Author: Sabyasachi Bandopadhyay
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: February 6, 2002
Mamata Banerjee, an ally of the
BJP, is accusing the CPI(M)-the bastion of Muslim support in the state-for
being anti-Muslim. West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya's
campaign against "unregistered" madrassas in his state has opened up a
front his government is now hurriedly trying to close ranks around.
So as the Jamat-e-Ulema-Hind, a
radical Muslim organisation, on Monday organised a huge rally in central
Kolkata warning the government of dire consequences it went ahead with
its "clean-up" programme, the CPI(M) went on the defensive. "Our party
will soon discuss the issue as a whole," said secretary of the CPI(M) state
committee Anil Biswas. "I would like to assure everybody that minorities
in the state are absolutely safe and we will protect them with the last
drop of our blood."
Party leaders said it's easier for
the Left to initiate genuine reforms in the madrassas given its backing
in the community. In the Assembly elections in 2001, the Left Front polled
an average of 44% votes in Murshidabad and Malda districts which together
account for almost a quarter of the madrassas in the state.
A meeting has been fixed for February
6 where Bhattacharya is expected to discuss with his comrades his speech
at a conference of the All Bengal Madrassas Teachers' Association on February
10. The pressure is building up. Congress leader Priya Ranjan Das Munshi
also called a press conference today to call for an all-party meeting.
"This is a serious development that can lead to a very grave situation
in the state," Das Munshi said.
Mamata was more blunt. "The way
Buddhadeb is secluding the entire Muslim community from the society is
dangerous," she alleged. "If anybody indulges in anti-national activity
the state government should take action against him. But why brand a whole
community as terrorists or anti-nationals? This will lead us to a dangerous
situation."
Joining them was ex-CM SS Ray who
sent a letter to the CM with his own advice. "Do not accept any report
(on minority activities) coming from your underlings. It's my experience
that certain dangerous prejudices exist in a section of our officialdom
that its political masters are often incapable of discerning. I have come
across this many a time."