2 The Idea of Popular Front of

The Idea of Popular Front of India

are enough reasons for us to be proud of being Indian citizens. India is a democratic and secular nation. Our constitution and legal Theresystem guarantee equal justice to all citizens and reject all kinds of discrimination. We the people of India vote for governments at the centre and states hoping that they will fulfil this constitutional obligation. But unfortunately around 70% of people in the country do not enjoy fruits of development or growth. Even after 66 years of independence Muslims remain most backward and underprivileged along with tribals and Dalits. In fact they are victims of purposeful discriminations by those who have monopolized the centres of power - the ruling class constituted by the corporate capitalists, upper castes and political families.

When basic rights are denied to any class of citizens, it is the duty of the concerned to stand up and raise their voice for justice. Self initiative only can bring empowerment to any deprived community. This is the idea of Popular Front of India. It was evolved two decades ago. It has spread its wings throughout the length and breadth of this vast country because of this very simple reason. It remains to be the right answer to the longings of hapless masses. Thus Popular Front has right now become the pioneering neo-social movement with a cadre network and quite a large number of sympathisers, from to and to . This people’s movement stands for freedom, justice and security of all sections of the society.

Seeds of renaissance It was in early 1990s that signs of an awakening appeared mainly in the southern parts of our country. Small yet highly motivated groups conveyed the message of survival and empowerment to Muslims and other depressed communities. The victims were exhorted to come out of the hellhole of fear and helplessness created by growing Hindutva fascism and its influence in governance. That turbulent period saw the rise of two evil powers expanding their brutal tentacles in the 3 The Idea of Popular Front of India country. On the one side the ideology of respective states as their long experience in communal fascism was propagated in the fighting for people’s rights. They subsequently name of cultural nationalism. The fascist forces became the fore-runners of a cadre-cum-mass used their entire strength to divide the Indian movement at the national level. The state level society on religious lines. The Ram Janmbhoomi neo-social organisations of , Tamil Nadu movement launched by Sangh Parivar acted as and jointly announced the formation a catalyst to polarize the society and it resulted Popular Front of India at the Empower India in the demolition of centuries old Babri Masjid Conference held in Bangalore on 17th February on 6th December 1992. This was preceded 2007. It was crucial to the resurgence of not and followed by a wave of anti-Muslim riots in only Muslims but also people suffering from different states. Thousands of innocent lives highly pro-rich and anti-poor economic policies. were lost in the pogroms run by the Sangh Within next two years, we saw the message Parivar. The Hindutva groups were successful in of Popular Front being accepted by different gaining the much needed political momentum organizations in five more Indian states. This out of this dirty game to acquire power. Since led to their merger with Popular Front of India then even the so-called secular political parties during the National Political Conference held at have followed their footsteps and employed a Calicut Kerala in 2009. Many states from the soft, rather hidden version of Hindutva. north, east and north-east have joined Popular On the other side, the imperialist and Zionist Front. At present the organisation has around forces were successful in making inroads 80,000 cadres along with more than 3 lakhs into the economy of our country. In the associates. In addition to 11 states where the name of economic reforms the multinational organisation has full-fledged network, it is fast corporations were given red carpet welcome to growing in another 7 states. our country. Ignoring the sentiments of millions, This journey has been fascinating with the government initiated diplomatic ties with some major milestones. Among them, the the terrorist state of Israel. These events have Social Justice Conference (SJC) held at Ram completely changed the future course of India. Leela Maidan, Delhi in November 2011. They also drew a road map of oppression and exploitation of the society, especially the marginalized sections like Dalits, tribals and Empowerment mission minorities. The fundamental right of any citizen is freedom. The stigma of terrorism was also put on the An individual can enjoy freedom only when shoulders Muslim community that had already the nation is free. Corruption, casteism, lost life, dignity, and wealth due to depressingly communalism and capitalism haunt India regular riots. Draconian laws were enacted and and destroy the nation’s fabric of secularism, used for detaining mostly innocent Muslim democracy and peace. Popular Front focuses and tribal youth. Fake encounter killings had on people’s unity for strengthening the values become a highly convenient tool in the hands of Indian constitution and protection of human of security agencies in some states. rights. The Popular Front of India is known for As a positive response to these developments, its earnest struggles for the rights of the people. state level organisations emerged in southern The Front carries an alternate vision of part of India during 1990s. These organizations development having emphasis on equal proved to be very dynamic and active in their empowerment of all classes of people in India. 4 The Idea of Popular Front of India

