To give pressure on inclusion of a suitable Muslim candidate in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha

21st January 2014

The 2014 Lok Sabha poll is lurking around and political parties have geared up for nomination and campaign. Manipur’s share of RS or LS member has never been represented by a Muslim candidate in more than 40 years of statehood, though the community represents about 8% of the population. Let us introspect brothers and sisters, why is this appalling situation of the community which boasted of visionary politician like Md. Alimuddin, Manipur state’s first Chief Minister.

In the past months, the community has been targeted in discriminatory attacks under the pretexts such as ILP, terrorist training, drug peddling, without identifying the real wolves in sheepskins. Due to poor standard political knowledge, Muslims have always been at the line of social, economic or political fire.

It is high time that the higher ups in the national political parties recognise the potential of the community and identify prospective members, groom them and offer them tickets to RS and LS. For Manipur’s inclusive development, all communities inhabiting the state should have proportional representation to State Assembly as well as Parliament. For some reasons, we have not seen such democratic spirit either in state or national level politics.

States like Kerala are highly developed because of the equal representation of the communities in politics of the state as well as nation. In this context, Manipuri Muslim Online Forum (an apolitical society committed to quality education of Muslim community) would like to remind organisations of Manipuri Muslims particularly AMMUCOC, and all other newly formed organisations either political/apolitical to realise the above agenda to form a pressure-cum-search group comprising members from all walks of life and belonging to the community.

The group should pressurise executives of national parties having presence in Manipur to give opportunity to prospective Muslim candidates. The group should also search prospective candidates so that they can be recommended to the political parties. In the Islamic spirit, the members of the community should shed all the differences in interest and political views to come together in this hour of need. So far, we have been getting only palliative care for the plight of the community.

We need permanent, pragmatic and specific solution to the problems of the society. Quality education, professional skills, self employment (for unemployed and illegal businessmen) and empowerment through grassroot politics at the level of Pachayat/small town councils should be our mandates for RS and LS poll 2014. A political conclave may be organised for Muslim community in Manipur to fine tune the mandates.

Nasir Khan
General Secretary, MMOF
Manipuri Muslim Online Forum