First national workshop by MRM for activists
Virag Pachpore
Seeking firm commitment from the assembled 180-odd Muslims drawn from almost all states of India except Assam and North-East, on saving the girl child, honouring womanhood, protecting environment, adopting poor children for their education, imbibing swadeshi spirit in our life, and serving the affected, needy and oppressed sections of the society, Shri Indresh Kumar, Patron of Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM), called upon the MRM activists to reach out to Muslims in the country under a massive awareness campaign starting from January 2014. This exercise is aimed at creating awareness amongst the Muslims against the vote-bank politics of the so-called secular parties.
Shri Indresh Kumar was addressing the valedictory session of the three-day workshop of MRM activists at the natural, serene, green and peaceful premise of Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini (RMP) at Uttan near Mumbai. The workshop organised in association with the RMP was attended by 180-odd MRM activists including 25 women coming from Kashmir to Kerala and Gujarat to Bengal and Odisha.
This was the first ever national level workshop held by the MRM after its inception in 2002, to deliberate upon the central theme of ‘Present status and future direction of Muslims in India’ and its manifold threads. The MRM today has expanded its network amongst Muslims in 318 districts in 24 states. Learned speakers from various places put their point of view to explain the multiple dimensions of the main theme during the three-day deliberations at the workshop held from December 14-16, 2013.
2014 the battlefield of democracy
Referring to general election of 2014, Shri Indresh Kumar said these elections would be battlefield of democracy and MRM will have to play its role in this battle. He said this would provide an opportunity to MRM to establish its leadership among the masses. MRM is committed to work for a new Hindustan. To popularise its mission, the MRM would conduct around 200 public meetings, yatras and press conferences in the Muslim areas in the entire country to explain its views on national issues and help in generating mass awareness in favour of democracy and good governance.
He exhorted the MRM activists to tell the Muslims that they were not saleable voters. “We belong to Hindustan and have committed ourselves for the better future of our country. MRM should plan to reach out to at least 1 crore Muslims in the country”, he said.
The ultimate objective of this exercise is to enable Muslims to apply their wisdom while electing the new government that would care for their welfare and wellbeing. It is also aimed at instilling a self-confidence among them so that they can perform their duty in the 2014 battle of democracy.
Formation of Cells
Shri Indresh Kumar also announced formation of five cells of MRM to conduct various activities. Accordingly, Latif Magdum, who also heads Shahid Ashfaq Ullah National Memorial Trust, is entrusted with the responsibility of Education Cell. He will be assisted by Prof Tahir of Jamia Milia, Delhi.
Maulana Tayyab Qureshi of UP will be convener of Cow Protection Cell. He will be helped by Mohd. Faiz Khan (Raipur), and Gani Bhai Qureshi (Vadodara). This cell will organise a meeting of Gobhaktas.
Reshma Hussian of Jaipur will be convener of Women’s Cell with Shahnaz Afzal (Delhi) as co-convener.
Farukh Ahmed Khan, retired IRS, Jodhpur will be convener of Intellectual Cell.
MRM National co-convener Abbas Ali Bohra of Bangalore will head the Sewa Cell of MRM with Advocate Mustafa Khan of Itarsi as co-convener of the cell.
The inaugural session started with the screening of a short film about RMP followed by ‘Chirag Roshan’ and ‘Tilawate Quran’.
Inaugurating the workshop Shri Indresh Kumar said Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) was a duty-based organisation and not the right-based one. Sounding a cautious note for those who indulge in power politics he said we should not get involved in politics. The politicians throw the common people into the world of crime and criminals for their vested interests. They instigate the communities against each other and we must understand this game plan of their and save ourselves.
Muslims of India are Hindustani by nation, by culture and by God. MRM is a reformist movement among the Muslims to waken them to this reality. We should not disturb any other from performing prayer as per his religion. Also there is a need to project Islam in its proper perspective.
Stating that 2014 would be an important year in India’s history, Indresh Kumar said that Muslims should lead a life with trust and faith, with clarity of mind, and muster the courage to state the truth in his vicinity.
National Convener Mohd Afzal gave a detailed outline of the multi-faceted activities of MRM in the past decade including signature campaigns for supporting ban on cow slaughter and against the recommendations of Dilip Padgaonkar committee on Jammu and Kashmir. The MRM has collected over 8 lakh signatures of Muslims from 41078 places and submitted them to the President of India on May 13, 2013 demanding total rejection of Padgaonkar Committee Report in J&K.
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