The four-day 10th Mujahid State conference organised by the Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM) Marakazu Dahwa concluded at Karipur near Kondotty on Sunday making a clarion call for a caste census to ensure equitable justice and opportunities for all sections in the country.
“It is clear why those who make fake campaigns alleging that Muslims wrest undue benefits, are afraid of caste census. A minority upper caste has monopolised the jobs and the educational sector,” the meeting said, reiterating that Muslims are behind the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in government service and education sector across the country. “Only a caste census will expose the truth.”
The conference raised concerns against the practice of including Muslim applicants qualified in general category in the Muslim quota. “This practice is to upset the quota system.” The conference also questioned the denial of opportunities for Muslims in statutory positions in the State’s universities.
The conference warned against splintering of Muslim votes in the upcoming general elections in the country. It cautioned the people against destabilising political fronts on flimsy charges against the Sangh Parivar.
It called upon the society to strengthen its fight against dowry. “Islam considers dowry as an illegal means of making money,” a resolution said.
Inaugurating the valedictory function on Sunday evening, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that faiths and religions had taken shape at different periods with the objective of helping man to tread the path of virtue. Differences within religions indicate that all religions can accept pluralism, he said.
He described the Salafi movement and Mujahid groups as an example of pluralism. “No faith or religion in the world upholds that only one is the right. No faith can be confined within its narrow bounds as science is expanding.”
The Chief Minister called upon all reformist organisations to examine if the reformist ideals they put forth had suffered any deviations. He said some reformist organisations had reduced to the level of community organisation, emphasising the growth of orthodoxy in the society.
“Progressive ideas should be encouraged to take reformist movements forward. History has taught us that those with knowledge could dominate over others. No community cannot go forward without resorting to knowledge.”
The Chief Minister underscored the importance of upholding secularism. He bewailed the attempts by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to convert India into a Hindu nation. He exhorted the people to be vigilant against the attempts to divide the country in the name of religion.
Higher education conclave
A higher education conclave held as part of the conference asked the government to address the concerns of different communities when the new national education policy was being implemented. It called upon the government to exercise social restrictions when offering off campuses to private and foreign universities.
National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC) peer team member and former principal of Farook College, Feroke, E.P. Imbichi Koya inaugurated the conclave. Sahad Bin Ali presided over the function. Rajul Shanis, K.E. Navas, M. Usman, Kunhi Moideen, Yunus Chengara and Shakir Babu Kuniyil spoke.
Inaugurating a civil servants and lawyers conclave held as part of the Mujahid State conference on Sunday, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) State secretary C.P. Cheriya Mohammed said that bureaucrats should play a significant role in social reformation.
Marginalisation in all spheres was the reason for the backwardness of the minorities, he said. Delay in justice especially at a time when judiciary was facing allegations of bias should be viewed as denial of justice, he said. Engineer Sayed Alavi presided over the function.
