JEDDAH, 1 March 2008 — The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in New Delhi led by the Congress Party is committed to the development of minorities in India, said Kodikkunnil Suresh, All-India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary and a former member of the Parliament.

“After coming to power the UPA government created a new ministry for minority affairs led by A.R. Antulay,” Suresh told a reception organized by KMCC Central Committee in Jeddah.

“Only when the Sachar Committee report was published, people learned that Muslims were more backward in Bengal than any other parts of the country,” Suresh said.

He said the Congress government would work for improving the condition of minorities in light of the Sachar Committee report. He also noted the efforts made by the United Democratic Front in Kerala to improve the condition of Muslims in the state.

Acting KMCC President P.T. Muhammad presided over the function, which was opened by O.K.M. Moulavi. N. Muhammad Kutty, Omar Purathil, Abubacker Arimbra and T.T. Rayeenkutty also spoke. General Secretary Ahmed Palayatt welcomed the guests while Mahmoud Vadakara gave a vote of thanks.

Meanwhile, addressing a seminar organized by the Islamic Dawa Council (IDC), Suresh said mafias were now controlling Kerala. “The land mafia has increased prices of land in the state. As a result, ordinary people cannot buy even a small piece of land,” he said.

The former MP said that the ruling Left Democratic Front was not taking any effective action against the mafias. “The so-called cyber cities and smart cities are only a cover-up for the sale of state land in the name of industrialization and development,” he told the gathering.

He said the social and economic life of the people of Kerala were badly affected by the black money pumped into the state economy by various mafias.

“The real development of a country is the development of the downtrodden and the oppressed,” Suresh said and urged the public to fight for their political rights.

Rasheed Kolathara, P.T. Abdul Latheef and Sulaiman Faisi were the other speakers. KHM Muneer welcomed the audience and KTM Kutty gave a vote of thanks.