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TamilNadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (literally means Tamil Nadu Muslim Progress Conference) is a mass-based voluntary non-governmental organization of the Muslims of Tamil Nadu. It was established on 1st August 1995. The objective of TMMK is to protect the rights, dignity and honour of the Muslims and other depressed section of the society and to strive for the social, educational and economic upliftment of the Muslim community. TMMK units are spread in all the nooks and corner of the state of TamilNadu. It has a registered membership of more than 500,000 members.

In the present day India, TMMK is a unique Muslim organization in many respects. It has a mass base. It is not a political party, but has earned the respect of the major political parties and the Government mainly through its non violent form of advocacy and social services.

TMMK strives for the achievement of social integration and communal harmony in the society and strives for prevention of violence based upon religion and caste The President of TamilNadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam Prof. M.H. Jawahirullah attended the IX Session of UN Working Group on Minority Rights which is a sub commission of UN Human Rights Commission at Geneva in May 2003.

The Units of TamilNadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam has won several awards for organizing large number of donors for Blood Donation. This year TamilNadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam was given two awards by the TamilNadu Governor on behalf of tht Tamilnadu State Aids Control Board for exemplary service in donating blood. The social services of TMMK are extended to all sections of the society irrespective of religion and caste. In the aftermath of the Tsunami disaster, the cadres of TMMK were the first to plunge into rescue and rehabilitation activities. The services rendered by TMMK volunteers in the worst ever calamity to strike TamilNadu has earned the goodwill of all the communities.

TMMK has organized two major state level programmes, the Muslim Right to Live Conference in July 1999 and a Mass Rally in March 2004 to demand separate quota for Muslims in Jobs and educational opportunities.

Mission Statement

• To strive for securing and protecting the rights,honour and dignity of the Muslim Community
• To educate the people especially the younger generation about non violent, democratic means to achieve the rights
• To strive for the achievement of social integration and communal harmony in the society and to strive for prevention of violence based upon religion and caste
• To draw and implement schemes for the educational welfare of the students community and to render them educational assistance
• To render assistance to people affected by natural calamities and riots.
• To render medical assistance to the economically weaker sections of the society
• To help in the relief and rehabilitation of poverty stricken people
• To preach against terrorism and violence
• To educate people about social evils and atrocities and also to launch programmes against evils prevailing in the society
• To draw and implement schemes for the welfare of the economically weaker sections of the society.

Organisational structure

The above office bearers are in charge of organisationwide responsibilities. In addition, there are other office bearers in charge of specific wings within the organisation.

Members' Wing

This wing comprises members between the ages of 18 and 40 years of age. Its responsibilities range from organising the functions, rallies and meetings of TMMK in a orderly manner; giving protection to dignitaries; rescue and rehabilitation drives in times of natural calamities, accidents and emergencies, etc.

Students' Wing

Traders' Wing

Labour Wing

Ulema Wing

Medical Services' WIng

Human Rights and Environmental Protection Wing

Salient achievements

• TMMK's charity work includes annual blood donation camps
• TMMK also campaigns regularly for reservation of seats in educational institutions and ear-marking of entrepreneurship schemes for Muslims in Tamil Nadu as per the recommendations of the Sachar Committee

Criticism and Militant links

The TMMK is believed to be controlled by former Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) cadres, who have been implicated in many terrorist acts... Also, Haifa University political scientist David Bukay lists the TMMK as a "fundamentalist and subversive group"

Activists of the TMMK, together with the Islamist al-Umma have been known to express Communal sentiments against Hindus in riots and protests. They are regarded as part of a covert network of Islamic Fundamentalist political outfits established in the region..

In the wake of the 1998 Coimbatore bombings and the communal violence that ensued from it, members of the TMMK were arrested following the banning of related Jihadist group al-Umma, who were directly behind the blasts.Leaders of the Jihad Committee and the TMMK were arrested in a State-wide crackdown. Among those arrested was TMMK president M.H. Jawahirulla and treasurer G.M. Pakkar. Over the next few days, many activists of the TMMK were arrested at Keezhakkarai, Devakottai, Dindigul, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Nagercoil, Melapalayam and Udumalpet as a precautionary measure.

On December 6, 2003, 450 activists of the TMMK were arrested for attempting to instigate a communal riot. Similar arrests were made earlier in 2000 where TMMK members were implicated. Following the wake of the 11 July 2006 Mumbai Train Bombings, the TMMK, along with other Islamist organizations, being closely monitored by authorities for terrorist links

References

1. ^ Tamil Nadu: The Rise of Islamist Fundamentalism, by P.G. Rajamohan, South Asia Terrorism Portal
2. Bukay, David (2004). Muhammad's Monsters: A Comprehensive Guide to Radical Islam for Western Audiences P177-178. New Leaf Press. ISBN 0892215763. Evidence of these processes is mounting throughout India, and is reflected in the number of fundamentalist and subversive groups that exist, and the geographical spread of their activities. The most prominent of these include the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, the All India Milli Council, All India Jihad Committee, The People's Democratic Party, Muslim United Front, Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazagham, National Development Front, Students Islamic Movement of India, among others
3. Indicting the police Frontline Magazine - June 10 - 23, 2000
4. Beyond Territorial Disputes by Kuldeep Kumar, Deutsche Welle 2007
5. Behind the Coimbatore tragedy, by T. Subramaniyam, Frontline 15 (05) 1998
6. Anniversary ends peacefully The Hindu - December 07, 2003
7. Bandh against attack on mosque The Tribune, Chandigarh - December 12, 2000
8. Police on alert after Mumbai blasts The Hindu - July 13, 2006

See also

• Tamil muslim

External links

• Organization website

• Articles with a promotional tone from September 2007