HYDERABAD, 22 March 2004 — Muslim United Forum, an umbrella organization of Muslim religious and social organizations in Andhra Pradesh, has given a call to the Muslim community and all secular minded people to defeat Bharatiya Janata Party and its ally Telugu Desam Party in next month’s elections.
The newly formed front held its first convention here yesterday. Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Majlis-e-Tameer-e-Millat, Milli Council and Amarat-e-Millat-e-Islamia are constituents of the front. Prominent religious leader Moulana Hameeduddin Auqil Hussami is among the founders of the front.
The MUF called upon voters to support secular democratic parties to defeat the “fascist BJP promoting Hindutva” and other parties supporting it. Though the front did not name the party it was asking the people to support, the leaders dropped enough hints to suggest that they preferred Congress and its allies.
MUF General Secretary Moulana Raheem Qureshi told a media conference that the front leaders would visit all the 23 districts in the state to mobilize voters in favor of secular parties. They, along with leaders of Dalits and other weaker sections of the society, would address meetings at different places from March 25 to April 11.
The convention was attended by over 450 delegates from different parts of the state. MUF adopted a resolution urging secular parties to immediately decide on electoral adjustments among themselves and field strong secular candidates of formidable character and public image against candidates of “fascist party” and its allies.
Human rights activist Professor K. Haragopal also addressed the meeting.
“The revival of fascism in our country at the beginning of 21st century will be a bad omen not only for our country but also for the democratic world at large,” warned the resolution.
It said BJP was aiming to implement its fascist agenda after getting absolute power by fielding 350 candidates in the electoral fray.
The resolution said this aspect was being overlooked by BJP’s partners in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
