Muslim bodies launch alliance to ‘thwart’ n-deal

The CPM’s attempt to give a “Muslim twist” to the nuclear deal may have backfired, but there seems to be some solace for the Left now...

The CPM’s attempt to give a “Muslim twist” to the nuclear deal may have backfired, but there seems to be some solace for the Left now that the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) — the “ideological face” of Indian Muslims — is in the process of launching a national alliance to fight against imperialism in the light of the Indo-US nuclear deal. As a preliminary to the launch of this alliance, the JIH on Tuesday organised a symposium on the ‘Indo-US nuclear deal and national interest’ where it was decided, “to oppose the agreement tooth and nail”.

The new alliance, which is yet to be named, will be a conglomeration of ideologically compatible Muslim bodies — including All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, Indian National League, Muslim Political Council of India and Markazi Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind — as well as a few civil society organisations with strong anti-imperialist leanings such as the Movement for Peace and Justice, Third Freedom Struggle Movement and Rashtriya Samaj Paksh.

Steps towards launching the alliance are already underway, and the first state unit has been formed in Maharashtra with a vow to “thwart the Indo-US nuclear deal and oppose designs of US Imperialism”. JIH plans to launch similar units in all states within a month.

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Taking a stand that apart from the Left Front no other party is willing to fight against US imperialism, the new alliance has underlined the need to have a joint platform of all Left parties, Socialists, Ambedkarite parties and minority organisations. “A national alliance of anti-imperialist movement is the need of the hour,” they say, alleging that the “secular dispensation under Manmohan Singh has sacrificed democratic aspirations on the altar of nuclear agreement” and exhorts “aam admi” to teach “every imperial agent” a lesson in the next election.

“The deal is a covert design to make India subservient to American imperialism. It is not against any particular community or religious group. The entire country’s interest is at stake and it must be opposed at all costs,” said S Q R Ilyas, member of the Political Committee of JIH. Careful to develop a secular image for the alliance, he added: “Every community is a victim of imperialism and our alliance will have space for everyone who is ready to raise his voice against it.”

While maintaining that the new front will have no affiliation to any political parties, leaders of the new coalition do admit that they have an affinity for the Left parties. “It is just a coincidence that we have a similar line that of the Left. We do have serious differences with the Left on several issues but when it comes to opposing imperialism, the Left has always been on the forefront. And we appreciate that,” maintained Ilyas.

On whether this would benefit the Left in the next elections, Dr T A Rehmani of the Muslim Political Council of India said: “There is no doubt. It would be mutually beneficial.”

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Meanwhile, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a partner in the UPA, has decided to meet on July 10 to decide the party’s stand on the nuclear deal after examining all aspects of the issue.

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