National Development Front

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NDF poster in Alappuzha, calling for solidarity with Palestine
NDF poster in Alappuzha, calling for solidarity with Palestine

National Development front, abbreviated as NDF, is an organisaiton in Kerala, India established in 1993, focusing on socio-enonomical issues of minorities giving a focus to Kerala Muslims, Dalits and Other Backward Classes in Kerala. Its slogan is Swathantryam - Neethi - Surakrsha which means Freedom, Justice and Security. NDF work for the total empowerment of the oppressed communities and it seek to build alliances with all sectors of the society for achieving this goal. In 1997 it stood behind the formation of the Confederation of Human Rights Organizations, founded in Kozhikode.[1]

Contents

[edit] History

The National Development Front or NDF started in 1993 in northern Kerala, India. Its main focus is to ensure the rights of all the citizens with a focus to oppressed and minorities.[2] The main cause for the formation of this organization was the threat and alienation that the Babri Masjid demolition caused among Kerala's Muslims.Then the Mandal Commission report opened the doors of power to the backward castes and minorities and made them conscious of their rights.[3] This consciousness led to a lot many social organizations coming up. The onslaught against the backward people and religious minorities wasn't the kind that could be met by isolated responses. The NDF came up to give guidance to all such outfits.

[edit] NDF and Human Rights Movements

In 1997 NDF has conducted the National Humanrights Conference in Kozhikode where many human rights activists and NDF activists participated. Based on the discussion and understanding, a new organisation is formed called Confederation of Human Rights Organisation.[1].

NDF intervene in many of Human right violation incidents happening in Kerala.[4] As a social organization, NDF have been more successful in raising awareness in the media and in political circles about human-rights abuses and other injustices in our society.[5]NDF work along with other oppressed communities like Dalits, Backward classes, Tribals and Human Rights Organizations to ensure social justice. NDF has always considered the reservation issue as an ideological and fundamental one for the empowerment of the socially deprived communities. The organization took a firm stand on this issue affecting the Backward Classes.[1].

NDF has worked very closely with great Human Rights Activist Mukundan C Menon and CHRO, which is closely tied with Human Rights Watch International.[6]

[edit] NDF and Social Activities

NDF has a main focus on socio-economical issues in Dalits and Muslim community in Kerala. NDF work along with other oppressed communities like Dalits, Backward classes, Tribals and Human Rights Organizations to ensure social justice. NDF has always considered the reservation issue as an ideological and fundamental one for the empowerment of the socially deprived communities.[7]

But as far as religious minorities like Muslims are concerned, it is a question of their religious identity. One promising development, however, is the belated realization among Muslim groups that they are part of a wider community.

NDF is a widely accepted among Muslim common mass and it has tens of thousands of volunteers all over Kerala from different sectors of Muslims. NDF works hard to unite the minorities in the society and it give a high importance to bring the Muslim minorities on a common ground. It greatly pushes for implementing the Narendran Commission report and Sachar Committee report to ensure the educational-social-economic privileges.[7]

NDF has recently decided to bring the like minded organization together for expanding its activities for the oppressed and the minorities to the rest of the country.[8]

NDF has conducted different movements, demonstrations, rallies and other democratic strikes to achieve:[9][10]

  • To defend the human rights atrocities from Police, Military, Government and non governmental agencies.[11]
  • Special Recruitments for Jobs and Educational posts where they were denied the seats according to the governmental rules.[10]
  • For implementing the reservation and allowances for the backward communities for bringing them up to the main stream society.
  • The rights of OBC minorities enforcing the government and its agencies to help the downtrodden in the society.
NDF Tsunami Fund -- Poster
NDF Tsunami Fund -- Poster

[edit] Relief activities

NDF has actively involved in helping the sufferers of Tsunami victims of Kerala and Tamilnadu along with other volunteers of different parties and organisaitons. NDF has Rehabilitated many Tsunami Victims providing necessities and shelter. The high tidal attack, tsunami had wiped out many of the houses and facilities during end of year 2005. The main focus was to make the victims the basic necessities like drinking water and food. The volunteers were able to get the odd requirements of[12]

[edit] Minorities Issues and NDF

NDF feel that all repressed sections should have their own separate organisations. This is because the problems people are facing are not common. For example, the dalits. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar called them the untouchables. In the job and ruling fronts they still continue as untouchables. Their basic problem is social inequality. Ambedkar told "Ours is a battle not for wealth or for power. It is a battle for freedom. It is a battle for the reclamation of human personality."[13].

But as far as religious minorities like Muslims are concerned, it is a question of their religious identity. One promising development, however, is the belated realization among Muslim groups that they are part of a wider community; and that only by forging partnerships with like-minded groups they can begin to have real impact on the perception of their faith and also on policies that affect them.

NDF has a broader vision on empowerment of the country. In order to have developed India, we have to focus first on the upliftment of the down-trodden in the society. Muslims, Dalits, Ezhavas and many others are suffering from discrimination in the society and they are denied of getting enough rights and public facilities. There are many Dalits, Ezhavas and other OBC organizations working closely with NDF.

