By Shaik Zakeer Hussain, TwoCircles.net,
Mangalore: In Akram Hassan’s Mangalore constituency, most houses are distantly connected and with the city’s weather scorching at 35° Celsius, residents prefer to stay indoors.
So, when Hassan goes out to campaign for the upcoming elections; which he is contesting for the first time, there are no people in queues to watch him or eagerly waiting his arrival.
Faced with this peculiar situation, Hassan, along with his small entourage, stop at every place where they spot people, and hand them their party’s election pamphlet and say “badalavane” (Change).
Akram Hassan has been an active member of the Muslim community in Mangalore, since his student days. He is a journalist by profession and was in charge of the Kannada news daily Vartha Bharati’s operations in Bangalore, he also runs a news and information website ahinda.com.
Akram Hassan addressing a rally in Mangalore.
“40,000? That is very expensive”. Hassan is on call with an ad agency, which says it would cost Rs. 40,000 for an ad in a newspaper. “Unlike major political parties, SDPI is not enormously funded, and this amount for an ad is not affordable,” he explains me. Finally he resorts to a black and white ad, which would not cost Rs. 5000.
He and his party’s cadres, which I am told are about 3000 in Mangalore alone, walk distances urging people to defeat Congress and BJP, who he says have “exploited people’s fear and ignorance and have only used Muslims and backward communities as their vote banks.”
Omar Mukhtar, an enthusiastic SDPI cadre says, “Our people do not want to look beyond Congress, the most challenging part is to convince them to change this attitude”.
Mangalore is divided into 3 assembly constituencies; Mangalore, Mangalore North and Mangalore South. Hassan is contesting from the Mangalore constituency, where he says, over 60% of the population is Muslim.
“Most of the Muslim youth here are unskilled; there are few government run institutions which cater to this need. The Christian community has several institutions, but they mostly intake Christians,” he laments.
Akram Hassan during his door to door campaign.
Being a social activist and journalist, Hassan has followed the Muslim situation in this area for a long time, and as a result does not carries, favourable opinion on the existing Muslim political leadership. “Our leaders do not represent our community; they are the representatives of their parties. They have done absolutely nothing for the community. It’s time people understand this and elect SDPI”.
I ask one of his constituents, if he believes SDPI will deliver what it promises, “We have voted Congress so far and have got nothing in return, why not give them (SDPI) a chance. After all there is nothing more we can lose”, he said.
After touring the neighbourhood, Hassan and his cadres halt at a public meeting, organised by his party to address the common man. Under the watchful eyes of the officers from the Election Commission of India, he begins:
“Though many fought for India’s independence, but its fruits were only borne by the Congress party. The only beneficiaries of the Congress party were Zamindars, High officials and people belonging to the so-called higher caste.
Congress not only brought poverty to this nation, but also brought corruption; creating a divide between the rich and the poor. The same is the case with the BJP, the only difference being it also added its Hindutva agenda, instigating hatred between Hindus and Muslims.
Their only objective is to serve the interests of rich, to serve the interests of the U.S. and Israel. SDPI is the people’s party; it is the party of the poor. This is the election between the rich and the poor. Jai Hind, Jai SDPI, Jai Auto-Rickshaw.”
Hassan drives off to another meeting in his rented SUV.