PFI-SDPI: BJP's friend, Congress' foe in polls

Though it is said that there are communal forces among Muslims too this thought was never backed by an organization as such. However, this void was filled by Popular Front of India. While the Hindu communal outfits kept nurturing themselves by pointing at the Muslims, the latter did the same pointing at the Hindus. As a result of this both Hindu and Muslim communal outfits grew luxuriously.

However, from a political point of view what was surprising is the fact that the BJP which groomed itself as anti-Muslim is rather beaming a smile while the Congress which called itself a pro-minority party is in a fix. This has created a whole lot of interesting twists and turns in DK politics.

The ones who have watched the PFI very closely say that it is nothing but the RSS of a section of Muslims. The structuring of the organization and the cadres are almost similar to that of the RSS and even the PFI men are known for their provocative speeches against the opponent, the way RSS men do. While the RSS workers take the liberty to beat up Muslim boy seen with a Hindu girl, the PFI workers do not think twice before beating up a Hindu boy seen with a Muslim girl. The only difference is that the number of attacks of the PFI may be far lesser than the attacks waged by the RSS.

While the BJP and the RSS do not spare even a chance to spit venom against the Muslims, the surprising fact is that neither of the two has ever tried talking about the PFI so far. What is more interesting is the fact that the PFI had grown by leaps and bounds during the last five years of the BJP's rule. The PFI leaders too have never complained of any harassment from the police so far, despite the fact that the law enforcement agencies are under the RSS thumb. Time and again the PFI has signaled that it is up against the Congress. The attitude and behaviour of the two organizations have only suggested that the two are hand in gloves.

A person closely linked to the RSS narrating an incident said that couple of months ago, the PFI had hosted a massive public meet at Nehru Maidan. When the Hindutva activists had told about the magnitude of the gathering to a top RSS leader, he had supposedly said that the RSS should fund more of such public meetings of the Muslim organisations because when the Muslims gather in such large numbers, the Hindus become insecure and fall into the folds of the saffron organisations automatically.

The political wing of the PFI is the SDPI. Despite the fact that the SDPI is going to try its luck in 25 constituencies in Karnataka, it has diverted all its attention on Dakshina Kannada district alone, where the SDPI has fielded its candidates in seven out of eight constituencies. In Belthangady it has decided to back Bahujan Samaj Party.

The SDPI leaders who proclaim in open that the BJP and the Congress are their equal rivals, secretly they say that they are up only against the Congress. The strategy of the SDPI is very clear. They are here to divide the Muslim votes, on which the Congress builds its castle of dream. These votes make no damage to the BJP because the party has never banked on these votes.

For example, during the last assembly elections, the Congress had won in four constituencies in DK. However, Bantwal which has considerable number of Muslim population brought victory to Ramanath Rai with a narrow margin of 1,251 votes. This year too Mr Rai will have to fight against the SDPI candidate, which means the competition is going to be tougher than before. Likewise, in Mangalore constituency U T Khader had won by 7,149 votes. Here if the SDPI candidate bags about six to seven thousand votes, then the Congress will be in trouble.

SDPI Dakshina Kannada President Aboobakar Kulai when asked if the SDPI is into a secret pact with the BJP, says that the allegations that the SDPI is facilitating victory for the BJP is baseless and far from truth. “It may seem so from an outset but soon we are going to be the alternative for the two national parties,” says Mr Aboobakar.

However, a sort of wave against the SDPI is being brewing in the region. DYFI District President Muneer Katipalla is one of the many who is skeptical about the intentions of the SDPI.

“Their objective is clear. They are here to join hands with the communal forces to defeat the secular forces. The Muslims should not fall prey to such a plot,” says Mr Katipalla. While the Congress is finding out the equations for victory defeating the rebellion factor, it may have to spend some more time to tide over this new trouble called the SDPI.