Maoists, Muslim fundamentalists to fight ‘state terror’ together

New Delhi : Maoists and Muslim fundamentalists
— they may seem to be the most unlikely partners. But in a move which
is rife with much internal contradictions and political ramifications,
the two are coming together to forge a national platform to combat
“state terror”.

The main forces behind the move are — ‘Porattom’,
a Maoist group having base in South India, Minority Watch, a human
rights organisation suspected of having close links with the banned
Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and National Democratic Front
(NDF), a radical Muslim group accused of having similar links with the
banned Islamic Sevak Sangh (ISS).

“Maoists and Muslims share the similar plight of being the victims of
the state terror. The best way to eliminate anyone who raises his voice
against the wrong doings of the State is to brand him as a Naxalite.
Similar is the plight of Muslim brethren. Whenever and wherever there
is a terrorist attack, the community as a whole is brought under the
eye of suspicion. Every Muslim is being treated as a potential
terrorist. It is in this background that we have decided to join hands
to combat this state sponsored terrorism,” said Ravunni, general
convener of Porattom.

Nazaruddeen Elamarom of the NDF also echoed similar views. “The Maoists
and the Muslims are the worst affected victims of state terror. We are
the favourite whipping boys of the Government as we are clubbed
together as anti-nationals. And this is the common thread that connects
the two,” he said. According to him, it is for the first time that the
Naxalites and Muslim groups are coming together for espousing a similar
cause.

Nazarudden maintained that the fight would be
against the upper caste ruling elite forces of Hindutva and imperialism
who have the agenda of hunting down Maoists and Muslims. “This is for
upholding human rights and to stop the fascists,” he added.

The agenda of the Maoist-Muslim joint platform
group includes withdrawal of ban on SIMIand a total full stop to
encounter killings. They also want the Naxalites to be given the
treatment of war prisoners.

 

According to Ravunni, they are in touch with many other Maoist and
Muslim groups across the country. “We are planning to hold our next
meetings in Bangalore and Calcutta. We would be deciding upon the
nature and structure of the joint platform in those meetings and it
would have a pan Indian nature,” he said. Ravunni said that the meeting
has brought together two victim groups together and the rest of the
fight would be fought together.

Acknowledging that it was an unlikely alliance, Ravunni said: “A lot of
complexities are involved in this coming together.” “But we would unite
to fight against the common enemy putting aside differences in their
ideologies,” he added.