This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Notclosedsource (talk | contribs) at 19:55, 30 August 2007 (rvv). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 19:55, 30 August 2007 by Notclosedsource (talk | contribs) (rvv)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff).JPG){kind=link}
National Development front, abbreviated as NDF, is a militant Islamist organisation in Kerala, India established in 1993, claiming to "focus 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.In 1997 it stood behind the formation of the Confederation of Human Rights Organizations, founded in Kozhikode.NDF allegedly encourages Pakistan-backed ISI related activities in Kerala. , as well as foments Islamic Fundamentalism. It also stands accused of being a propaganda front for numerous Islamic terrorist groups, and for orchestrating the 2002 Marad massacre (see Criticism below)
History
The National Development Front or NDF started in 1993 in northern Kerala by Abdul Nasser Madani
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..
NDF has aggressively propagandized their claim to "represent the rights of minorities".upto and including launching a "minorities campaign" to gain popular publicity.
NDF has worked very closely with radical Islamist Mukundan C Menon and CHRO, who is closely tied with Human Rights Watch International.
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".
NDF has conducted different movements, demonstrations, rallies and other democratic strikes to achieve:
- To defend the human rights atrocities from Police, Military, Government and non governmental agencies.
- Special Recruitments for Jobs and Educational posts where they were denied the seats according to the governmental rules.
- 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.
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
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. Popular Front of India is an organisation with an 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.
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. The Thomas P Joseph Commission report found that "activists of IUML and NDF, a Muslim outfit, were actively involved in the massacre" NDF has also been blamed for inciting violence against moderate Muslims in Kerala, in opposition to liberal and reformist Islamic movements and individuals. and that "involvement of fundamentalists and terrorists" was behind the incident.
The BJP have put forward allegations that NDF maintains links with Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence. 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).. 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".
The NDF has been heavily criticized for recruiting the largely moderate and progressive Kerala Muslims into extremist ideologies. The organization, while superficially a "Human Rights Group", has attracted numerous Islamic Fundamentalists to their ranks, and, as such, stand compared to several more well-known militant Islamist groups such as Lashkar-e-Toiba, Hizbul Mujahideen and others. Haifa University political scientist David Bukay lists the NDF as a "fundamentalist and subversive group".Following the wake of the 11 July 2006 Mumbai Train Bombings, the NDF,along with other Islamist organizations, was being closely monitored by authorities for terrorist links.
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 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. In addition, they made veiled threats implying that there will "be trouble" if "innocent Muslims were persecuted by the police".They also declared that they "Welcomed the CBI investigation" into the Marad riots.
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:
- "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."
NDF Freedom Parade
NDF has conducted Freedom Parades with the slogan "Be the sentinel of freedom." in major cities of Kerala in 2004, 2005, and in 2006. The parades have become one of the major activities on the Indian Independence Day.
See also
- Popular Front of India
- Thejas
- Confederation of Human Rights Organizations
- NDF Minorities Campaign
- CHRO Website
References
- ^ NDF in ties with Confederation of Human Rights Organisations
- NDF Minorities Campign
- CHRO Website
- HRW Report
- NDF to widen organizational set-up
- NDF for Social Justice
- ^ NDF to take out black march
- Widespread protests against death sentence
- Relief activities in progress - The Hindu
- Create broad-based alliance of all oppressed sections
- PFI's 'Empower India Conf.' in Bangalore from Feb. 15 - 17, 2007
- Main Events of Empower India Conference.
- R. Krishnakumar, Marad shocks, Frontline (magazine), Volume 23, Issue 20, Oct. 07-20, 2006 accessed at Dec 29, 2006
- ^ Marad massacre: Kerala govt for CBI probe Times of India - September 27, 2006
- Communalism Combat March 1999
- The Bharatiya Janata Party seeks inquiry into NDF-ISI links The Hindu - May 20, 2005
- Congress' anti-terrorism campaign in Malappuram,The Hindu
- UDF Slept As Marad Burned, by Aboo Backer, CPI(M) weekly
- Ahamkaari (2003). "4". Will I Be Killed?: (for Writing the Following Contents. ..) P331. iUniverse. ISBN 0595275915.
Kerala is witnessing more and more recruits into this extremist Islamic ideology". When the names are the alarming "Lashkar-e-Toiba" and "Hizbul Mujahiddeen" in the "uneducated North", it is very humorously garbed as "National Development Front" in the south"
- 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
- ^ NDF denies accusation in Marad massacre
- ^ NDF welcomes CBI Probe
- News from The Hindu
- Be the sentinel of freedom
- Freedom Parade 2005
- NDF Freedom Parade Report from The Hindu
- Major Indian Independence Day Activities In Kerala
External links
- Probe into Marad riots, Times of India, Sept 28, 2006
- Rajeev Pi, In Kerala bastion, CPM fights hardline Muslim violence, Sunday Express, August 20, 2006 accessed at Dec 29, 2006
- Communal tension high in Kerala, BBC, Dec 10, 2001
- R. Krishnakumar, The Maudany factor, Frontline (magazine), Volume 19, Issue 22, Oct 26 - Nov 08, 2002 accessed at Dec 29, 2006
- R. Krishnakumar, Concern in Kerala, Frontline (magazine), Vol.15, No.05, March 7-20, 1998 accessed at Dec 29, 2006
- In Kerala bastion, CPM fights hardline Muslim violence - The Indian Express
- Islamic Extremism and Subversion in South Asia - Ajai Sahni
- National Development Front Website
- Popular Front Of India Website
- CHRO Website
- Probe into Marad riots, Times of India, Sept 28, 2006
- Court Rejects Anti-National Charge Against human rights leader
- Empower India Conference 15-17 February