NDF works very close with all Muslim organisations and co-operate in all the movements for the empowerment of Muslims.[14]

[edit] Fight for Minority Reservation

NDF has started its campaign for reservation from the year it is formed. In 1994 NDF has conducted a Seminar on Reservation in which major social and cultural leaders of Kerala like M.P. Veerendra Kumar and Sukumar Azhikode has participated. NDF has conducted awareness campaigns like the Reservation Protest Demonstration from Kaazarkode to Trivandrum on 2000 April 20 to May 5. On 2003 Aug 27th, NDF has conducted 14 different demonstrations to 14 different Kerala StateMinister's offices participating thousands of its volunteers. In 2006 December, the government has called for a discussion with NDF, NSS, MSS leaders for discussing on implementing the Narendran Commission Report and its reservation. As a result the government has partially implemented the reservation for minority. NDF spokesmen says they will continue the fight for reservation until the social justice is completely retained.[7]

[edit] Empower India Conference & Popular Front

NDF is in coalition with Popular Front of India and has co-operated in the Empower India Conference, which is held at Bangalore in February 2007.[15] Popular Front of India is an organisation with a agenda to bring the underprivileged and the marginalized sections like dalits, backward classes and minority communities to come on one platform. The conference is expected to motivate the underprivileged and marginalized sections like dalits, backward classes and minority communities to work for human rights and social justice.[16][17]

[edit] Criticism

The NDF is accused of being a communal outfit and members of the organization have been implicated in violent incidents like the 2002 Marad massacre[citation needed].[18] The Thomas P Joseph Commission report found that "activists of IUML and NDF, a Muslim outfit, were actively involved in the massacre"[19] NDF has also been blamed for inciting violence against moderate Muslims in Kerala, in opposition to liberal and reformist Islamic movements and individuals.[20] and that "involvement of fundamentalists and terrorists" was behind the incident.[19]

The BJP have put forward allegations that NDF maintains links with Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence.[21] The Indian National Congress (who are politically opposed to the BJP) has also raised doubts about the true nature of their activities. On October 31, 2006, the Congress launched a campaign against terrorism in Malappuram district in Kerala, simultaneously taking on parties and organizations such as the IUML, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the National Development Front (NDF) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP).[22]. In addition, the State secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, has said that NDF was involved in the Marad massacre and referred to them as a "terrorist outfit" that executed a "planned mass murder".[23]

[edit] NDF Response to Criticisms

The National Development Front publicly denies involvement in the Marad massacre. They allege that the perpetrators arrested for the acts were not members of their organization[24] and, as is normal in the discourse of Islamist propaganda in India, blamed the entire incident on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and other "Fascist Hindus", evoking anti-Hindu canards in a blurb on their website.[25] In addition, they made veiled threats implying that there will "be trouble" if "innocent Muslims were persecuted by the police".[24]They also declared that they "Welcomed the CBI investigation" into the Marad riots.[25]

In response to general criticisms about thir organization, the NDF has vaguely criticized "the media" and "the authorities" for their portrayal of the organization as a militant outfit. An NDF spokesperson said:[26]

"Mediapersons have been misled by Intelligence authorities to believe that the NDF was a militant organisation. They had said the same thing about Congress during the freedom struggle."

[edit] NDF Freedom Parade

NDF Freedom Parade 2006
NDF Freedom Parade 2006

NDF has conducted Freedom Parades with the slogan "Be the sentinel of freedom."[27] in major cities of Kerala in 2004, 2005,[28] and in 2006.[29] The parades have become one of the major activities on the Indian Independence Day.[30]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c NDF in ties with Confederation of Human Rights Organisations [1]
  2. ^ NDF - What is it?[2]
  3. ^ Mandal Commission[3]
  4. ^ NDF for Social Justice [4]
  5. ^ CHRO Website [5]
  6. ^ HRW Report [6]
  7. ^ a b c NDF Minorities Campign [7]
  8. ^ NDF to widen organizational set-up [8]
  9. ^ NDF for Social Justice [9]
  10. ^ a b NDF to take out black march[10]
  11. ^ Widespread protests against death sentence[11]
  12. ^ Relief activities in progress - The Hindu[12]
  13. ^ A battle for freedom [13]
  14. ^ NDF and Muslim Personal law board[14]
  15. ^ Create broad-based alliance of all oppressed sections[15]
  16. ^ PFI's 'Empower India Conf.' in Bangalore from Feb. 15 - 17, 2007 [16]
  17. ^ Main Events of Empower India Conference. [17]
  18. ^ R. Krishnakumar, Marad shocks, Frontline (magazine), Volume 23, Issue 20, Oct. 07-20, 2006 accessed at [18] Dec 29, 2006
  19. ^ a b Marad massacre: Kerala govt for CBI probe Times of India - September 27, 2006
  20. ^ Communalism Combat March 1999
  21. ^ The Bharatiya Janata Party seeks inquiry into NDF-ISI links The Hindu - May 20, 2005
  22. ^ Congress' anti-terrorism campaign in Malappuram,The Hindu
  23. ^ UDF Slept As Marad Burned, by Aboo Backer, CPI(M) weekly
  24. ^ a b NDF denies accusation in Marad massacre [19]
  25. ^ a b NDF welcomes CBI Probe [20]
  26. ^ News from The Hindu[21]
  27. ^ Be the sentinel of freedom [22]
  28. ^ Freedom Parade 2005 [23]
  29. ^ NDF Freedom Parade Report from The Hindu[24]
  30. ^ Major Indian Independence Day Activities In Kerala[25]

[edit] External links

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