to the tactics of appeasing the exploiter class among the Muslims like Mullahs, feudal elements, businessmen and communal Muslims leaders.

Mullahs and communal leaders discourage the Muslims especially women from getting educated and trained. They want them to remain poor and backward. In the circumstances, how will Muslims progress?

For better part of the 49 years of freedom, Muslims mainly voted for Congress. But then they became alienated from the party when others like JD, SP, BSP etc. began to compete in wooing Muslim vote bank via Mullahs, Imams and communal leaders. The Muslims turned against Congress essentially not because of Babari demolition, which was used as a pretext to sway them in the name of religion, but because 45 years Congress rule failed to solve the basic problems of the Muslim masses.

Now Congress Raj has ended at Centre too Today U.F. of 13 parties is ruling the country albeit with Congress support from outside. There were expectations that in view of the pronouncements of the leaders of UF Parties, the regime will adopt a more practical, result-oriented and positive approach to solve the problems of the minorities including the Muslims. But Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and of course leaders like Mulayam Singh Yadav, R.V. Paswan and Laloo Prasad Yadav, have caused big disappointment by their approach and policies. We can understand the two Yadavs who have developed their own vested interests in appeasing Mullahs and communal Muslims, but we had great hopes in Deve Gowda, who as P.M. could hold the others in check. But it is now obvious that Deve Gowda is outdoing even Rao in appeasing only the vested interests of Muslim community while ignoring the masses. He is more interested in wooing the likes of Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Delhi who is defying courts and indulging in blatant encroachments, than hapless poor Muslim masses.

With an eye on Muslim vote bank Deve Gowda is going all out to appease the exploiter class of Muslim. Every day he is meeting Muslim' delegations representing these vested interests and not masses. During 50 days of his Prime Ministership he has met about 50 Muslim delegations. There can be no objection in wooing all the communities to his party. But Muslims are not the only minority in India. As Prime Minister he should take care of all the communities.

Even Muslim elites are under-represented in Deve Gowda government while other minority communities and women have hardly any representation. And the UF Government has yet to come out with a comprehensive programme for educational and social uplift of minorities and backward classes. Reservation cannot solve any of these basic problems, it will only shut the mouth of aspiring leaders belonging to vested interests. If Deve Gowda can come out with economic package for J&K. with dominant Muslim population, a measure which even BJP has welcomed, why not such a package for all minority and backward communities that helps to eradicate poverty and illiteracy.

PM Deve Gowda's Statement on Meeting with Bal Thackeray, 28 August, 1996

No political significance should be attached to my meeting with Mr. Bal Thackeray during my recent visit to Mumbai.

No political question was discussed at the meeting which took place at Mr. Amitabh Bachchan's house where I had gone to enquire about the health of his father, Mr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan.

Mr. Bal Thackeray and I believe in different ideologies.

My commitment to the ideals of democracy and secularism is abiding. Nobody can make me depart from principles I believe in.

At the meeting I offered condolences to Mr. Thackeray on the death of his wife and son. I also enquired about the health of Mr. Thackeray, who had undergone a heart surgery recently. These are normal courtesies. There is no need for my critics to have any misapprehension about my meeting with Mr. Bal Thackeray. This should set the controversy at rest.