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Journalism of Courage
Sending a clear message to the Congress at a time when elections are round the corner, a group of mainstream Islamic organisations on Monday shared a platform with leaders of a potential third front to condemn terrorism and oppose what they called 8220;targeting8221; of 8220;innocent8221; Muslim youth.
While these Muslim organisations openly expressed their anger at the Congress-led Government, leaders of the CPIM, CPI, BSP and JDS happily utilised the opportunity to drive home the need for formation of a 8220;political alternative8221; to the Congress and the BJP on a secular platform.
While the RJD chief expressed his inability to attend due to Chhath Puja, Paswan excused himself in the last minute citing non-attendance of any Congress or ruling party leaders. Eventually, it was an all third front show with Left leaders Sitaram Yechury, A B Bardhan and D Raja, JDS8217; H D Deve Gowda and BSP8217;s Shahid Siddiqui in attendance.
Utilising the occasion to the hilt, Yechury and Gowda said it was unfair to target a particular religion on the issue of terrorism and advocated the need for formation of a viable political alternative. Yechury even identified the main players of the alternative- the Left, the TDP, the BSP and the JDS.
Almost all the leaders of the Muslim organisations- All India Muslim Majlis Mushawarat, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Jamiat Ahle Hadees, Milli Council, Majlis Fikr o Amal, Majlis Ulema Hind and Muslim Political Council of India- were united in criticising the Congress-led Government.
8220;We are disappointed with the Government. A new realignment of forces has become inevitable now. All political parties, who stand for secularism and socialism, should think about this,8221; Taslim Rahmani, president of the Muslim Political Council, said.