It is reflected in its vibrant slogan: A Naya • Political mobilisation of marginalised classes Caravan for a Naya Hindustan. It looks forward • Media and publishing activities to a New India of Equal Rights for all Indians. • Empowering women and families While the neo-colonial and fascist forces • Guiding students and youth conspire to control the country. Popular Front • Campaigning on current social is creating awareness among the people to and political issues rally for the republic. Promoting harmony and fraternity among different sections of society is needed for this long drawn out struggle. Saga of activism Movement for Reservation Focus Areas Since the very beginning the movement has taken up the issue of reservation in government The goal of empowering the community, the services and educational institutions through society and the nation calls for a comprehensive various agitations. A National Campaign for initiatives and actions. Popular Front motivates Muslim Reservation was launched to carry people at the grass roots to learn, realise and this message across the nation. The Front organise themselves to bring about change in questioned the discrimination against Muslims self and society. This work involves the two in providing quota reservation even after the equally important tasks: finding of Sachar Committee that they are more A. Networking of Cadres: backward than any other community in India. Thousands of members who have joined the Front are organised into local units and higher Remembering Babri Masjid functional bodies. It brings commitment and discipline to their lives. Various programmes are The destruction of Babri Masjid was not only organised for the education and development an assault on minority rights, but a death blow of members and leaders at different levels. to secular values of the nation. Popular Front’s B. Mobilising of Masses: Babri Masjid campaign on December 6 every More than building up a network of cadres, year during the past two decades has been the Front is spearheading a mass movement. very successful in defeating this plan in keeping It plays a lead role in taking up the issues and alive the demand for the reconstruction of finding solutions to the people’s problems. Babri Masjid. It is heartening to note that this It also mobilizes masses in right direction on campaign has gained more support from many issues of regional and national importance. civil rights and minority organisations. Popular Front of India has given particular attention to the following: Celebrating freedom Popular Front joins the • Building self confidence and sense of security celebrations to revive the legacy of our freedom • Fight against human rights violations struggle. The Freedom Parade which was held as • Struggles for social justice an expression of patriotism in the three southern • Legal support to innocent victims states for the past several years was stopped • Calamity relief and rehabilitation by the administration mainly to prevent the • Supporting primary education growing influence of the organization. It seems • Scholarship to poor and meritorious students somebody could not digest the spectacle of 5 The Idea of Popular Front of India people coming out raising the national flag and of these anti-democratic laws. Thousands of singing national anthem. However, the Front innocents are incarcerated on false charges continues to be in forefront of the celebrations without trials. Demanding to repeal the through various other programmes. draconian law of UAPA, Popular Front of India played a lead role in the campaigns of ‘Peoples Foundation Day Movement against UAPA’. These campaigns Popular Front Day is being celebrated all over reached out to different sections and brought India to commemorate its formal launching as the issue into public discourse. Now it is a a national movement on 17 February 2006. welcome sign that many more organizations The day witnesses large scale participation of and activists who were silent so far have come people in the rallies and volunteer parades. forward against draconian laws.

