MRM spreads wings in Northeast India

Guwahati, Aug 5: After establishing itself firmly in the Indian Mainland, mostly, the Hindi-speaking belt of North India, the Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) is expanding its network in the northeast India. The state of Assam among the seven states of the region, is mostly affected by the influx of Muslims from Bangladesh under a definite pattern since pre-independence days. The infiltration has raised serious issues and the state had witnessed agitations from time to time on the issue, the latest being the one organized by the AASU and AAGSP since 1979.

However, there is a sizeable population of Assamese Muslims, who share same culture, traditions, and language with the Hindu Assamese and are living in harmony. The Congress played a politics over the issue of infiltration and thus alienated the Assamese Muslims from the national mainstream and kept them always under doubt.  

It is against this background that the recent meeting of MRM activists and Jamaat Ulema-E-Hind (JUEH) workers in Dhubri district of Assam holds more importance. The MRM and JUEH had played a very crucial role in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. They worked with local network of clergies to garner votes of Muslims for the BJP and Narendra Modi in states like J & K, UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. However, in Assam the MRM had no presence so far.

But with this meeting the scope for expanding the network of MRM in Assam and Northeast has widened. The meetings were held in Muslim dominatedMankachar in Dhubri district and Hojai in Nagaon district with a view to bringing the Muslims in the national mainstream. Muslims constitute about 30-35 per cent of the total population and have been the traditional voter and supporter of the Congress party. Of late, the entry of parties like UDF of Baddruddin Ajmal, this trend is changing. Since pre-independence days, the Muslims have been dominating the political discourse in the state. Before partition it was tilted towards Pakistan while post-independence they remained loyal to the Congress.

The MRM and Jamaat Ulema-e-Hind held a series of meetings in the Muslim dominated areas of Mankachar and Hojai. These meetings were prominently attended by MRM Patron and senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar and Jamaat President Maulana Suhaib Qasmi. MRM state convener Muhammad Nazmul Alam Laskar accompanied them. He said that the MRM is still new in the state, it is making all our efforts to reach out to the Muslims in Assam. Indresh Kumar and Maulana Suhaib Qasmi were on visit to Assam on July 26-27. These meetings were planned during this visit.

Laskar said the real intention of MRM was to allay fears among Muslims against BJP and RSS. He blamed the Congress and UDF to keep the Muslims alienated from BJP and RSS that represented the national mainstream. He said that they believed in nationalism and ready to work shoulder to shoulder with other Indians for the progress and development of India. Muslims have a big role to play in the country's development, Laskar said.

Recently, chief minister Tarun Gogoi had lashed out at RSS, JUEH and AIUDF for allegedly joining hands. He said if BJP and PDP could join hands to form the government in J&K, he would not be surprised if AIUDF and the saffron party did the same in Assam.

Laskar, however, clarified that BJP, MRM and JUEH have no alliance with AIUDF.

UDF Response: However, the UDF, which the main opposition party in Assam, said it was not worried by MRM making inroads into Assam’s Muslim majority areas ahead of the Assembly polls due next year.

However, the UDF said that it was studying the activities of MRM before deciding on its strategy towards the MRM.

"MRM is completely new to our state in general and Muslims in particular. Muslims of the state are aware of RSS's ideology. As far as AIUDF is concerned, our party, since its inception over a decade ago, has been able to win the trust of not only Muslims but also other communities in the state. So, we are not at all concerned about MRM or its associates," a senior AIUDF leader said.

He added that AIUDF is observing how MRM and its associate, Jamaat Ulema E Hind (JUEH), are chalking out strategies to woo Muslims.

The Assam State Jamiat Ulema (ASJU), headed by AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, said it has nothing to say against any organization, but it will not allow any 'divisive force' to create disturbance in any community of the state.

"We have nothing to say against any organization if it promotes peace and development for the state and works for national interest. But we will not allow to create division among communities in the name of religion," said ASJU general secretary Fazlul Karim Quasimi.

Quasimi added that people should not confuse Jamiat with Jamaat as the two are two distinct organizations.

It may be mentioned that the MRM patron Indresh Kumar had a chance meeting with UDF MP Badruddin Ajmal while they were travelling to Guwahati sometime back. The leaders, who did not know each other till then, had been introduced to each other as they disembarked from the plane and walking towards the arrival lounge.