By Shefa Rafi
Muslim members and sympathisers of DMK are now a dejected lot as the party leader M K Stalin totally neglected a Muslim for Rajya Sabha seat. And his oft-repeated remarks that Muslim welfare is always on DMK’s priority list holds no water. If he is really a well-wisher of the Muslim minority, he would have chosen a Muslim candidate for the Upper House is what echoes among the Muslims both within the party and public.
Non-selection of a Muslim candidate for Rajya Sabha proves to show the double-standards of DMK leader Stalin. No meaning in lip service during election campaigns in Muslim dominated areas. Soon after the poll results, the promises given to Muslims just vanish into thin air. Not much significance is being given to Muslims under the leadership of Stalin in DMK albeit he speaks in support of Muslims in public platforms.
Turning the pages of DMK history reveals that during C N Annadurai’s regime as Chief Minister in 1967, S J Sadiq Pasha, a native of Udumalpet in Coimbatore district was made Public Health Minister and in M Karunanidhi’s cabinet, he was PWD minister in 1969. After the demise of S J Sadiq Pasha, only three persons–Cumbum A Rahman Khan, SNM Ubaidullah and TPM Moideen Khan from Tirunelveli were made ministers. In the last fifty plus years, just four from Muslim minority were given berth in the DMK ministry.
Much agonising that Muslims continue to be at the receiving end by both the dravidian parties. What more, neither opposition leader Stalin nor chief minister Edappadi Palanisamy showed no concern for the agitating Muslims squatting in make shift tents since February 14. The Shaheen Bagh style sit in protest which commenced at Washermanpet in Chennai, Tamil Nadu spread to many districts with people including purdah-clad women alongwith their children continuing with their agitation till the Tamil Nadu Assembly passes a resolution against CAA, NPR and NRC.
With no other alternative for the dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu, Muslims are now in a tight spot as to what to do. The protest against CAA, NRC and NPR by Muslims alongwith their families and left party leaders taking part at the agitating in support of Muslims has brought to the fore the real face of both DMK and AIADMK. Its now wait and watch situation from several quarters. And May 2021 assembly elections alone can give the answer as star celebrities Kamal Hassan and Rajinikanth are poised to enter the election arena.
