Campus Front of India launched, to strive for social change

Monday, November 09, 2009 01:54:08 PM, Pervez Bari

New Delhi: The Campus Front of India, a neo-social student’s movement which aims to empower the campuses by developing a new generation of activists, was  formally launched at the “National Students Convention” in the auditorium of India International Centre here on Saturday.

Mohammed Yusuff of Tamil Nadu, General Convener of National Students Convention, was unanimously elected the national founder president of the Campus Front of India, (CFI), in the presence of more than 200 delegates from 13 states. He is a fresh law graduate from Madurai Government Law College. Anis Ahmad, chairman of the organizing committee of the convention, facilitated the unanimous elections and announced the names accordingly. He  administered oath to the newly elected leaders.

The other office-bearers elected on the occasion are: Dr. Zaka-ul-Huda from Bihar, & P.A. Rauf from Kerala (both vice presidents); Anis-uz-Zaman of JNU (general secretary); Mohammad Shaheen of Delhi University, & Asif Qazi from Rajasthan (both secretaries) and Mateen Ahmad from Bangalore (treasurer).

Earlier, in his presidential remarks Anis said in India development means development of the ruling class only. The political power in the last more than 60 years has been wrested in the hands of a miniscule group only by which ever nomenclature they may rule the country while about 98 per cent of the masses are just silent spectators to the plunders of the resources by the ruling class.

Anis opined that there is a need for change in the situation of India where capitalism is now ruling the roost. There is need for change in attitude of people, situation of tribals and the situation where human rights are openly violated. There is need to change the situation where a Narendra Modi under whose rule innocents were massacred is being projected as future Prime Minister of India. He emphasized the need of a national student movement and the role of students in fighting for social issues.

E.M. Abdur Rahiman, chairman, Popular Front of India, while delivering the inaugural address, called upon students to inculcate the qualities of activist in themselves so that they can propagate it to the society. He urged them to express solidarity with depressed and exploited sections of the society.

Abdur Rahiman cautioned the students not to become tools of violence and play into the hands of forces that are inimical to social change. He asked them to strive for a positive social change and build student power to utilize it to build a better new India for one and all. At the end of his inspiring speech he declared the National Students Convention opened.

A. Saeed, general secretary, Social Democratic Party of India, moaned that global forces are marketing hatred and showcasing it in the form of development. Everyone is speaking of development but the development is only aiming the progress of business class.

Saeed hoped that CFI would swim against the tide and reach to all sections of the society and strive hard for all the marginalized sections.

Gautam Navlakha, Consulting Editor, Economic and Political Weekly, speaking on occasion the said that organizations which fight for social justice will be tested and only movements with strong determination will survive. He also added that “India is the only country which has used paramilitary forces against its own people every single year for the past 62 years”. 

Adv. Mohammed Yusuff presented the background report. Anis-uz-Zaman presented the discussion paper. Earlier, P. Nazar, Convener Organizing Committee, delivered the welcome speech. The delegates session concluded with the vote of thanks by M.K. Sharafuddin.

Meanwhile, in the afternoon session, there was a seminar on the theme “Students for Social Change”. The seminar started with introductory remarks by Anis Ahmed. He stated “that the current situation existing in the country denies equity and justice to weaker sections of the society and the struggle for social justice will begin with empowering campuses”.

Chief guest Prof. P. Koya, Chief Editor, Thejas Daily, Kerala, stated that media today has become a stumbling block for social change. He exposed the low standards of few sections of media which propagated lies in creating a issues like "Love Jihad”. He lamented that Media has become watchdog of powers that be rather than being the watchdog of human rights, liberty, freedom and civil rights.

“Media in collaboration with the Hindutva groups have recently created a shady, shadowy organization "Love Jihad". Media creates images out of nothing as in this case canard is being spread. They are spreading rumour that Muslim youths are being trained to woo Hindu and Christian girls for marriage and then convert them to Islam. After that, the Hindutva groups claim, those girls are sent for terror training in Pakistan,” he said. Even statistics have been produced and circulated on this count as this is one of the form to spread lies, he added.

He advised students to jump the Media bogey to achieve the target of social change. He hoped that this small beginning will be the beginning of a great revolution not only in campuses but in the entire country where hunger is rampant and human rights are grossly violated.

“You will have to be determined and ready to offer sacrifice as you will face such problems. If you do not face any problem it means you are a useless organization,” Prof Koya said. He hoped Campus Front will be beacon of hope for millions.

Prof Tanikha Sarkar of Jawaharlal Nehru University, appealed the CFI to evolve a rainbow coalition, not one focused on uniformity of views or sectarianism. “Situation is so tense that only good resolutions will not work. We should sit and debate the ground situation,” she remarked.

Highlighting the enormity of the spread of tentacles of Hindutva forces, Prof. Sarkar said: "With the defeat of BJP, the political front of RSS, one should not think Sangh Parivar has fallen. In fact they are spreading in every nook and corner of the country. There is need to collect information as to how and where they are working. There is a need to identify such groups working at the grass roots.

Prof. Sarkar expressed the view that the country which rules its people by using army cannot claim to be practicing democracy. She said Britons did not rule India in the North East with paramilitary forces as is being done in India by the present rulers. She appreciated the efforts and initiation of Campus Front of India to strive for social change.     

During the convention Campus Front passed 10 resolutions viz. (i) Resist the influence of globalization on education, (ii) Defeat the nefarious designs of Hindutva fascism, (iii) Strict implementation of education bill, (iv) Ensure reservation to all backward communications, (v) Start more schools and technical institution in Dalits and Muslim dominated areas, (vi) Abolish entrance exams for admissions, (vii) Protect campuses from becoming crime hubs, (viii) Stop political interventions in Aligarh Muslim University, (ix) Stop targeting minorities and tribals in the name of extremism and naxalism and (x) Ensure protection of cultural identity and individual freedom of students.

The programme concluded with the vote of thanks proposed by Mohammed Shaheen, Secretary CFI.

(pervezbari@eth.net)

Home | Top of the Page

  Comment on this article