By M H Ahssan
With Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) deciding to lobby alone during the upcoming general elections, the United Muslim Forum (UMF) that played a key role in 2004 polls in the state is in a quandary.
JIH was an important component of the UMF, a conglomeration of non-political outfits that also had Majlis-e-Tameer-e-Millat and Amarat-e-Millat-e-Islamia as its members. Jamiatul Ulemae-Hind was not part of the UMF, but all of them campaigned for the Congress during the last elections. After winning the elections, the Congress government rewarded Amarat leader Raheemuddin Ansari with the chairmanship of State Urdu Academy and made Jamiat president Hafiz Peer Shabbir chairman of the Haj Committee. Peer Shabbir was later nominated to the legislative council.
“We are trying to broaden our base and inviting some people to work together. Invitations have been sent to some Ulema (Islamic scholars) and Mashaekheen (head priests at dargahs). All Muslims should vote for the party that promises to redress their grievances and make them partners in decision making. One meeting has also been held”, M A Raheem Quraishi, UMF GS, told HNN.
According to sources, there were at least four new faces in the UMF meeting that was held last week. They were Syed Ali Akbar Nizamuddin, member of the State Wakf Board; Hasanuddin Ahmed, former bureaucrat and social activist; Shafeeq Rahman Mahajir, lawyer and; M Ziauddin Nayyar, Vice President Iqbal Academy.
Sources said that the meeting heard some participants praising the Congress for undertaking many measures benefiting the Muslim community. There were also some who criticised the Congress for failing to protect the Wakf properties and stop the harassment of the Muslim youth by police in the wake of Mecca Masjid bomb blast. The meeting also heard that Telugu Desam that was part of the BJP led NDA has now learnt its lesson and wishes to work for the upliftment of minorities. Therefore, the forum should also consider supporting the TDP and its alliance partners, some participants suggested.
The meeting decided to make the functioning of the forum methodical by giving it a constitution and binding the members to follow it in word and spirit. The forum is expected to finalize it statute in two weeks. “It is too early to say what would be final form of the forum and who it would support. We should wait and watch “, the sources said
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