Human Rights Day and Helping hand to calamity victims Anti-torture Day Popular Front volunteers were seen actively engaged in relief and rehabilitation work at Popular Front makes effective use of the times of both natural and man-made calamities International Human Rights Day (Dec 10) and like Bihar floods, Assam floods as well as Bodo International Anti-torture Day (June 26) for atrocities, Jammu & Kashmir earthquakes and creating awareness about rights violations and floods, floods, and tsunami torture in police custody and prison. Popular that hit Kerala and Tamil Nadu coasts. Front of India also regularly calls for the Popular Front of India extended relief to the abolition capital punishment in the country. victims when communal riots that rocked The Front also sends in association with human Muzaffarnagar in Western UP in 2013. In rights groups fact finding missions and organizes addition to distribution Food, clothing, medicine, public programmes to expose rights violations utensils and blankets, legal assistance was also and police atrocities. provided to them. More than 40000 families were benefitted. In 2014 immediately after the Healthy People; Healthy Nation large scale flood in Kashmir, the organisation Creating awareness about healthy life, exercises launched a relief and rehabilitation project. and yoga is the objectives of the campaign which Along with the distribution of food and clothing, is an annual feature. Distribution of hand books, 347 winter homes were constructed and marathon races, sports meet, demonstration of handed over to stranded families in 35 villages. yoga, health camps, blood donation camps, etc. This task was completed within 3 months by are parts of the campaign. spending around Rs 2 crores. All these timely interventions were possible because of the Campaigns against draconian laws generous public contribution. By transforming India into a security state, we see our government fighting their own people Protests against in different parts of the country. It’s shameful U. S. and Israel aggressions that we still have many black laws like UAPA and The Indian government is fast retreating from AFSPA used to suppress legitimate protests. The the policies of non-alignment and support to Muslims and the tribal are the prime victims anti-imperialist struggles and trying to become 6 The Idea of Popular Front of India a regional police man to protect US hegemony. misusing the state machinery. Popular Front Popular Front has been making people aware is engaged in exposing various Hindutva plans about the aggressions of U. S. and Israel and and programmes consistently throughout these the legitimate rights of the People of Palestine, years. Iraq and Syria. Mass mobilisation and protest programmes were organised in the national Broad based alliances capital and in different parts of the country on The organisation has taken steps to build a various occasions of U. S. and Israel onslaughts broad-based alliance of different minority and on other sovereign countries. In the context civil rights leaders and groups against growing of Israel’s attack on people of Gaza in 2015, authoritarian and communal tendencies. The Popular Front held nation-wide solidarity national movement against UAPA, the Sikh- campaign captioned ‘I am Gaza’ which went Muslim mission for communal harmony, the viral among the new generation. joint platform that has commemorated anti- Sikh riot of 1984 and Babri Masjid demolition of Legal aid 1992 are few such recent steps. Providing legal aid to the under-trials in jails and the rehabilitation of the victims of riots are some Community Development activities that the organisation usually takes Popular Front members and units in different up. The Front has a well respected network states undertake community development of Human Rights lawyers to provide legal aid to activities as part of their routine agenda. They the under-trials in jails and the rehabilitation of provide help to the needy people in various the riot victims. fields such as economy, education and health through activities ranging from distribution of Support to positive politics food or school kits to providing drinking water A neo-social movement cannot leave politics to or home to homeless. those agents of corruption and communalism. School Chalo is a seminal national level Major political parties never miss a chance to educational campaign aiming to eradicate earn their share from the constant exploitation illiteracy and prevent school dropouts. Survey of the poor and marginalised majority. Even the and identification of deprived children, creating left and Dalit/BC centred parties have betrayed educational awareness among the parents, their causes and hopes of the poor. Popular spreading the messages of importance of Front has been supporting a positive political education, distributing school kits containing transformation that would take power to books, uniforms etc are some of the tasks people and people to power. involved in the campaign. In 2013, total 1,13,283 school kits were distributed in various Exposing fascism part of the country. India as a secular democratic nation is at cross In 2014, total 78,889 school kits were distributed roads under the BJP government after the in 16 states at a cost of Rs. 2,54,59,116. A major general elections to 15th Lok Sabha. Under part of this amount is borne by the units through the garb of slogans such as development, good local collections. In addition Popular Front has governance and clean India, the sectarian spent an amount of 94,17,802 for scholarships agenda of Sangh Parivar is being implemented in the same year. 2047 students got the benefit 7 The Idea of Popular Front of India of scholarship scheme. terrorism. The terrorist-militant label is one of easiest and convenient tools used to suppress legitimate struggle for equality and justice. Baseless allegations This is being done to keep people away from The poor has always been a threat to those organizations working for people’s rights. who have monopolized power. Popular Front of India has been crucial in diverting the pain and Some people raise questions about the protest of a persistently persecuted community funds of Popular Front. They find the answer towards democratic struggles. Our call for the themselves and say that that it is nothing total empowerment of the Muslims and others but foreign fund. They, in fact, are ridiculing turned out to be the sore in the eyes of the the Popular Front activists who contribute a powers that be. They weave lies about Popular certain portion of their monthly income to the Front and leak them selectively to the pliant organisation. The financial source of Popular pen pushers in the media. Saffron agents inside Front is this contribution, the annual public the administration and police join hands with collection during the month of Ramadan, and the print media and the television to unleash the money collected from the public for various the well-planned propaganda against the Front. programmes. The government, from time to Anybody can quote “reliable” or “intelligence” time, publishes the names of many religious and sources to peddle any nonsense. It is part of the non-religious organizations that receive funds game and the purpose is to tarnish this people’s from foreign agencies. As in Gujarat, Such funds movement. are mostly used to promote sectarian agenda But the truth always prevails. Popular Front has or to build up personal fortunes. Those who do never been found responsible, at any stage of not raise a single finger against such activities the enquiries, for any acts that were carried try to stifle Popular Front by fabricating false out to destabilize the country. No Popular Front stories against it. activist is there among the accused, jailed or Government interest need not be national booked for mass murder or genocide while interest always. Criticising the policies many saffron leaders are biding their time in of the government is not an anti-national jails. activity. Development of all classes of people One allegation is that Popular Front is is fundamental to real democracy. The communal and extremist. The right to organize attempts to frame groups that struggle for democratically for the empowerment of a the empowerment of the backward classes community is constitutional. Nobody in the and minorities are not born out of patriotism. past could book a case against Popular Front Minority witch-hunt is a black spot on our for inciting communal feelings. Popular Front secular-democratic fabric. has not been part of any activities that are generally described as terrorist. RSS is known to have massacred thousands of people with Together the support of the state. Mainstream leftists like CPI(M) is notorious for eliminating people for a bright future who leave the party or who oppose its policies. The mission of Popular Front of India is to enable Congressmen in many states carry the stigma the marginalised and deprived classes to stand of mass murder. But none carry the label of on their own feet in order to strive for a bright 8 The Idea of Popular Front of India future. The present victory of sectarian forces does not mean that Indian people are going for chauvinism and exclusive nationalism. All tyrannies of the past have ultimately gone to the dust bin of history. And final victory is always with the oppressed masses. Instead of cursing darkness, let each one of us light a candle. Thousands of such small flames together will eventually provide light enough to move forward on the path of empowerment and dignity. Let us shred off the veil of pessimism and instil the spirit of optimism instead. A pessimist will see difficulties in any opportunity, while an optimist will break difficulties into opportunities. There is light at the end of the tunnel, but we have to keep our eyes open to see it. Who can prevent the Indian people from living up to their democratic spirit?

Popular Front of India G-66, 3nd Floor, Kalindi Kunj, Noida Road, - 110025 Tel: 011 29949902, email: [email protected] www.popularfrontindia.com